The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-11
The High Tariff Republican Policy
Injurious to Workingmen.
A Word for the Beleflt of the Ala
bama Iron Producers.
The Question Of European Competition
Words OF soberness Spoken by
a Man Who Has Money
mt Stake.


generally seemed 10 have weighed II in the
balance and found it wanting in all 10.
spects.
81 do not think II worth passing consid.
Grafton, said Mr. John II. Bass, us we sat
talking over the situation. Mr.. Bass is
the largest manufacturer OF car wheels in
the world. His shops here and in 81.
Louis and Chicago certainly turn out more
material for railroads, more boilers aud
machinery than any other single cstab.
lishment west OF Philadelphia.
Eyes" said Mr. William Fleming, a
man with large business interests here,
and president OF the iirst National bank,
iii any man in Indiana ought TO I've
effected by the free trade cry il is Mr..
Bass. Ii, as the Harrison Blaine organs
say, the success OF the Mills bill-or rather
let us say now, the success Of the Demo
cratic tickct-mcans u tremendous rcduc.
ton in wages, then Mr. Bass, with his
$500 men, ought TO save 5000, 600 in wages
alone duringthe next couple of years. lie
is in the iron manufacturing business, and
might be regarded ~ a beneficiary under
the high tariff graciously accorded us by
the Arthur commission lie is not bit
grateful. however Indeed, lac thinks
now, ~ he thought then, that the whole
scheme OF 1888 wis u disgmcciul acrumhc
on The part Of partisan manufacturers 10
see who could most extensively aud most
surely rob the consumers nj llrgc-the
American public"
"Ncs, said MIR. Bass, "thurc was In.
tense desire on the part Of hunmastrrs 90
secure a large lump OF government guar
| antcc, even in directions where ID had
been demonstrated that paicrnal as.
sistancc WAS unnecessary. don't see how
the manufacture ol castings or car wheels
can be- affected ly a tain. We usually
| sell the finished article al a certain per-
ccnlagr above the cost OF the material aud
| labor In II, and whether the material Is
high or low don think II affects mate.
| rally that class of work.
rs there wrrh European or Canadian
compc'itio nus.uc.s.' ! uhgi.
NO, grca, dead Castiron ear wheels
are not u,yd much outside the United
/ Stutcs We send some 10 South America
and few go 10 spain. European rail.
ronls,n a rule, arr equipped with wrought
| iron aud stCul-tirci wheels. They would
probably make CJapirUn wheels there II
| they had the excellent material which We
have here, and could produce them as
! chcapy. In MI this, however they are
at q decided disadvantage. They haven't
the material from which 10 create the
article
Idircovcrcdirom bis remarks on the sub.
jcct oi iron mining ihat Mr. Bass wasintor-
csicd in or beds in Alabama, aud his ideas
agree with many Oihons that We eau ailorl
a. feel independent To great extent Ia
the matter OF foreign ores
1--WE can mine ore IN Alabama he
snil, ''at cost Of 10 cents 10 - % ton put
on the wagons At the mines. The cost yer
ton at the furnace depends. 81 course,
upon distance and facilities Of trnsporta.
ton. 10 send IL north and vest costs
from - 20 So a ton To send Il east costs
! less than - nj marketable points. THIS
| iron brings from ,1b tu s2S q ton, with the
tariff oi SG72 ton added on. Al the
prices ! name, the ton OF iron ~ composed
Of two tons u our high grade pig
| under these circumstances would YOU
favor a further reduction ol duty than that
named in the Mills biilsi'
"Wcll, replied Mr. i,lss, while think
IL IN cut down pretty low, yet ! don't b..
hcVo II further reduction were mado 81
| would stop any ul pur furnaces. don't
approve Oi H. absolute removal. ! have,
however, always irIt that an excessively
high tariff produc. a ud.siurh1ncn b. husl.
ness frequently that WI decidedly inIur.
| uus tD manufacturer Tho urii un 900
things ought 20 ho reduced iu point that
would only justly compensate iur ANY DO.
iorcnccs existing be- the cost Of pfudur-
ton"
"Iou moan al.u covering the difference
in the cost oi labor between our own and
| European mlkcs7'
Exactly. ltisn fact. though not gen.
efalIy understood, that The iron We manu-.
uriurc here ~ very much superior 90 iron
shipped 10 us from brni Britain and
brings more IN open market ! nlmc
/ Great Britain especially because most Of
ouf foreign made iron comes from there. '
"Nou evidently Hrr not h"IuyCriu guy.
eminent bouniyi1 infant Iniusiricsi "
suggested.
Infant Hdllr.urks." uil Mr. Bas
sharply eve hlyo developed into
| healthy manhood nearly 900 manufactures
n would be- better form. 1ll b this twnldlo
| N|NN. liIllllIH l| '.'HN'N .' ''.t' no Aii'
tlrl ON steel mi hIs bryu ilr yraw very
much higher than was necessary "a OUT
| producers Of steel Look back nc the con.
di'ion Of things in lS5n.s2. AZ that tImr
there was O duty of t1s ton. In tho
course oi those yDiH pycrprlluction ana
keen competition U1rtied rails down H
low that they actually cold nt tho rate
named In The lauN schedule SIS q ton.
Now, IN the nan. u common sons, WhnI
l. the use Of projecting 1u article io au
amount equal 10 iis .Isiui production here.
II our manuiaclurs had permitted Tor
cigncrs 10 provide HmD of iuo demand DO
1850 the subsaqupr uy'rprD luciun CouI.
not have occurred. .Hulus. lhrn the lnfg'
, number II new plants would not have hala
, ON existence, aud iIiU wlnulacluwu would
H.ll have controlled ibis market after tht
first great demand, owing iO % revival %
railroad building hrl been met IN thai
period The tahn WIS most unhealthy
q ftmulous. II promised, aud in some in
( stances gave enormous profits, bat u nls'
4. caused enormous Losses, nnd resulted "
the formation oi ci,quc' aud combination