Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-06
he Makes an Appeal in Behalf Of
Steel Men,
THE ORIGINAL PACKAGE BILL
The Conference Report Discussed
and Adopted by the House.
Mr.. OATES UNAvAILlNc PROTEST.
SENATE.

amendment consists In the correct spelling OF
Lewistown.)
PLACED ON THE CALENDAR.
The Senate bill to create sub port Of entry
and delivery at Niche. N D.. was reported
and placed on the calendar. Also the Senate
bill granting leave of absence to clerks and en-
pioyes IN hrst and second-class post offices.
MR.. aoRMAN RESUMES.
The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
ton Of the tariff bill, the pending question
being on Mr.. Morgan's amendment to para
graph l27. page "a. in regard to iron ore. Mr..
Gorman resumed his argument The metal
schedule, he said. was perhaps the most i'm
portant one in the bill, and the paragraph
under discussion was practically a key to the
whole schedule. The rate Of duty on iron ore
controlled to large extent the cost of the pro-
ductlon OF all iron and steel east of the Alle-
ghanies. Therefore, it was proper that it
should have full. thorough and complete con-
slderatlon by the Senate. He trusted (athough
he feared it would not be so) that the determi-
nation of the rate of duty ON iron ore would
be controlled by the facts in the case and not
by party lines.
QUOTING STEEL MANUFACTURER.
He proceeded to- quote from an interview
with Maj. L. s. Bent, now president and for
m any years manager and controlling spirit of
the Pennsylvania Steel Company of Steelton
Pa, protectionist, who desired fair protec-
ton. With free iron ore the Pennsylvania
Steel Company would send (said Mr.. Bent) pig
iron to Liverpool and steel rails to London. The
company he thought, would have to import
million tons OF foreign Bessemer ore per annum.
And to raise the duty on iron ore to such an
extent as to protect the home producers Of
iron ore would be simply to close the COM
pany's works. put out its furnaces, throw
10000 men out of employment and render I'M
productive tens of millions of capital Mr.
hat ha
present duty on iron ore were removed that
fact would be vastly conducive to the building
up of industrial establishments on seaboard.
AMERICAN AND ENGLISH PRICES.
MIR. Gorman went on to speak Of the relative
prices Of English and American steel rails, and
quoted from hearing before the ways and
means committee to show that in February last
the American price was $35 ton and the Brit
ish price on board S35 ton. In fact there
never had been time Che declared) since 1888
when duty of $40 ton would not have been
ample protection to American industry.
Mr. JONES QUOTES FIGURES.
MIR. Jones ARK supplemented that declara-
ton by quoting from the report OF Mr.. Carroll
ID. Wright. showing the cost of production of
steel rails in the United States and in various
European countries, and said that in no case
was the difference in actual cost of production
as high AS IS.
iNChEASED COST IN ENGLAND
Mr.. Plumb spoke of it as being notorious
fact that the cost of iron making in England
had increased, and was like to increase as the
mines Of coal and iron became deeper and con-
sequently more expensive to work.
QUESTIONING MR.. aoRMAN's FIaUREs
MIR. Aldrich remarked that the price Of Eng
lish rails which MIR. German had mentioned
was an abnormal and exceptionally high price;
that prices had been forced up far beyond
their natural level and that they had since re-
ceded.
ARADICAL MEASURE.
Mr.. German did not admit the correctness of
that statement, though there could not be any
question, he said, that within the last few
months all the markets of the world had been
disturbed because of the extraordinary bill be-
fore the Senate-a bill more radical than had
ever been known to civilized man.
Mr.. Spooner asked Mr. German if his propo
sition was to put bessemer ore ON the free list.
MR.. GoRMANs DEFINITION OF THE DEMOCRATIC
POSITION.
Mr.. Gorman-SO far as / am concerned, saw
no. have read what Manager Bent "a manu-
facturer and protectionisD says as to what
can be accomplished il you give him free ore.
/ would not do anything radical in this bill I
would not vote for proposition that would
tend to destroy or impair any of these indus
tries. That is not the position Of the party to
which 1 belong 1 believe that the time has
arrived when, in the interest of the country's
business and without affecting injuriously any
manufacturing establishment. you can reduce
the duty on articles and increase your trade
within the United States, increase your mann
featuring industries and increase the foreign
trade with other nations. l do not propose in
any vote that give to 60 one step beyond that.
nor does the party to which belong. The
duty OF IS cents ton on bessemer steel ore
impairs the efficiency (and makes it impossi-
BILE to have that great development) of iron
and steel works that ought to be on the coast
Our proposition is that you can admit this bes-
semer ore at q reduced rate without affecting
in any particular the interest of American
ores.
GLASS AND IRON INDUSTRIES IN NEW ENGLAND.
Mr.. German yielded to Mr.. Butler, between
whom and Mr.. Dawes a discussion arose and
was continued at much length as to the causes
by which the glass and iron Industries wera
driven out Of New England. and as to the state
ments made on that point and about the
degradation OF labor in New England" by
Mr.. Tobey.
Mr.. GoRMAN PRoCEKDs.
Mr.. German, having resumed the floor, said
that unless some relief were given to the manu-
facturers Of steel on the Atlantic coast north
Of Capes Hatteras and Charles, il would be i'm
possible for them to 60 on and develop their
great enterprises. II it could be shown that
a reduction Of the duty ON iron ore
would aid unquestionably in building up
these great enterprises east of the Allegheny
mountains, enabling them to decrease the cost
OF all their manufactured articles and TO extend
commerce with the countries south of the
United States, and if that could be done with
out injury TO the American iron ore industry
Of the United States, there should be no hesita-
tion on the part of the Senate to reduce the
duty. He went on 70 argue in support Of both
those premisea
Mr.. Sherman inquired Of Mr.. German a. to
the cost OF Cuban bsssemer ore delivered ct
Baltimore or Philadelphia.
Mr.. German gave the cost ~ about o. 20
ton on board at Cuba. To that we're 70 be
added freight, insurance and duty.
Mr.. Sherman said that Baltimore was better
Oh in the matter of bessemer ore than Glove
lane was, the bessemer ore from Lake Superior
costing there from e5. so to e. 10 ton.
Mr.. Blair suggested to Mr.. German that the
removal Of the duty on coal and letting in the
Nova Scotia coal free might effect this purpose
quite as well, and would be at the same time Of
advantage to the New England states.
Mr.. German offered TO vote 10 take 80 per
cent OF the duties on iron ore and coal II Mr.
Blair would vote 70 take 10 per cent Of the
duties on New England manufactures
Mr.. Blair said that he would take thst propo-
sitidA into consideration and give en- answer
later ON.