The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-29

A local contemporary-Democratic Of
course-having discovered that the foun-
dries Of this city are temporarily short in
their supply Of pis-iron. draws several con-
illusions, some sensible and some absurd.
The sensible views are those arrived ct
without reference to partisanship. But
with the Introduction Of Democratic ideas
on sconomio questions the shsurdity neces-
sariiy comes in.
With the foundries Of this city alone at
present consuming twenty-five tons Per
day. or in round number eight thousand
tons . year, and neighboring cities in pro-
portion. with largely and constantly In
creasing demand, and with all of the essen
tials to its manufacture conveniently at
hand in illimitable quantities, there can b
neither sense nor good excuse for our
sending abroad for pie-iron, whether to .
foreign country or to the Atlantic states.
There h no reason to suppose that Amer
lean pig-iron is sold in Chicago except at Q
profit. 1t Is therefore reasonable to sup
pose that when this metal is sold in that
market for SIS ton. it can be smelted
here at good profit for so Q ton, and
make . liberal allowance for the higher
wages paid for labor here. Between the
latter rate and the present current price of
$a2 per ton, the margin of $l2 . ton-$96, 600
on the annual consumption-would GER
tainly effect handsome saving to Seattle
founders and indirectly to their patrons.
Such reduction could not but enormously
stimulate the demand. and the march of
improvement. and the employment of
labor In remunerative pursuits.
All Of this Is very clear. It requires no
argument to impress the importance OF the
proposition. 1t il indisputable that iron
furnaces would b profitable to their own
ere. profitable to the founders. conducive
to . livelier progress. and therefore bene-
at TO Ill lines Of business and oil property
values. It Is unquestionable that
In view Of the latent resources by
which this city is surrounded, Seattle
should soon become an exporter, rather
than an importer. of not only pig metal but
OF iron and steel in every form of their
manufacture.
But 1t requires reasoning powers of the
approved Bourbon type to deduce from
these palpable facts "a powerful argument
In favor of the removal of the tax or duty
on the raw material" that is. the pig-iron.
The freight rate from Chicago is SIS ton
and more likely to be higher than lower /;
an excessive demand has greatly stimuli ated
English and Scotch prices; mo dependence
at all il to b. placed on either" California
or Oregon - sources Of supply--therefore
abolish the tariff in order to stimulate
Washington TO develop her resources IN
this Incl It would seem impossible from
sound premises to reach conclusion more
absurd
The inducements and incentives to the
development OF this resource have been
manifold. Added to all others 10 . duty of
six dollars per ton to protect against for
eign competition. Right across our border
10 foreign country possessing in large
measure hike native resources. Success
hers would unquestionahly induce SINH
lar enterprises there. Against compe-
tticn from that quarter the duty would
protect Us. Then what madness il is to
propose . removal Of the duties in connec-
tion with IN argument in favor Of .the de-
velopment. and that Immediately, of the
extensive iron fields OF King county" Az
result OF tAe late election local bourbon
ism has evidently become touched with
iunacy.