The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-27
Iron, STEIL ANl glAL,
Representatives Of these Inter-
ests Appear Before the
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
The Retention Of the Duty on Iron
Ore aud Coal Advocated The
Question orTarllFa Question of
Wages-washlngton Notes,

WASHINGTON, D, c., Dec, 26.-Th'
first series Of the tariff hearings mapped
out by the House Committee on Way
aud Means was held this morning-gen
tlsmen interested in metals, ores anC
coal being permitted to give their views
George II, Ely, President Of the West
ern Iron Ore Association, which was or
ganized eight years ago, spoke in favor
Of the retention Of duty on iron ore
The duty Of seventy.dve cents ton had
been beneacent and satisfactory. It had
promoted tbs iron aud steel Interests Oi
the United States In remarkable de-
gree,
AS an instance OF this beneacient
effect, Mr., Ely cited the production oi
the Gogehic district, which had increased
from 900 tons in 1884 TO l4,000 during
the ten months Of 1889, and OF the Miune'
sota district, which had increased large.
ly within the same dates. Iu 1886 the
total production OF American mines had
been 10000, 600 to 8, while the estimated
promotion Of 1880 was between l4,000,.
900 aud 1900 900.
The question OF duty, he said, was a
question oi wages. In the Spanish mines
the hours OF labor were 72 hOurs u week (;
in the Lake Superior region the hours
were % a week. In Spain the wages OF
drillers and miners were 10 to 72 ceuts u
day, and OF common labOrers 36 to 90
cents, In the Lake Superior mines tue
Wages for dtillers and miners were So 25
to 81 75 u day, and for laborers ST 20 u
So. : He believed in the protection OF
American labor aud in keeping up the
rates Of wagts to American workingmen.
He did not ask for any increase Of duty,
but he earnestly urged the retention OF
the present rate. The duty had operated
to ulake up part Of Of the difference be
tween the wages ut home and abroad II
the duty was high enough TO make full
equivalent for this difference, 1t would
bJ ut least 81 50a ton.
George Toby, OF Massachusetts,, ad.
dressed the committee In favor Of the free
importation OF iron ore aud coal.
After the recess, the committee heard
statements from v. K. Moore and Powell
StaCkhouse, Of Michigan, and the ques-
tiOuS directed to them by members OF
the committee were intended to draw
from them information as to the amount
OF labor aud Of capital contained in ton
Of iron ore. Their responses, however,
were no more satisfactory than those
nade by the gentleman on the stand be-
fore the recess, all declaring their inabil.
ity to give correct answer, owing to
the variety Of different mines.
Galusha A, Grow, Of Pennsylvania,
advocated reduction OF the duty on
coal, but maintained that proyiso
should be added to the law declaring
that the reduced duty should apply only
to the products Of such foreign coun.
tries as did not urge an abolition OF the
tariff, but that 1t should be fixed at a
rate which would cover the difference OF
wages in the United States aud Canada.
Charles 2, Mayer, President Of the
Consolidated Coal Company Of Mary
land, read paper protesting against aay
change In the existing rate OF duty ON
coal. To reduce the rate, he held, would
effect u reduction In wages and would
also destroy tue Coasting trade OF the
United States. He did not ask that the
rate should be increased, although the
Just duty would be 81 25 a ton. lie did
not want to put the American laborer
down on the same plane as the British
labortr; a reduction ol the rate OF duty
would have that effect,
JOSEPH P. Butler, OF Ohio, n manu-.
iacturer OF pig iron, protested against
auy reduction Of duty on that article.
Statements were made by w. s. MOI.
ris and Joseph Wharton descriptive OF
the Bessemer aud basic methods OF pro.
ducing steel.
Mr. Oscar Reed, representing the New.
ark, n. j., smelling works, endeavOred
to impress upon the committee the ne.
Cesslty oil maintaining the present law
in relation to the importation Of lead ore
when containing valuable proportion
Of precious metals.
L A. Holden, OF Cleveland, o., took
the other view OF the case and Contended
that lead ore, even when containing the
ore ot more precious meals, should pay
It's share OF the duty on imports. He
was 10 favor Of supply ing the same pro-
lection 10 lead ore as was extended IA
iron and other articles. Hon. Hosea
Townsend, Of Colorado, protested
against the finding OF the Secretary oi
the Treasury as unfair to the niue own.
grs aud miners Of the west.
Hon. Mr. Barton, Of Nevada, said thai
the people Of hls region, irrespective o.
politics or OF parties, were high tariff
men 80 far IS lead was concerned, and
he argued In support Of the resolution
recently offered by him 10 the House, re,
Questing the Secretary Of the Treasury
10 modify his lead ore decision,
Adjourned until 10 tomorrow.