St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-28
FIR. JoaNsg WOODBRIDGE.

We are under obligations to Repre-
SENTATIVE Johns for his communica-
ton in which he confirms the suspi-
cions we entertained N regard To
the ultimate purpose Of the bill
which he introduces providing a
commission to examine into the
suitability of smelling the iron ore
produced in this state, appropriate
ing 100000 to laid and encourage
the establishment of smelling
works, and releasing from taxation
of all kinds all ores that might be
smelted within the state.
We stated that the problem was
one simply of fuel. The ore mined
in Minnesota now goes to the iron
and coal regions OF Ohio and Penn
sylvania, simply because it is
cheaper to carry ore to the fuel than
fuel to the ore. There is no question
that could the conditions be re-
versed, could it be made cheaper to
bring fuel to the ore than ore TO the
fuel, the iron industries Of this coun-
try would be deeply revolutionized,
and the iron industries and interests
of Pennsylvania, now attacked on
their left flank by the iron of Ala
banla and Georgia, would have to
defend their right flank against the
assaults of BeSsemer iron and steel
from Minnesota.
The letter of Mr. Johns makes it
apparent that back of his bills there
is a scheme by which this revolution
could be brought about, if the treas
ury of the state could be drawn
upon to demonstrate it's feasibility
Crude oil from petroleum is Mr.
Johns solvent. He admits that it's
practicability is doubted, and that
by those who know ali about it,
What Mr.. Johns or his client wants
is a sufficient sum of money from the
state TO demonstrate to these people
that they do not ''knoW all about
it, and that there are things in
their philosophy OF which they have
never dreamed. Mr.. Johns may be
perfectly right in his idea that it is
profitable to bring the crude oil
from the wells of Pennsylvania to
Minnesota, and with it heat these
furnaces to convert the ore into
either pig iron or steel, but it does
not at all follow that this is any con-
Germ OF the state of Minnesota or of
the people of Minnesota, or that
their money should be used to DEM
onstrate the correctness of his posi-
ton.
1t is true that the proprietorship
of the great masses of iron deposited
IN the northern portions of our state
has passed into the hands of East
ern syndicates. They have invested
in the mines presumably because
they promised a profit. These gentle
men are as acutely alivt as to what
will lnure to their profit as it is de-
sirabie for any person to be. They
know very well that there is no
profit to them in transporting to the
Eastern furnaces the additional ton
Of ore needed to make the ton of
iron. They appreciate the fact that
the saving of the transportation of
that ton is to themselves a very
They have no pride of location, and
would be as well content with smelt-
ing their ores in the state of Mime
sofa as in the state of Ohio or Penn
sylvania, if thereby they gain addi-
tional profit.
Instead of asking Minnesota to in
vest the money taken from it's peo-
pie by taxation in demonstrate ting the
practicability of smelling ore with
heat created by the consumption of
crude oil, our observation of the
motives which control human action
convinces us that Mr. Johns can take
his scheme to them with perfect con-
idence that they will examine it
carefully, give a practical test and
adopt it if it is feasible. In other
words, we believe in renting this
and similar enterprises to private
enterprise, and insist that it is no
function Of the state to use the
money of its people in any such ven
tire