Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-19
FREE IRON ORE and COAL.
Ex-NIayor hodges on a Recent
Conversion.

Conversion.
Baltimore Daily News.
The open declaration Of President
Bent OF the Pennsylvania Steel Company,
for free ore and coal, lie Of special interest
at this time, when the company ia about
to put into full operation its immense
works at Spsrrow's Point. Should the
duty of rs cents per ton on ore, which
means an addition OF $3.50 to the cost of
, ton OF steel, be removed, Mr.. Bent de-
olares he can sell steel in London in
competition with the English companies.
A Netos reporter interviewed ex-Mayor
Hodges upon Mr.. Bents frank avowal.
MIR. Hodges was at first very reluctant to
be interviewed, upon tine ground that be
was indisposed to be giving his opinions
so frequently on local and national ques-
tions OF public interest, as people are apt
| TO misiudge q man who is often heard
from, not knowing that most OF these
opinions are solicited by reporters whom
he is disposed to crafty.
II suppose it pretty generally known
| by those who take an interest in this tariff
question:" said Mr.. Hodges, 'that the
United States is the most extensive manu-
featuring country in the world, pro-
ducing at least annually 90 per cent more
products OF that description than Great
Britain, and yet our exports CT manufao-
tured goods do not exceed in the aggre-
gate more thar two per cent per annum.
II we desire commercial ex oansion with
foreign countries, we must adopt policy
whicn will enab'e us to successfully com
pete with the manufacturing countries OF
Europe in selling goods to those viii CHI
are primarily Engaged in agricultural ur-
suits or these whcA are non menutactuY-
ing. the first step in that direction, in my
judgment, requires the placing OF all or
almost all raw materials on the free list.
henoe ! am glad to sec that President
Bent feels sale in boldly proclaiming
that with free ore suitable for Bsssemer
steel rails, &C., he will be able to COM
pete for the markets of the world with
the most steel manufacturers of Europe.
In fact, have known fer more than
year that Mr.. Bent entertained the
opinion he has just expressed, but as the
information cane to me rather conii-
dentialiy, did not feel at liberty to use
it. as / was DESTROYS of doing in my
speeches in the Cleveland campaign OF
1858
Since the last Presidential election
many american manufacturers, seeiug the
tariff question in new ligat and tho
necessity of opening foreign markets for
their wares, have openly declared for
free raw material as the only means OF
keeping their worEingmen On full time
without Cutting the market with the
gooaa, aud l believe that before the next
Presidential election rolls around there
will be something like uraninity OF
opinion enoHg manufacturers OF this
country on this question.
"All the wholesale merchants of this
country will tell yen that over-produc-
ton is the black devil OF trade and that
their business has greatly suffered from
this cause, and they will also tell you
that the only means of preventing it is
to find new yeuts in foreign oonoump-
ton"
"Whet of the tariff in the next Presi-
dental campaign, Mr.. Hodges n
Undoubtedly, the next Presidential
campaign viii be conducted on the DEM
ocrAtic side on President CleYelsnd's laat
message and the Mills bill primarily,
which was formulated thersupon, and
in my opinion Cleveland will be the chn-
didste and be overwhelmingly elected on
the tarif Issue. This is 40 manifest to
even the Republicans that think they
will make an Effort in the coming Con.
Rress TO materially scale the tariff rates
themselves, In obedience to the demands
Of rising public opinion as distinctly
shown in the recent elections in Ohio,
Iowa and elsewhere"
Mr.. Hodges said that tho prosperity OF
manufacturers would he increased il Mr..
Bent's suggestions were followed, and the
prosperity of manufacturers meant the
prosperity of Baltimore. The question,
therefore, is one whish materially Affects
Baltimoreans.