Huntsville gazette. [volume] (Huntsville, Ala.) 1879-1894, 1893-12-30
A QUESTION OF REVENUE.
How the Wilson Tariff VIII Affect Amsrf-
can Industry.

beautiful idea, and at first blush H.
seems strange that the people do not
appreciate his kindness. But they must
have earnings before they can buy. 1t
occurs to them that this scheme cuts of
their earnings, and then tantalizes
them with cheap goods which they no
longer are able to get at any price. He
docs not think so, and has some theor-
les in his head which came to him from
Mr.. Walker, fifty years ago, and II
they are correct the industries of the
country will be more prosperous with
free trade, or his approach to free
trade, than they are now. Theories
are always delightful, but men who
work eight or ten hours per day want
something more satisfactory for their
meals.
Here are the iron workers, about $780,
600 strong. Part of them are get
ting out ore; he makes ore free, and
they are discharged Part are making
pig iron, and he puts the duty at s1.50
per ton to 50. 25 per ton, SO that Scotch
iron can be imported here in unlimited
quantities at lower prices than similar
grades of American iron selling even at
the unprecedented prices now prevail
ing. 1t is evident that part OF the ore
producers, and part of the pig iron pro-
ducers, must stand idle, earning moth
ing, in order that the rest may have
their materials cheaper. The theory
IS that the rest will do better. but what
are the facts? Beginning with steel
rails, these can be shipped from Middle
boro at SIS per ton, and how much less
it is impossible to state, because no
body can say what sellers will swear
as to the value of the rails they have
sold. In this country after great de-
preston rails are now selling for s24
per ton. 1t may be granted that the
combination has been of no benefit to
American industry, but of great harm
to its development and defense. But
the worker would suffer from a
depression, and he only. Nobody
pays their hands for lying idle. Mr..
Wilson takes wages from them and
they get nothing Cheaper rails for the
seaboard may result, perhaps, but
what more?
Back comes the question to the iron
producers, for what are other miners
and furnace-owners of New York and
New Jersey Virginia and West Vir-
ginia going to do, with foreign iron Of
fered at their doors for less than pres
ent panic prices, and with the mills
closed at the east which manufacture
such iron? With round iron so per
cent, now 80 per cent, with beams 35
per cent, now 6S per cent; with boiler
iron 80 per cent, now 45 to so per cent;
with forged iron 80 per cent, now so
per cent; with cotton ties, in which a
great industry has been built up, now
Al per cent, made free contrary to all
regard for theories, or revenue either,
in obedience to sectional demand; with
tin plates, in which many new estab-
lishments have been employed, put at
35 per cent instead of 70 per cent, and
with steel ingots at 25 instead Of IS per
cent, what Is this manufacture to do?
Does anybody need to be told that a
great proportion of the iron manufac-
turing works must close, and that a
hundred thousand or more of the hands
must be thrown out Of employment
with no nope OF return
The situation evidently means the
permanent stoppage of more than half
the works in the country. Instead of
85o,0o0 persons employed there may
possibly be employed at the most 49,
900. The loss Of wages for this alone
would be about $4,000, 600. II not
more than 40 per cent. be taken from
the wages of the rest, to enable them
to compete with foreign producers, the
difference would be $40, 900, OO0 SO that
in all s105. 900. 900 would be taken from
the amount which the iron workers are
able to expend in a year 1t Is not an
encouraging fact, for other industries
which can hardly thrive when the iron
industry is reduced to part time and
short wages. Yet this is called rev.
enue tariff. Who are to buy the prod
ucts of foreign mills, American in
dustries and American consumers being
thus crippled? Within the last half
year the demand for iron has been re-
duced nearly 60 per cent because the
people had stopped buying. Are we to
expect that the demand will be greater
with the mills permanently closed
which would ordinarily employ rs. 900
hands? Is there larger revenue to be
raised by cutting off half the buying
power Of American consumers?-N. Y.
Tribune.