New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-15
NOT FREE ORE BU7 A HIGHER DUTY

WHAT THE IRON INDUSTRIES OF THE COUNTRY
NEED-A MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS
CLEVELAND. Jan. l4-At the annual meeting here TO-
day Of the Western Iron Ore Association. the following
memorial to Congress. protesting and demonstrating
against the reduction Of duty rsn ore was
unanimously adopted:
The Western Iron Ore Association the iron
producing and transporting interests OF tue North
fully earnestly demonstrate and protest AGAINST
the removal reduction or tue duty on rs' ere
aggregate production In 1888 estimated 10 nave peen
sented BY this Association alone furnish for nearly
one-half OF the total pig irsn production OK lne ohtsn
States Engaged III business hundreds or thousands
OF aborers and capital which can never De
Withdrawn but which must prosper or perish on tne so
alone. sIG tire Dnss Of Mc5san and
seta in the railroads necessary .n,n or ao-
gagged In lake transportation, and in the ore business OF
the railroads moving from the lower lake ports 10
there are now employed about sl4O.0OO.00o Of capital
with all the labor occupation that the use OF such an
try east west and south are similar connected and in
dependent industries whose safety and ability 10 Iurnsn
employment to American labor would be seriously In
paired or entirely destroyed the by the re-
mova of duty Tbs removal lowering OIL duty Woulu
close many American mines
That ths present rate of duty sevenyhve cents per
ton is insufficient for reasonable protection 70 cap't
aud labor engaged the working and development OF
cur American mines Ia by the steady and large
increase in mpsrIaions. About 100000 tons came
from spaa Africa Cuba in 1887. Every ton OF his
imported displaced ton OF our heme produetisn.
There q estiOn quality involved mere NOT only
is the supply OF American ore practically nexhaistDe
but is fayOraby distributed over the whole country
every variety OF chemical constitution and cOnse-
quenta to all requirements or the iron ana steer
of country importation OF foreign ores
is simply and question Of wages IN the production
here and abroad.
Our American mines competing directly, ana
as mportatons Of 300 900 last year shews, un-
snceessfuly with Of the paid Labor In the
world. Dish, African AMI Cuban ores are produced
labor that wsuld he humllating and oppressive
"A degree To American aborer. Such wages we 90
not AK him tn accept.
Upon TINS proposition American Iron ore producers
and American iron and steel manutac urers suDsaht-
all agreed at Cre>sen PENN in 1882, pending discus
sion metal OF tue present tariff The iron ana
steel manufacturers by unanimous vote there said taat
the duty ought be 81 cents ton Inc CONSUMERS
therefore, not akng for me rs-
reduction of the duty The equalization OF Ia
Dor cost net wsen foreign and American ores would
require duty be at least 80 instead or 70 cents
iron and steel Industries OF the United states, for oD-
vous reasons can depend foreign ora sup
ply Reliance permanently cheap iron aud steel TO
viii fail prsy lad this developmont or
mines lie not DISCOURAGED and rstarde Dy policy
which refuses Just and sufficient discrimination III favor
interests. Iron Is distinctve!y product OK
combinations Ot labor and capital It's dssig-
by thsorss material neither changes us
lions 10 that expended capital aud labor nor can
such arbitrary and purely obstructive classification To
SUR certain theories impair It's rights TO the apest pro-
lection.
In vie therefore, OF these recei facts and conditions
behalf Of the very large and widely extended inter-
represent. this sssc ttion BEES leave respect-
fully its declaration against the removal or re-
ductOn OF duty u iran ore.