The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-21

Among the appeals recently made TO the
House committee in charge Of the tariff
bill. was one by Mr.. William A. Ingham,
president of the Eastern Pig-Iron Asso-
citation, who described that industry as
in a most depressed condition. lie said
that in November. 1892. there was in the
Eastern district, which includes all the
blast furnaces East Of the Allegheny
mountains, making pig-iron for sale in
the market, a total number of 1913 stacks.
OF these twenty-nine have disappeared
entirely. reducing the number 10 l04. or
these twenty-five are running and eigh-
ty-two are idle. lie declared that he be-
leved this depression TO be due TO the
free-trade policy adopted in the election
OF 1892. His idea was that the present
tariff Of 81 ton is not sufficient. and
that sG.72 per ton should be imposed as
under the act OF 1890 The unreasonable
ness of this demand is plain 10 any
one who will reflect that during 1896 tens
of thousands of tons of iron were shipped
from Alabama TO England and sold at
a good profit. But Mr.. Ingham says
there has been an advance in the price
OF English iron equal 10 81 a ton. and
there has been a decline In the price
of American iron during the same period
Of 50 a ton. However this may be. it is
a fact the producers Of American iron in
favorable districts neither need nor ask
fa ~
fectly willing that the present tariff shall
remain as part of the uniform system for
raising revenue by "a general duty upon
imported articles. IL the Eastern fur
81 ton at the home market, they had
better go out of the business, for It is
perfectly certain. that unless freight
rates are absolutely prohibitive. there are
other regions that will furnish every
part of this country with all the
iron it wants. and never ask a
cent OF increase OF tariff. TO the
old-fashioned Democrat. who believes in
a tariff for revenue only. with such in
cidental protection as may come from
duty laid with the bona-fde purpose
to deal impartially with all citizens and
to raise only revenue enough for the gov
eminent economically administered, the
appeals OF men for protection to
their own enterprises, regardless of
the interests OF the government and
of. the rights of their fellow citizens
are simply exasperating. Yet the idea
is abroad in the land, with good reason.
that this government has been run in the
interest of certain banking circles and OF
certain manufacturers, and in conse-
quence there has been created a feeling
of the deepest discomfort and resentment.
With all their vagaries about free sill
yer and their unfortunate acceptance or
that spurious Democracy at Chicago. it
is gratifying to know that Southern
Democrats generally ask no protection
and demand the repeal Of the oppressive
banking laws.
And we know the fact that some OF the
directors and principal stockholders OF
a large Alabama furnace desired a meet
ing OF the Board OF Directors OF their
company. TO protest against any increase
OF tariff on iron. Southern iron makers
are asking no protection. What they want
Is market IN which 10 sell their output.
and the home market having proved in
sufficient, they have found work for their
employees and profit for themselves In
line, e.
Chinese wall, but an open market. And
II anybody can pay freight and "a duty on
foreign pig-iron and then sell It in this
country against our home product. there
must be some great and peculiar merit
In that foreign iron, OF which our peo-
pie should not be deprived.
NOT FUNCTION OF THE PRESIDENT
Those who read Queen victoria's speech