The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-11
SOUTHERN COMPETITION IN IEol


sources OF the South in iron ore began, .
few years ago, on 8 scale In some measure
commensurate with the extent OF the de-
posits, the prediction was made that the
greater cheapness with which the ore could
be mined and converted into pig would
have disastrous effect upon the same In
dustries in the Northern States. This
seemed TO be the inevitable result, for the
iron manufacturers OF such Commonwealth
40 Pennsylvania and Ohio are just as much
subject to the laws Of trade n any other
manufacturers, and as inexorsbly bound TO
purchase their supplies of material in the
cheapest market il they look exclusively TO
the prosperity OF their business irrespective
Of any feeling OF local patriotism.
Already the Southern manufacturers of
pig are making very serious inroads into
the special fields Of the Northern producers,
aud dismay in the ranks Of the latter 10 the
consequence, and naturally enough, for 1t
seems to foreshadow . permanent blight to
their long established interest. The latest
report which we have 10 that twenty-three
blast-furnaces have shut down In the She
mango and Mahonlng Valleys, the reason
which has been offered being that they were
unable 10 compete with the Southern fur
naces, viii CHI have been actively engaged OF
ate in shipping much Of their product to
the manufacturers who have long been In
the habit OF looking TO these valleys alsns
fer their material. In consequence OF 90
many furnaces going out Of blast at least
ten thoussnd:men, 1t 10 stated, have been
thrown out Of employment.
The recent history Of the Shonango and
the hahoning valleys must be repeated 10
a very large number Of the iron-producing
districts Of the North and West. There
seems IA be no substantial reason why IL
should not be repeated in the overwhelming
majority OF those districts unless by some
special advantages they can stavs on the
ruinous competition with the South.
1t reflects the highest credit upon the %.
gacity Of our Southern railroad manage
msnt In general that all the leading railway
corporations in the Southern States that
pass through the iron regions, or draw di.
rectly upon them for freight, have entered
into an agreement with the owners Of the
furnaces 10 haul material and products to
the North under what 10 known as the slid
ing scale. Largely in consequence OF this
fact, y fact whose importance 1t would be
impossible TO exaggerste, the Southern pro-
ducers OF iron are put In position TO lower
their prices whenever any step 10 taken by
the Northern producers to meet southern
competition by reducing their prices.
The success OF the Southern producers OF
pig iron in driving the Northern producers
from the market as illustrated in the in
legs. will, at no very distant day, be extend
ed 10 steel, which the recent experiment At
Chattanooga shows can be manufactured
out OF the Southern ores by means Of the
Basic process.
The significance Of these facts In oonnec-
tIon with Southern pig iron and steel can
not be too highly estimated. That signif-
canoe 10 most profound and far reaching.
uc huthuihh Va ehtSC A~Sf~ ~ ~tnftJ th'~f
that in time very large part OF the capital
and an overwhelming proportion Of the per-
sons engaged In producing iron and steel
OF the North will be drawn to the South TO
enter into the same form OF production, I'M
der circumstances far more favorable than
those left behind. Under the influence OF
such an addition 10 the means now In ops |
ration in the development OF eur Southern
resources in irsn, the Southern States must
become the greatest iron pro-
dueing centre in the Western Hemisphere,
and one OF the very greatest in the whole
world. ..t.
In ether words, the southern States will
expand enormously in wealth and popula-
ton, and in the unexsmpled prosperity
which wilfprevail, every interest will have
a part proportionsts to it's capacity for
growth. With all her now unutilixed ele.
ments OF greatness fully developed, the
south will become once more the controlling
factor In the general affairs Of the Unitsd
States, and her supremacy will be perma.
nent, for her political power will be In pro-
portion TO her industrial power, and this
will not only be unrivslled but also incapa-
bic Of being destroyed.