New-York tribune., 1889-12-22

|
lea that at the last revision OF the u'ri" '''''
ment was able TO increase the duues on oi' 100, -
"WouId PENNSYLVANIA gain anything oN ''"0"
the duties?' ,, is concerned
immediate benefit might flow ron i'P'a, ~.
the duties on foreign although as haVo aau ',,
nermanept interests will be best serVeo os a
~ .,. osent duties We are not legslatng for to-
L. on,v We can never maintain our ihouslrhi
,o,acr 10 we have 10 depend for one or other sup
Ia. mo, foreign markets We must be sure OK
| home supply. ,-,.x
! eo,rrurpN IRON AND NORTHERN STEEL.
~poes not the extraordinary development of the
iron industry in the South threaten to nlure Penn
sylvania?"
| The south makes only foundry iron. so far and
this does and hereafter Will compete with Ihe
furnaces OF Eastern Pennsylvania The iron product
Of that portion of the state has not been profitable
for some time nor has il increased. The excessive
rates of railroad freight partially account for this, but
IT is likely that these rates will be reduced as the roads
find the traffic growing continually less under eNtor-
tionate rates But even under the most favorable CIT
cumstances do not look for an increase i'll the IRON
product of Eastern Pennsylvania The iron and steel
| industry must westward, as the population
moves Its centre NAV still be said to be in Western
PENNSYLVANIA about Pitsburg, but that district Is still
held fast in the grasp of great railway monopoly
while the excessively low rates OF freight with when
Chicago is favored giving that city prominence as
an iron and steel manufacturing centre Chicago Is
already the greatest steel rail manufacturing centre in
the world and the blast furnaces and mills tat
are going up there will make it, in my opinion, the
future seat Of the iron and steel industry, PROVIDED
Western PENNSYLVANIA cannot free itself from the grasp
of the Pennsylvania Railroad. IL is, however, muci
more probable that the railways will agree Oh about
equal rates in the Chicago and Pttsbure districts, IN
which case there will be exciting race between the
! two cties.'
alt it your opinion that the South cannot compete
with Chicago or Pittsbmg or elsewhere, except the
East ?"
THE SOUTH MAY BECOME A COMPETITOR.
eyes that is nv opinion under existing conditions.
But we must remember that perhaps the south can
purify its iron by the basic process that ii Will
make steel, in which case we shall have grand
| generous rivalry between all sections. But, rs /
| said at the Birmingham banquet, there IS room lh
| this country for dozen Birmnghams and Sheiheios
and Bristos OF the South, and ChicaSocs ana PhtS-
burgs of the West the only article for which there Is
not room for than one OF is the nag, ana 'his
| sentiment was loudly Chcercd."
What is the popularity of the Southern ore which
| prevents ii from being turncd into steel?'
"The ore in the extreme South contains too much
phosphorus To eliminate that is possible by the basic
process but such process costs money. and besides
before il can be definitely known that it Is even
suitable for the basic process. This has not vet been
DONE southern ore also contains too mach silica,
| so that il may be necessary 10 treat IL TWICE.
once for phosphorus and once for silica IL can be
done by what is called the duplex process. which has
been experimental with in France. understand, sue
cessfully but all this is matter of experiment, and
costly experiment too, and far at present known
it adds enough to the cost to enable the North to
place steel in the hands Of the consumer even in
, competition with the South. But Of course the
, South will have its territory, an immense dis
trict for steel, at its command. The prosperity Of
one section always promotes the prosperity OF all
sections, and for will welcome the south INTO
the manufacture Of steel"
ais the South entirely destitute Of suitable for
steel?"
Not ouite so bad as that. In the Cranberry
mines of South Carolina and in Virginia mines
an ore is found that is suitable for STEEL and we nave
recently purchased in Pittsburg 1000 tons of pig
iron from the South, which will make steel If the lot
is equal TO the sample sent us, which we have
analyzed. But far as know these small pockets
of ore suitable for steel exceptional"
A PROSPEROUS YEAR FOR ALL SECTIONS
"Do you look forward 10 prosperous year for iron
in all sections of the country ?"
Decidedly, as long as the surplus of the foreign
| manufacturer cannot be thrown our markets re-
gardess of cost. long will the iron and steel in
| dustry Of America be prosperous; until capital Is
| tempted into enterprises and the productive
| capacity of the country becomes greater than ITS
| legitimate wants. Already many new concerns are
being built. 1t is highly probable that before most
of them get a start the reaction will have come and
in that case ii best not TO start at all. The
| iron business is king pauper. In Great Britain
it is called the jumping jack Of busincss-enormous
profits year and depression for years to follow
Great Britain has endured depression lasting for
over twelve years Many works have rusted and gone
ont of existence. No increase of capacity has taken
| place Now the world awakcS from ITS lcthargy and
| absorbs every ton Of iron and steel that Great
| Britain and the Continent make Imagine
| America dependent Europe for its iron and steel
Why, 500 ton would not buy steel rails! Orders
going from this side for 100000 tons Of steel today
| not 3 per cent Of needs-would probably cansc
| On advance in prices of % per cent. Fortunately
| America supply her own wants"
"By the way, Mr.. Carnegie, your reference in your
| Boston speech TO running Mr. Cleveland again seems
| to have attracted much attention"
! "Yes. What did say in answer to the ques-
ton. what shall do with ex-Presidents y
said One good thing to do with them is to invite
them 10 all banquets.' and then added, 'why not
run them again The reporters left off the - and
made me say President That's all there is 10 It .