The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-04
Suffering New England.

ouHCHihS NCM E1ukidUu.
The Journal finds very valuable contri-
button to tariff literature In the following
editorial remark of its particular friend,
the Atlanta Constitution, which it appears
to consider authority on Mr.. BYNUM and
the tariff, but not on postoffice matters
The discovery of naturaI-gas in the middle and
middle western states has had great deal more
to do with bringing about the destruction OF
New England's iron industry than the tariff.
Moreover, for every irOn-mill that has been
compelled TO suspend business in that section,
two mills have been established in
the South, and New England's capital has had
no little to do with this new movement and
development
1t is rather startling to find the Journal
advocating the destruction of New Err
gland industries for the benefit of the
lawless South, and conceding that the pro-
tective system, which it usually claims to
be for the benefit of the whole country,
is really operating in favor of localities, as
Gen. HANCOCK stated in 1880. But,
overlooking these little inconsistent
cies, will the Journal or the Constitution,
or any other protective or free-trade
journal be good enough to explain just
how the discovery of natural gas in Ohio
and Indiana has occasioned a transfer of
iron manufacturing from New England to
Georgia? And if in fact such marvellous
result is being accomplished, will some
equally intelligent molder of public
opinion explain how the discovery of
natural gas in the West and valuable iron
ore in the South could have brought about
the ruin of the New England iron manu-
featuring if there had been no tariff on
fuel and raw material?
To aid in the work of. enlightenment
we will suggest few points for consider
alton. The New England manufacturer
obtains his coal and pig iron chiefly from
Pennsylvania and by importation, and
originally throve greatly because he had
no competition. AS population increased
in the West manufactures sprang up
there and took the greater part OF
the western market, because the eastern
manufacturer had to pay freight on his
fuel and raw material from Pennsylvania,
and likewise freight on his manufactures
when conveyed to the western market.
Still he held the eastern market, because
the western manufacturer was handi-
capped by freight tariffin that direction.
But now come new factors in the COM
petition. The discovery of natural gas
gives the western manufacturer fuel
almost free The discovery of the best of
iron ore in the South results in the pro-
duction OF the cheapest pig-iron in that
locality, which is further from New
England than the original source of sup
ply. and therefore costs him proportion
ately still more for freight than his COM
petitors in the West Through these adj
vantages the western manufacturer in
vades the East and is taking the market
there.
Now the protection organs of New En-
gland are insisting that there is
no help for this, and their follow
ing throughout the country say the same.
There are natural advantages of the West
and South, and New England can not con-
tend against them. Kismet! 1t is fated.
New England must 90. But the New
England manufacturer, who is usually
shrewd sort of business man, says, 81
know better l am paying 70 cents a ton
extra on coal, for no purpose except to
fatten the coal barons of Pennsylvania and
the West, and they are of no service 10
anyone but republican boodlers. They
starve their employees, import pauper
labor, conduct 'pluck-me' stores and com
bine with railroads to raise the price of
coal and rob consumers. / am also pay
ing S6.72 per ton extra on pig iron to fat
ten another similar combination of CAPT
talists who are operating in Pennsylvania
and Georgia, and who could make legiti-
mate profits with the larger part, if not
all, of that duty removed. If these OPP
pressive and unnecessary taxes were re-
moved 1 could compete with western
manufacturers and hold my share of the
the cheap iron ore of Georgia"
The clamor Of these manufacturers and
the wooden manufacturers of New England
is making itself felt. They understand
their business, and their argument is I'M
answerable. Every republican iron manu-
ldNbuitA III WV l4lEldllu lHClltiiils Wv.
AMEs of Massachusetts,, has signed petit
ton asking that the duty on pig iron be
reduced to s. per ton and that coal be put
on the free list. There is little doubt that
the extraordinary session OF the associa-
ton OF wool manufacturers, called to meet
at Boston on Sept. II, will demand
free wool. These people know that their
salvation lies just where Mr.. CLEVELAND
told them, in free raw material. Probably
most of them denied it at the time and
denounced the Mills bill (which reduced
the duty on pig iron from S6.72 to s. per
tom as free trade" measure Whether
they lied then or have since been enlight-
ened is not material. The fact is patent
that Mr.. CLEVELAND and the democratic
party were and are right. The republican
party will have to fall in line TO our music
or take the consequences.
See Us Swim.
IT IL said that Major I q CRAvFNS the navr