Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-20
r4nIFF rABK in THz SENATE.
senator Plumb Docs Not agree WIN
senators AIdfich aud Allison

senators Atuftch ~ho
New Yorr Times.
The debate in the SENATE last Thurs.
day concerning the duty on beams ana
other structural shapes Of steel or iroi
was ons Of considerable Importance and
of great interest TO ali who desire that
tho tariff shall be revised f;rly. we
have already referred to II, Blu, the iull
report Of what was said requires addi'
tional Comment, The daty on beams
and other structural shapes Is now lU2g
per cent, and tho duty proposed IN thv
Senate bill wDuld be equivalent 10 W per
cent. It IL notorious that the mAnutao-
tufefs of steel and iron beams HAYS been
In combination for several years with re-
spect 70 prices, and that for two or three
years Of least the ring price has been
Q 8 10 cents pound, or 1913 W a long ton,
The debate was very interesting tirst,
because OF Senator Plumb's protests
against the retention OF high duty for
the beueft OF this ring. He directed the
attention OF the seunto to the existence
OF this combination of all tho nisnufac.
turers, come six or eight IN number, I" and
to the high price maintained by II, price
so high that 10 two instnnnes within his
knowledge contractors '--shose building
the capitol at Topeka and also those put
tiuD no the new state house In Texas
were able to save considerable sums by
procuring beams in Europe in spite OF
the duty Of S2a ton. These contractors
found il 'impossibie to get up any com
petition or 10 any way to break the
price" Haid no;
have no doubt that the price OF these
beams Is much larger than i ought to be,
and TINT II there 10 no ether way VI break
ing M this combination II oughg to be
rescued hY a sensible reduction OF duty.
Bat the Chicago platform calls for an
Increase OF dunes "to check impcrta-
tions, aud this policy, as We have re-
peatsdly shown, is just what auch combi-
nations would prefer. Mr. Plumb also
DECLARED That these beam Manufacturers
Rere not anxious to meet the entire
American demani, shut preferred to
manufacture o limited supply at enor-
mously increased profits" "Aud that :"
he aided, ~ think is taature of the
iron manufacture III this country 10 a
very considerable extent" This has q
curions sou;d, ocming from tho Repuhli,
can representative Of state that has re-
gently been called tho banner state of
In opposing his motion to amend the
bill by reducing the duty Mr.. Allison
aud Mr.. Aldrich undertook to convince
the Senate that the alleged combination
was thing Of the past. Bald Mr.. Allison:
Thers is undoubtedly some forcs In the
statement madehy he Sanatcr from Kans1s
hat ID past yelrsS there being bur fsw
manu- sleturers OF this class of steel, some
as TO prirse was made.
But he had reason 60 believe thas the
conditions were now undergoing, or
would soon undergo, change. More
,ver, the proposed reduction could not
30 permitted, because il would upse. the
whole schedule and might de0troy the
pill. Fading TINT consistency required
hin to support even the duty now i'm
,osed, he Rddsd
have no doubt that II this duty fl02Y
1sr cent Is Inailtaiaed upon these Shapes
Il steel, In worry ehort time ths oompntf.
lou Will be aOiiieisnt to btlDg down the
lrite.
And with reference to the same branch
II the subject MIR. Adgieh SAID
Tibet competition among American pro-
ireers VIII 10 time reduce the price TO d
7ruper limit l have no doubt wljgtEyer,
There is no trIfst or combination
lm0ng the makers which cannot eyantuAlly
% prevented from enhancing prices, By
competition IN this country. l have no
ionpt that will he the result ut an early
Jay. do not think that at the
present moment the prices OF iron and
steel are excessive, think the state OF nf.
airs 10 which the Senator from Kansas al,
uded existed a few years ago, but does not
axtat NJ tho nresant time
Tae old atory. AGMlg wat ard tia
nemEass u tae ring Will eaas y. ta CON
pete with each other" But why did Mr..
.ldtioh say az first that competition
would "reduce the price in time to a
proper limit, and then soy that tho price
= not now too high He must have been
iisturbed by Mr.. Plumb's heretical utter.
lnCes.
Now, rs 20 the combination being a
hing OF "a few years ago." and not ex.
sting to-day. Do Mr. Aldrioh and Mr..
Nilsson deaiye to conceal the truth
they made the bill, and they are sup.
posed TO be familiar with tho condition
u this industry. DO they not know that
ihe ring price of $40 cents a pound
.o-oay Is the price that has been main.
aimed for long time They should
read the trade journals and consult other
sources of information. Do they NOT
know thas his has been the price for al
least two years VIII thay not take the
word OF MIR. B. 4. Jones, formerly chair.
man Of the national Republican commit.
lee, aud member of The combination
woo said last February "Iha Arms
that mako steel or iron beams have an
understanding among themselves for a
OF prices z" No, il will not
10 10 Ray that this combination exiated "a
few yenis ago. but docs not exist now,
nor VIII II do TO promiye that prices will
iniely go down il the duties shall be "a
.A'aed' AS we have said, gentleman
writing TO us In defence OF the conbinn.
non says that it has been in existence
TOR 70 years. Will Mi. Allison and
At. Aid.ich give bonds to the people 10
.t,'ehlhify them II competition shall not
y ieatutea ana prices reduced under the
oeAlgt influence Of their bill ?
~. finmb made other unkind remarbs
about the manufacturers. He believed
l Wy, they wogld take ali the profit they
Soald get under the tariff by combinatIon
OF Otherwise. With what a shuddar
would hiH high tax friends have heard
lhese words II he had said them on TIA
stump curing the recent campaign
~ 1.a1 !, isaae mo to say that one OF the fsa.
IRE q These combinations Is that certain
peeE ~ VIII got enormous profits in a short
,be e e ~, " long as they possibly can, and
Ss.!t ihey get themselves stated thew will
saa5 da%n, and they will always Do hat
wages Of their laborers, y Ao''ius 'he
=. what is this Are not the protected
! Jun Y tbs workIngman's beSt
, ,aeia Is not the tariff designed 10
Aeep ap wages And further !:
cern "a i 70 PROPOSE 20 far as am con.
Ssatiga' 10 the maintenance of The pro.
Lseuvs system to give undue profits 81 I'M ~