New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-12

the opinions or prejudices OF irresponsible writer's
and speakers and Of clamorous free-trade newspa-
pers.
He contended that the existing tarin Is the fair
est and best one the country ever had and that IL
should be maintained. 1t would be especially un-
wise TO substitute ad vaorem for specific rates OF
duty or to weaken any OF the safeguards against
fraudulent and underyalued inspirations which
are found In the provisions OF Ire Administration
act Of 1890 The Tariff law OF 1897 ne said had
reduced the rates of duty on iron ana steel manu-
features. except cotton ties. un-plateS and few
other articles Frequent changes Of the tariff, he
argued are Injurious to the country and "A change
now when business H. depressed ana industries
are paralyzed would be especiaii' unfortunate ana
disastrous. The prospect OF such change has
already caused sharp contraction ot credits which
are necessary TO the prosperity Of the industry.
and the result has been ninety-nree ihllures within
the last three months. some oil "hich nave pee"
very heavy ones while many other establishments
are in a precarious condition. an" must :" 10 the
wall unless relief Is afforded tie submitted mat
this was not a good time ITO KNOCK the pms from
under an industry Of such importance and masn-
tude" Mr.. Wharton emphatic III MS expression
of the opinion that the existing paralysis anu
prostration of American Industries are due less to
the ''currency famine and silver question than
to the prevailing fear and agitation oi 'aTlH hBiH-
lation although he conceded that the former was
an important factor. regarding the proper DISPOSE
Cleveland.
Mr. Wharton contended that foreigners who enter
our markets 10 compct- with our own citizens
should be taxed for the privileges as - Hoh' ny
nearly every other civilized country III the World
for the benefit Of its people. the foreigner owes
no allegiance to this country; he sIveS u" employ
ment TO American labor and the only tax he pays
is in the form OF duties the articles he sends 10
our markets In reply TO questions by Mr. Turn"'.
Of Georgia he said that the Iron ana steel AS
ISOLATION was established in l>'. and that unil after
the enactment OF the Tariff law OF wi IN" IRON
and steel Industries OF this country "'r" III Il
feeble and languishng condition. Now the United
States leads all other countries. II" contender
That This proeress had been due in Il greater de-
gree - the tariff than any other cause. or To all
other causes combined. Mr. Wharton having SAID
that American agricultural implements. tools loco
motives machinery, etc. are exporter 10 "'h'F
Countries IN a considerable extent. Mr. Turner sug
eested that American progress must be due to
some other cause than Protective tarir. the
former at once replied. and showed that Ameri-
cans are enabled to compete because in those
branches of industry domestic competition mas f"-
duced the cost OF production ana prices 10 such an
extent that the domestic demands having been
supplied there is a surplus which can b" prohtaby
exported Such a condition Of Affairs could never
have existed in this country. except for FRO
tective tariff lie also remarked that 80 long as
home producers can control the home market the
country will prosper. and that foreign markets Tor
manufacturing products are OF comparatively small
importance.
chairman whson-You say that the foreigner
pays the duties. II We shut INN out theh we h'''
to pay the taxes do We not;
Mr. Wharton-If there be- no domestic coinpet-
ton yes: but do not shut him OUT. u was aS-
serted that the law OF 1872 would do 3d. bHt on me
contrary. foreign importatons increased unth th'y
were larger than ever before. They nave since
* Ia
than thu tarin
Chairman Wilson AMI Mr. Turner then opened
4 discussion with Mr.. Wharton. In which they at
tempted to show that the tarin oppresses ia" asr-
cultural producers Of the United states. tat ocean
freIghts are an important element OF protection
that foreign labor is inferior in efficiency skill ana
productiveness to American labor. AMI that WITH
free raw materials the American manufacturer
ought to be- satisfied with heavy reduction or
duties
Mr. Wharton not only held his ground. but got
the better Of his inqusitors Mr. McMnin Then
entered the lists and he. too. was ohiged 10 I'-
trent Mr. Wharton ventursd the statement that
capital demanded greater Inducements 10 embark
in manufacturing enterprise I'm III" nitrI states
than 1t did In Europe. AMI in response 10 MT
Reeds questions he explained this by saying that
the demand for capital for new enterprises y
greater as also are the risks taken. ono constant
risk he said was that Of tariff changes, such az
ar. row proposed. During the thirty or fo't
wears of his own experience tariff agitation ana
changes had been frequent and always injurious
President Ely. OF the Western Iron ore FRO
ducers' Association Aald that this Was most un-
fortunate time to astate IN" subject Of taflH leg
alton The iron ore industry OF the LAX" Su-
pcrior region is in condition OF compiet" i"'"N-
SIS The outpu; las year was Owe: '"''"" tohS.
This year It will not exceed S."""" tons ana IRON
or. il a drug in the market Three-fourths Of the
mines are closed and the miners idle. SIS rail-
dc are WI delDuIgnt
for traffic are virtually without business. the men
who have been employed on the or" Jocks OF Inc
great lakes are idle working short time. ana
the mInens. lake towage employed ~ ore tlhn'-
portation f. largely without cargoes MI Ely read
figures showing that the total amount of capital in
wasted in the iron mines Of the Lake Superior
region and In ore docks. railroads and vessel
towage employed In the transportation II ose"
amounts to about si6.OlnVD. not including Np''"tN
OF capital invested In railroads between Lake IN"
and Western Pennsy lvania an" West virginia. a
large proportion OF whose business Is the frcghiing
OF iron ore and coal. Tens of thousands Of men
with their families who ere dependent rpon this
industry for "A support. have been thrown out o.
employment working short tim or at re-
ducod wages Mr. Ely submitted many other facts
and declared that the admission Of iron ore free
OF duty would not only cut of a large part Of
the demand for Lake superior ore. but would
result in a heavy reduction in III" wages Of every
body engaged in the industry.
w X Sterling. OF the Illinois steel Company.
who fer nine years was manufacturer In scot
| land and who has been during the last fourteen
years manufacturer IN the United States. gave
the members Of the cOmnittcc a good deal Of food
for thought. which il IL To De hoped they Will be
able to assimilate. The company which h. rep
rcsenis had $500 men It's payrolls a few months
ago Nearly 500 Of them now idle, ard on
October only LOO will he AT work. THIS paralysis
OF business has been caused 10y fear and uncer-
taintv regarding tariff legislation. and IL affects
not only the capital invested and the labor which
has been employed. but also the transportation
companies and their employees vino have been en-
gagged in carrying material 10 the mills and fin
ished products 10 the markets but the farmers,
merchants mechanics and others who's" prosperity
IL.