Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-09
THE STRUCTURAL IRON TRUST.
Bow Carnegie and His Associates APP
propriste the Tariff Bonus.

gow Carnegie and His Associates APP
propriste the Tariff Bonus.
In extollins the Mckinley tariff the
other day Mr.. Andrew Carnegie mag
unanimously observed that his praise was
entirely diinterested, inasmuch as the
rates of duty have been considerably re-
duced upon the manufactures which he
produces. It was certainly very gener-
Gus in Mr.. Carnegie to lavish encomiums
upon a measure from which, as he as
sures US, he derives no benefit.
Next to steel rails, his most impor-
tant manufactures are beams, rafters,
joists, columns and other forms of struc-
tural iron. Upon these products the
former rate of duty was twenty-five dol
lars a ton. In pretended Difference to
the complain of housebuilders against
this most exorbitant duty the Mckinley
tariff reduced the rate to eighteen dol
lars ton. 1t was believed that this re-
duced rate would be sufficient to ward
off competition with the structural iron
combination on this side of the Atlantic,
and the expectation has not been disap-
pointed.
The price maintained by the American
Beam association, to which Mr.. Carnegie
belongs, is sixty-two dollars a ton for
most, if not all. forms of structural iron.
In Belgium the selling price OF the same
manufactures is 1870 francs Per metric
ton. or $2l.OS per ton of 1900 pounds
At the mills in Germany the price is
scare per ton, Adding the duty of eight
cen dollars, the price of Belgian and
German forms Of structural iron would
be, when laid down in Philadelphia,
S39.05 and $40 -, respectively, exclusive
of freights and commissions Of import
ers.
Making the most liberal allowance for
the difference in wages, these compare
tive figures show the extent of the extor-
ton that is practiced upon the house
builders of This country by Mr.. Carnegie's
American Beam association under cover
of the tariff. Although the importations
of structural iron are SO insignificant as
to receive no mention in the treasury
returns of trade, we are reliably IN
formed that Belgian and German beams
are offered today in New York and Bos-
ton at $f6.50 per ton. This is the price
for forms Of structural iron made by
foreign works for their home trade. For
patterns required by American consum-
ers tse price Is $52 Il ton. Under the
discouragiug influence of the tariff upon
the import trade the American Beam
association Is enabled to swell It's euOr-
nous profits by charging the builders OF
this country $40 ton more for its prod
ucts than the highest price of the foreign
article, with duties, freights, commits
sions and al included.
While Mr.. Carnegie's disintevested-
ness is not very apparent, his ground
for eNtolliuy the Mckinley tariff is quite
obvious Yet, notwithstanding the high
duty, the wide margin in price between
American structural iron and the for
| eign article affords an opportunity of
saving money Of which builders should
avail themselves We are assured that if
| foreign beams should be carried in stock
! by American merchants there would be
! a large market for them in this country,
in spite of the duty of $lS ton. I'm
| porters are unwilling to take this risk,
because the American Beam association
could drop its prices below the lowest
rate Of the foreign article and still have
a considerable margin of profit. Thus
| the Mckinley tariff, in obstructing the
! imports of structural iron nearly as
effectually as did its predecessor, amply
! justifies the warm praises OF MIR. Car
| negie. Record.