Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-02-03
MEMORIAL
10 THE HONORABLE SENATORS
AND RESENTATIYES or
TIE CONGRESS- OF TIE
UNITED STATES.

At tho annual meeting of the
Western Iron Ore Association held
at Cleveland, Ohio, January 18th,
1888 the following Memorial TO
Congress, in remonstrance and pro.
test against the removal or the nc
duction Of the duly on iron ore, was
unanimously adopted:
The Western Iron Ore Associa.
ton, representing iron ore produc-
ing and transporting interests of
the Northwest and Of Missouri, beg
leave hereby to most respectfully
but most earnestly rcmonstate and
protest against the removal of, or
the reduction Of the present duty
on iron ore.
Iron ore is produced in every
part OF the country. The aggrc
gate production in 1887 is estimated
10 have been over l2,000,000 tons.
Ent tie mining interests represent
ed by this association alone, furnish
tho ores for nearly one half of the
total pig iron production Of the
United States. Engaged in the
business are hundreds of thousands
OF lahorers, and enormous capitals,
which can never be withdrawn, bat
which must prosper or perish on
the spot.
In the ore business of the Lake
Superior ore region alone, III the
mines Of Michigan, WISCONSIN md
Minnesota, in the railroads ncces
sary for moving their products to
The lakes, in the shipping engaged
N the lake transportation, and in
the ore business of the railroads
moving the ores from the lower
lake ports to mills and furnaces in
the interior and to adjacent States,
there are now employed about
Sl40,000,0C0 Of capital with all the
labor occupation that the use of
snch an amount Of capital would
involve.
In other sections Of The country.
East, West and South, are similar
connected and intertlcpcndcnt in
dustries, whose safety, and whose
ability to furnish employment to
American labor would be seriously
impaired, or entirely destroyed in
the same way hy the removal OF
the duty, The removal or the low
cring of the dnty would close many
American mines. =
That the present rate of duty, -
cents per ton, is insufficient for y
reasonable protection 10 the CAPT
tai and labor engaged in the work
ing and the development of cur
American mines is shown b. the
steady and large increase in i'm
.portatiOns. About 100000 tons
came in from Spain, Africa and
Cuba in 1887. Every ton of this
imported ore displaced n ton of oul
home production.
There is no question of quality
involved here. Not only is the sup
ply OF american ore practically in
exhansiible, but it is favorably dis
triOntcd over the whole country, in
every variety of chemical constiiu
ton and consequent adaptation tc
all requirements of the iron. and
steel manufacture Of the country
The importation Of foreign ores i.
simply aud only Question o.
wages in tue. production here an(
abroad
Our American mines are now
competing directly, and, as the i'm
portation OF 100000 tons las
year shows, unsuccessfnlly, will
some Of che poorest paid labor il
TIE world. Spanish, African ant
Cnban ores are produced at labo
cost that would be humiliating an,
oppressive TO the last.degree to til
American laborer. Such wages W
do not ask him to accept.
Upon this proposition, America
iron ore producers and Amcric,.
iron and steel manufacturers sui
stantially agreed at ericsson, Pa
il 1882, pending the discussion {
the metal schedule Of the prcscn