Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-08
THE IRON TARIFF.

Arguments Before the Ways and Means
Committee.
WASHINGTON, March G.-The Ways and
Means Committee to day listened to argE'
ments onthe iron ore and pig iron SEIZED
ules of the Morrison Tariff Bill.
DIR. VIM. A Ingraham, of Pnilad. lphis,
a manufacturer Of pig iron and
member of the Eastern Pig
Iron Association, read a paper prepared
b. that association earnestly protesting
aud demonstrating against The proposed
reduction OF the duIy on pig iron aud
wrought scrap IRON and warning the COM
mittee and Congress Of the alarming conse'
quences certain TO follow such reduction.
The consequences, he said, OF the rednc'
tons Of 1871 and 1888, have been most
disastrous. The manufacture Of pig iron
i8 in very depressed condition. Prices
have fallen steadily TO September, 1888,
since when there has been slight rally
There has been
MOST UNEQUAL COMPETITIVE STRUGGLE
between the foreign producers at low
wages, and the home producers at higher
wsges, one BY one our furnaces closed and
put their fires, and many Of those who con-
tinued the fight were driven into bank
ruptcy and ruin with thousands of work
men idle at home Large quantities oftke
foreign pig aud scrap iron, have continued
to arrive and supply our market to the tx
cusion Of home product The sutferings
Of our workmen and Losses Of their employ.
ers, thus wsutoDly sacrificed in favor OF
foreign capirsl and cheap labor will
never be :Egdefnitely known. IF
there was anything 4 TO hope from
the present Congress, the association would
ask to have the duty on pig iron pat al s.
Der ton, which is no mole than would over
come the difference in wages paid abroad
and OF home. The duty on wrought scrap
iron should be Fixed at sl0. The makers
Of pig iron are utterly weary Of this con-
tipual
XAoGGNG AT THE TARIFF.
The perpetual tinkering paraly zes business,
demoralzss trade and has reduced the
makers 10 such state OF mind that they
would be glad TO get back fifty cents on
the dollar of their money invested. They
would prefer free trade to the propo.ed
rate Of duty, because they believe that the
stronger the dose the more rapid will be
the recovery OF the patient
Mr.. Wieitling, representing the U. S.
Association Of Charcoal Iron Workers,
read paper protesting against the pas
SAGE of the Morrison Bill, They not only
protested against reduction OF duty on
iron but requested that the rules pre-.
yaiIipg prevailing prior to 1888 be re-
stored; that ell duties made specific
and that a duty be imposed to protect the
manufacturers Of tin plate. Mr.. Geo. Il
Ely, representing the ore prodacers, told
of the obstacles in the way OF developing
American, ore deposits as compared with
the easy production of foreign countries,
wnen IL was only necessary to dig up The
earth. The mining business in the country
he said, has not been q profitable invest
ment. More money had been sunk in Lake
Superior district than would be gotten out,
Mr.. Throp, Pennsylvania iroumaker,
ssid that the ore should be protected. If
the South could get better ores and make
cheaper iron he would cay, God speed.
LIE, the South be built up. Any legisla-
ton that might prove detrimental to 2lO,'
600 workmen should be very carefully con