New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-10
PROPOSED DUTIES.

The retention Of many of the duties of the
present tariff by the Republican committee in
framing new bill TO be proposed is at once
proof of their sincere endeavo- to place the
duties as low as they can with safety, and proof
Of the remarkable progress made under the Act
of 1890 In developing home industries and cheap
ening their products. Doubtless ii may seem AT
first to some that the refusal to propose as high
duties as were carried by the Mckinley law is
in a measure censure of that law. but the facts
warrant no such idea. In 1890 the country pro-
duced 92O2, 7O3 tons Of pgron with SIS 40
the average price of Anthracite No. | at Phila-
delphia, and SIS ~ the average price of Bes-
semer pig at Pittsburg The manufacture has
been so greatly developed that in 1885, In spite
OF a reduction in average price TO Sl3 10 al Phila-
delphia and So 20 at Pittsburg the quantity
produced was 100000 tons greater than in 1890.
steel billets averaged $23 rs at Pittsburg IN
1892. and were sold last year In great quantities
at less than SO, or not S. over the cost Of the
Bessemer pig from which they We're made, and
even at such prices the production was main
tanned on q larger scale than before. One i'm
portant cause is the enormous additional supply
of ore from the Mesaba region. making possible
a cheaper production of iron. but the manufact-
ucts cheapened in nearly all branches.
Thus it is that the duties which We're held
necessary to bring about this vigorous develop
ment in 1890 are no longer deemed necessary,
even by the manufacturers or the most earnest
advocates of Protection. Still greater relative
progress has been made in some branches of the
industry. and particularly in. tnpates, of which
the entire consumption in the country can now
l,n oh hv
the whole consumption except that for export
in the form of cans and cases is so supplied.
The duties needed 10 draw capital swiftly into
that branch Of work are no longer needed and
the committee has just decided upon a duty of
| :, cents which is but 3 of a cent above that
fixed by the present act. The cost Of tinplates
has been so reduced that Bpssemcr &c. 1iX20
weighing los pounds per box. are quoted by
The Iron Age" at So 80. whereas Welsh plates
OF the same weight and kind sold in September,
1890 before the Mckinley Act went into force,
at S. II per box.
The question as TO steel rails involves geo
graphical considerations. The cost of moving
the product from the seaboard to the interior
is large and It is in the West where new rails
are most required in building new railroads.
But with Western production in mind. the com
mlttee has decided to propose retention of the
present duty. though at first II contemplated a
duty Of only 81 per ton, which would be less
than the duty on pig or in blllets. The price of
rails is virtually controlled by combination Of
makers and it is a question whether cheapneSs
will not be more speedily and surely secured by
encouraging new competitors to enter that field
than by cutting down the duties below those on
other forms Of iron and steel The retention Of
the present duties on nails wire and cut. which
are lower than those Of the Mckinley Act. VIII
probably in 10 way affect the industry, since
great home competition has already broken
down the combination by which prices were for
q time advanced.
The decision 10 retain nearly all the duties of
the present cotton schedule. although many were
as much as 40 per cent lower than those Of the
Mckinley Act. appears TO be satisfactory TO the
manufacturers but on some finer grades OF
goods the committee proposes somewhat adj
vanced rates. The imports have been mainly OF