Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-12-27
THE TARIFF AGAIN.
IRON AND COAL NBN BEFORE THB WAYS
AND MEANS COMMITTEE
Prominent Mine Operators Give Their Views Of Wha
Ought and Ought Not TO Be Done 10 the
Tariff Affecting Their Interests
Lengthy Hearings

WASHINGTON, December 26.-Tbe first
series Of the tariff hearings mapped out by
the House Committee on Ways and Means
was held this morning gentlemen inter
ested in metals ores and coal being per-
mitted to give their views.
George H. Ely, President Of the Western
Iron Ore Association, which was organized
eight years ago, spoke in favor of the re-
tention of duty on iron ore. The duty Of
IS cents Ton had been benefcent and sat
isfactory. 1t had promoted the iron and
s.etl interests Of the United States in re-
markable degree.
AS an instance of this benefcient effect,
Mr. Ely cited the production of the
GOgebic district. which had increased from
l 900 tons in 1884 to 1900 tons during
ten months of 1889, and OF the Minnesota
district, which had increased largely with
in the same dates. In 1886 the total pro-
duction Of American mines had been TO-
000,O00 tons, while the estimated produc-
tion for 1889 wss between IA 600, 600 and
$1,000, 600.
THk QUESTION OF DUTY,
he said. was a question of wages. In the
Spanish mines the hours of labor were ~
hours a week; in the Lake Superior re-
gion the hours were 55 a week. In Spain
the wages of drillers and miners were
80 to - cents day, and OF common labor.
ers SO to so cents. In the Lake Superior
mines the wages for dIillers and miners
were 50 25 to $2.75 day, and for labor.
ers 81 90 TO So He believed in the pro-
lection of American labor and in keeping
up the rate of wages to American work
men. Heidi not ask for any increase of
duty, but he earnestly urged the reten-
tion Of the present rate. The duty had
operated tomake up part of the difference
between the wages at home and abroad.
II the outy was high enough to make a
full equivalent to this difference, it would
be at lease 81 so ton.
George Toby, of Massschutts, addressed
the committee in favor of the free impor-
tation of iron ore and coal.
After recess the committee heard state
ments from V. X. Moore and Powell
StsckhOuse, Of Michigan, and the ques.
tiOns directed to them by members Of the
committee were intended TO draw from
them information as TO the amount IF
labor and of capital contained
IN A TON OF IRON ORE.
Their responses, however, were no more
satisfactory than those made by the gen.
tlemen on the stand before the recess, all
declaring their inability 10 give a correct
answer owing to the variety Of different
mines.
Galusha A. Grow, of Pennsylvania, ad
vOcated a reduction of the duty on coal,
but maintained that proyisO should be
added to the law declaring that the re-
duced duty should apply only to the pro-
ducts Of such foreign countries ss did not
urge an abolition OF tariff, bat that it
should be fixed at a rate which would
cover the difference of wages in the United
States and Canada.
Charles F. Mayer, President of the Con-
sOlidated Coal company of Maryland, read
a panar pFnfeatin0 aoainat any nha~eA -
the existing rate OF duty on coal. To re-
duce the rate, he held, would effect a re-
duction in wages and would also destroy
the coAstipg trade of the Uoited States.
Ho did not ask that the rate should be in
creased, although the Just duty would be
1925 ton. He did not want to put the
American lsborer down on the same plane
ss the British lsbOrer; a reduction of the
rate Of duty would have that effect.
Joseph p. Butler of Ohio, o manufsc-
turer OF pig iron, protested agsinet any
reduction of duty on that article. State
ments were made by W. S. Morris and
Joseph Wharton, descriptive OF the besse-
mer and basic methods of producing steel
Mr. Oscar Reed, representing the New
ark, n. j., smelling works, and /. A.
Holden, of Cleveland, o., took opposite
views of the lead ore tariff. Hon. Hosea
Townsend, Of Colorado, protested against
the finding Of the Secretary Of the Treas
ury as unfair 10 the mine owners and
miners OF the west
Hon. Mr. Barton, Of Nevada, said the
people of his region, irrespective of poll
tics, or of psrtisans, were high tariff men
so far as lead was concerned, and he ar
gued in support Of the resolution recently
offered by him in the House, requesting
the Secretary of the Treasury to modify
his lead Gre decision.
Adjourned till 10 o'clock tomorrow.