Morning journal and courier., 1889-12-27
rHr rAnrFr HEARING.

Views Kxpresse0 on the Tariff on
 Mesal, Ceal and Ores-High Freight
 Rates on Coal an ObstacIe to she Ad-
 vancement of New England Manu.
 factories.
 WAsHrNaTca, Dec. 26.-The first of the series of tariff meetings mapped out by the House committee on ways and means was held this morning, gentlemen interested in metals, ores and coal being permitted to give their views. George B. Fly, president of the Western Iron Ore association, spoke in favor of the retention of duty on iron ore. The duty of 75 cents ton had been bsnefi- cient.
 0eorse Toby of Massachusetts addressed the committee in favor of the free inporta- tion of iron and coal. He read long memorial prepared by New England manu- lecturers of iron and steel. In support of the position which he advocated, ,aad he contend- the interests of the Atlantic coast, while 1t discriminatsd against the western Pennsylva- nia association. Massachusetts asked for cheaper raw material. Her contest was not with England, but with highly protected Pennsylvania.
 MT. Gear inquired as to the general posi-. tion whioh the witness held to the tariff and received the reply that in his opinion no hor- izontal reduction should be made.
 the Eastern Iron association, urged that the chief obstacle to the development of New England manufactures was the almost pros hibitory freight rates charged by the Now England railroads. The manufacturers in- terest would be best protected by keeping steady duty on the raw material.
 J. J. Dominies, of New York, argued against reduction of duty on iron ore.
 aalusha A. Gray, of Pennsy1vania, advo- cated reduction of the duty on coal, but maintained that provision should be added to the law, declaring that the reduced duty should apply only to the products of such foreign countries as did not charge higher duty on imports of American coal. He did not urge an abolition of tariff, but that is should be fixed at . rate which would cover the difference of wages in the United Statet and Canada.
 Charles F. Mayer, president of the Consol- dated Coal company of Maryland, read a paper protesting against any change in the rate of duty on coal. To reduce the rate, he held, would effect a reduction in wages and would destroy the coasting trade of the United States. He did not ask that the rate be increased, although the just duty would be $1.25 ton. He did not want to put the American laborer down on the same plane as
 
 of duty would have that effect.
 Joseph P. Butler of Ohio, 6 manufactures of pig iron, protested against any reduction of duty on that article.
 Statements were made by w. L. Morris and Joseph Wharton, descriptive of the Bes. semer and basic methods of producing steel, and at o'clock the commission took recess until 7:45.
 At the evening session, Oscar Keen, repre-. 1 IT WnrKa spoke of the necessity of maintaining the percent law pertaining to the importation oi lead ore when containing valuable propor. tion of precious metals, l.. A. Holden, ot Cleveland, O., took the other view of the case, and contended that lead ore even when containing the ore of more precious metals. should pay its share of the duty on imports. He was in favor of supplying the same protection to lead ore as was ex' tended to iron ore and other articles. The principle of making lead ore an exception in the matter of protection was unjust and would strike down one of the great indus tries which was developing the great West Hon. Mr. Bartine, of Nevada, said that thu people of his region, irrespective of party were high tariff men 50 far as lead was con cerned and he argued in support of tht resolution recently offered by him in tht House requesting the secretary of the treas ury to modify his lead ore decision He said that he had donsulted with Presi dent Harrison on the subject and that tn. President had fully -sympathized with thu people of the West, but that he did not fee | at liberty to go behind the rulings of hi predecessors. W. F. Rockwell of Connecti out advocated the imposition of @ mixed l duty-specifed and ad valorem-on pocke cutlery. Thomas w. Knowels of New Yorl
 also argued in favor of an increased duty ol l the same article. At 10:80 tho comnitte adjourned until tomorrow at 10 o'clock.