New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-28
THE NEED OF PROTECTION.
FURTHER HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
SOUTHERN MEN URGING THE RETENTION OF
THE DUTY ON IRON ORE AND coAL-PRo.

THE DUTY ON IRON ORE AND coAL-PRo-
LECTION AND THE RACE PROBLEM
Washington, Dec. 27.-The House Ways ana Means
Committee met promptly and went 10 WORK AZ ~
O'Clock this morning and listened 10 statement by
c. S. Landers Of New Britain, Conn, on the subject
OF table ontlery He was satisfied with the pro-
vision OF the Senate bill, except in regard TO one
feature OF the classification. The average duty on
table cutlery imposed by the bill was 81 per cent
and the change In classification would increase "io
average TO SO % cents. The cutlery manufacturers
would have to be protected or they would nave 10 30
out Of business.
T. Logan Chipman, Of Michigan, read kilograms
from various stove firms in Michigan, protesting
against mica being removed from the free lst'
Charles Brioe representing the Gold Dealers Asso-
ciaon argued in favo: OF an increased duty Oh soiu
leaf and bronze powder
The anvil the oldest implement known to man
kindn as it was characterized by Clark Fisher OF
Trenton n j. was the next subject OF discussion. ana
Mr. Fisher presented the reasons why the duty shoud
he increased OF the anvils used in the United States
about two thirds are imported. lie advocated an I'M
position of duty OF $40 cents pound upon anvils
Forty years ago, when he first went INTO business
there were twenty-five anvil firms IN the country
Now they had become extinct with three exceptions.
To lower the duty would have the effect OF wpng out
these three establishments.
William 4. CrODIucNcI, VI IlbtoDub' uN'Ni'DNN Wv
unsuccessful efforts of American manufacturers to pro-
duce tin plates at profit. In 1872 the hrm WIN
which he was connected started to manufacture Tin
MATES and for three years successful At that
time the price of ordinary tin plate was 81 ton but
1t fell to "a. and his firm was obliged In 1856 TO 20
ont of that line of business. Then the price again
went up, since the competition was WITHDRAWN. MT
Cronmeyer produced before the committee samples OF
tin plates sheetiron and taggers iron, explained The
difference between them, and stated IN the course Oh
his explanation, that the labor put into sheet
iron, and the finer the Work upon IT, "io i''' Pio
lection it received.
In response to queries by Mr.. Burrows, Mr. Cron-
MEYER said that TO manufacture box OF tin plate IN
this country cost about 50 80, while In England IL
could be produced at 81 % less, the difference Des
attributable to the difference in the cost OF labor
The present duty not protective one, but That
proposed by the senate bill, While not as high as 1t
ought to be- had the merit of being protective If
the tn-plate industry could be built up in tins
country, IL would support number OF people nearly
equal to the population of New York city. In con-
clusion, Mr.. Cronmeyer read an extract from The
Iron Monger" published in London warning the
Welsh tin plate manufacturers Of the effort in America
TO increase the duty on that article, but declaring
that those manufacturers had enough friends in the
United States TO defeat tie scheme of the ultra
protectionst.
William Metcalf, of Pittsburg, interested in the
product of crucible STEEL impressed upon the com
mittee the fact that since tariff had been placed
on steel and iron the cost to the consumer OF articles
manufactured of these materials had been reduced
He said that he sold steel to Mr.. Fisher to be used
in the manufacture of anvils; and that within
twentyOne years the price OF this steel had fallen
from 80 TO 80 per cent.
George T. Oliver, representing the manufacturers
of. wire rods and wires, well satisfied with the
existing tariff everything except wire rods. on
this material he advocated a specific duty Of Clio cents
a pound on rods not smaller than No. > wire gauge,
and of l cent pound on rods smaller than NO. ..
A. W. Campbell. of West Virginia. manufacturer
of cut pals, controverted statement made by Mr..
Oliver to the effect that the wire nail was cheaper
than the cut nail. He thought that the
facturers OF soft steel should receive the same
of protection is accorded to the producers
of steel rails, and expressed himself satisfied with
the provisions Of the Senate bill.
After short recess f. j. Slade, Of Trenton, n. J.,
addressed the committee the subject Of structural
iron. The price for iron beams to-day was 3 ITO
cents pound. When he went into the business
twenty years ago the price was about double that
figure In response to question by Mr.. Flower,
Mr. slade said that there a combination among the
producers Of structural iron, but he denied that the
profits of the business were too large. They did
not average more than per cent. Unrestricted com
petition would lead to bankruptcy No effort had
been made to crush the firms that did not belong
to the combination, and there was no understanding
that the production should be limited.
General Imboden of Virginia, speaking for his part
of the country, favored the retention of the duty
coal and iron ore. In fact, he felt that it would be
wise policy to increase that duty. lie described
the growth Of tine coal iron and railroad industry in
Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky, and contended
that all this industry would be impcrilled if coal
were placed on the free list. Having stated that the
coal from the Virginia coal fields sold in the
West Indies and Central America, General Imboden
asked by Mr.. Carlisle whether, if that true.
the Virginia coal producers could not compete in
their own country with the Nova Scotia coal Gen
eral ImbOden responded in the negative, and declared
that an abolition Of the duty would ruin the coal in
dusry Of Virginia. lie then argued in support OF
retaining the duty on iron ore. He represented not
skilled labor, but unskied labor. The men who
worked the mines in the South principally
negroes. These people had to be provided with work
If they did not receive work they would live
on the whites dishonesty. Negroes were practical
ndus -rious and faithful If they paid promptly
and treated kindly Let Congress do nothing winch
would deprive these people of the opportunity Ct max,
ing an honest living by delvng in the ground with
pick and shovel. The speaker was "A PrOtcC ZIONIST :
he had always been one and lie believed that If Nm
the south there could be square and fair vote on
tile protection issue without any eXtIaneOuS Issues
the PrOtectOnists would Overwhelmingly carr at
least four or five southern States The North lad
been made rich by protection; ii was now the OPP
portunty of the South 10 become rich. II anybody
to be protected, lie would rather make Amcr
rich than hungarian, an Italian a Belgian.
Mr. Flower, of New York, inquired, In reference TO
the remark TO elections in the south, whether Mr.
lmbOden meant that the color line had 10 be drawn
and that the gentleman had 10 vote against his sen
ments.
General lmbOden-We compelled TO stand TO-
gether there under certain conditions. The tariff sinks
into insgnihcance In the recent election 1 voted
with extreme reluctance, the Democratic ticket; but
| did IT, QLaughtcr)
Mr.. Gear inquired what the men now working in
the mines would do if they should be thrown out of
work.
General ImbOden-H they had no labor they would
have to 90 10 stealing chickens. Naughter
Judge Bowling, of Virginia. made an argument in
favor of the retention of the duty iron ore. lie
thought that this matter protection to the industries
of Virginia became OF the most important features
In determination of the question. lie had
been born and reared among negroes, and he counted
them his warmest friends. Farming did not pay