The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-09-30
A Good Suggestion.

A Good Suggestion.
We publish in this issue Of the VIRGIN
LAM an article from the Baltimore Ma7ast-
factsaers' Record, which should be careful
ly read by every man in Virginia who feels |
an interest in the development OF the re- |
sources OF the State 1t is al appeal for
industrial progression matte ial develop I
ment and the utilization of The vast min
eral wealth Of the South. 1t applies to
Virginia with especial force, and ought to
awaken her people to thought and action In
the direction pointed ont. Its reference
to the meagre and utterly inadequate tar
if on ores is particularly significant in con-
nection with this section OF the country.
1t will be remembered that few years ago,
when a conference committee OF the two
houses of Congress was appointed on a
tariff bill, it YVES difficult toprocure the
services of Senator on that committee,
because it was compromise measure,
and necessarily in some of its provls-
ions was Objectionable to the friends OF
protection. Senator Malone was induced
to serve on it, and on taking his seat for
consultation and comparison Of views, he
made it known that he would vote for no
bill that did not concede something to Vir
ginia's interest. At that time the tariff
on foreign ores was SO cents ton. He
proposed to increase it to $3.50 per ton.
The large advance was regarded as imprac-
ticable by some of even the protectionists,
but he earnestly urged the proposition
against heprotest of all the democrats on
the committee. Finally he had to sub
NIT to an increase to rs cents, and even
then was opposed by democratic members
of Congress from Virginia, and especially
the member from this district, who, we are
informed, was on the floor of the Senate
exerting his influence against it. Free
raw materials was and is hobby with
the democratic party, They assume
that free raw materials are in the interest of
the consumer, losing sight entirely of the
undeveloped resources ofsVirginia and the
South which lie in state of nature, and
could not be mined at all to compete with
the ores Of Africa, Cuba and Spain. The
marvellous increase in the imported ores
| for the past twelve months shows how in
adequate the tariff now imposed on them
is, and the ruinous effects it is having up
on the mineral interests Of Virginia. We
have mineral wealth in the 10th District,
and large proportion Of it in Augusta
county, sufficient to supply the demands
of one hundred furnaces, were it not
brought in competition with foreign ores
and the cheap labor which operate the for
eign mines. Were the ores reasonably pro-
tected by tariff duties, the Importation
which is now increasing so rapidly would
not have to be contemplated. We would
have our home labor employed in mining
and shipping, an army of consumers, with
the means from their wages to purchase
the products of our farms, and a home
market established to keep the currency
among ourselves to create new wealth at
every turn it would take. Not only this,
but furnaces would spring up where the
ores were found in sufficient abundance,
and industrial activity would follow to
give life and prosperity to all the interests
of this section.
The people of the Valley are practical
and can lay just'claim to as much common
sense as any other in the country, and yet
they have not shown that independence of
character and sterling regard for their own
welfare that might be expected of them.
They have been too much the slaves Of par.
ty-too much under the influence Of party
schemers and amenable to personal ap-
peals Were they to follow the advice
given in the article from the Record to
which we have referred, and consider as
paramount their material interest instead
of blindly following selfish leaders, they
would soon be in different condition to
what they are now. We have here In our
| own county all the elements to build up
industries and draw capital to embarke in
industrial enterprises. Were such mineral
district as that of South River, and such
81 inviting site as that of Waynesboro and
the Junction to exist in any Northern or
Eastern. State, it would long siuce nave
been the seat of manufacturing enterpris-
es and abundant wealth. Were the people
there to unite in combined effort to util-
ize the SPLENDID natural advantages they
possess, they would soon have start, and
with solid beginning the future would
yield results that they scarcely now dream