The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-01
Ths Truth Coming out.

In the last presidential campaign the re-
publican pres and the republican stump
SPEAKERS declared that the Mills tariff bill,
which the House passed, was an outrageous
attack upon the rights of American work
ingmen ana American manufacturers. One
of the provisions of that bill was a rsduc-
ton in the duty on steel rails ON SIT to
81 ton. The republicans said at such
a reduction would enable England to I'M
dersell American manufacturers Of steel
rails AID would force them to close their
mills. There we're great many people in
this country who were so foolish as TO be-
lieve this assertion.
1 few days ago Mr.. Andrew Carnegie,
ore Of the largest manufacturers of steel
rails and steel plates in tbs country, and
one OF the stanchest republicans, was in
terviewed in London with respect to the
prices Of these articles 1 Eaglan1 and this
country. Mr.. Carnegie left his home in
Pittsourg, ere his mills are situated, a
couple of weeks ago. In reply to questions
he said that steel rails and steel plates we're
being sold in Pittsburg at about tue same
prices at which they were being sold in
manufacturers are selling their goods at a
profit.
II steel rails are being sold in this coun-
try as cheaply as in London, what is the
eed of a tariff Of ST. a ton
on steel railsl That is a question that the
people would like to have answered. The
freight on steel rails from England must be
at least 81 per ton aud perhaps S. 1t is
evident, therefore, that if there were no
tariff at all on steel rails they could not be
imported 50 as to compete with American
made steel rails.
Tee republican Senate of the last congress
ais framed a triff bill. aid i. would con-
sent to a reduction in the tariff on steel
rails of only 81 SO ton. Why did it insist
on making the duty more than SIS ton,
when it knew that steel rails could be
manufactured about as cheap,y in this
country as in Elgandl A glance at the
prices for steel rails which often prevail in
this country will furnish the answer. The
price of steel rails is now about S25 ton,
but not very long ago it was $40 The
steel rail manufacturers made combina-
ton and put up the prices, thus realizing
extraordinary profits. What enabled them
TO do thisl Way, the tariff, of course. Had
it not been for t tariff of SIT a ton they
could not have obtained from S12 b SIS
ton more for steel rails than such rails were
actually worth.
What is true with respect to steel rails is
doubtless true VITA respect to other manu-
featured articles. Every dollar of unjust
profit that the tariff enables the steel rail
manufacturers to put into their pockets thu
people have to pay. And this is the case
with regard to every other article from
which the tariff enables extraordinary
profits to be obtained. The people may not
have to pay these profits in the first instance,
but they have to do so eventually. The more
a railroad costs the higher the traffic rates
must be. If it were not for the tariff on
juts bagging the cotton farmers would not
now be lighting the jute bagging comb IA
ton.
The day is not distant when the great
major,t y of the people of this country will
admit that the tariff message which Mr.
Cleveland sent to the last congress, and
which has been so widely criticised, was
one Of the wisest state papers ever read in
that body.