Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-12-11
SOUND hE..40NlNG.
SOUNDER NOW IN THE LIGHT OF
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE.

What Abram 8. Hewitt Thought
Thirty-two Years Ago Is to the VAL
ue of the Protective Policy and the
FutiIity of Reciprocity Projects.
The subjoined letter by the Hon.
Abram S. Hewitt was written as its
date shows, thirty-twO years ago under
the following circumstances:
Steel rails at the first development of
that manufacture had been admitted
into the United States on an ad valo-
rem rate of 45 per cent "as manufac-
lures of steel not otherwise provided
for" This duty was thought by nine
ty-five presidents and managers of our
railroads not to be high enough to
properly encourage the manufacture
Of bessemer steel rails in this country,
and they united in memorial to the
finance committee of the senate Of the
United States and the committee of
ways and means of the house Of repre-
sentatives, which says:
We, as users Of steel rails and trans
porters of the food and material for Amer
lean manufacturers and their numerous
employees and skilled laborers, do not de-
sire to be dependent exclusively upon the
foreign supply and therefore Join In ask
ing that instead of the present ad valorem
duty specific duty of cents per pound
be placed upon this article.
AS soon as this action was taken the
English manufacturers prepared a me-
mortal protesting against the proposed
increased duty on steel rails. Mr.. Jay
Gould, then president of the Erie road,
who was one of the signers Of the me.
mortal to the committees mentioned
above, being requested to sign also the
memorial of the English manufactur-
ers, wrote to Abram s. Hewitt, Esq,
Jan. 26, 1870, saying, after referring
to the last mentioned memorial:
"It seems to me that our policy should
be to foster and encourage home products
rather than open our markets to such
formidable competition as would inevita-
bly, result from the reduction of duty so
strongly urged in the memorial, adding
that by protecting the manufacture of
steel rails in this country we would "be
largely the gamers in the long run. for
the capital invested would all be kept in
the country, our operatives would find
constant and lucrative employment and
the general effect upon our business could
not fail TO be beneficial. l am at a loss to
perceive why we should contribute so
large an amount annually to build up the
trade. and manufactures of foreign coun-
tries while our own interests are sacri-
feed by just SO much"
Mr.. Hewitt replied:
New York, Jan. e. 1870.
DAY Gould, Esq, President Erie Railway
Company:
Dear Sir-I beg leave to acknowledge
the receipt of your favor of 26th inst. and
TO state that not only fully concur with
the views which you express In regard to
the duties on steel and iron rails, but am
at a loss to add anything which will
make them more forcible, NJ l venture
to suggest that you will allow me to send
a copy of your letter to the committee of
ways and means.
The fact is that steel and iron rails can
be made in sui BILE localities in this coun-
try-and notably on the line of the Erie
railway-wth as little labor as in any part
of the world, and the only reason why we
pay more for American rails Is because
we pay higher rate for the labor which
Is required for their manufacture, but for
no greater quantity of labor. Free trade
will simply reduce the wages of labor to
the foreign standard, which will enable us
to sell our rails in competition with for
oign rails; but. as matter OF course. the
ability Of the laborer to consume will be
reduced and serious loss be inflicted on
ness of the railways especially. The only
reason why a tariff Is necessary is to
supply the laborer with such wages as
Will enable him to travel and consume
not merely the necessaries, but some of
the luxuries, of modern civilization.
Besides, If we have free trade we can
not expect to procure our supplies from
abroad by increased shipments of grain.
for already the European markets take
from us all that they require. and no
amount of purchase Of goods from them
will induce them to buy more food than
they need and which they now take as a
matter of necessity. Faithfully yours.
ABRAM 8. HEWITT.
We do not know of any document
that protectionist can paste in his
hat to better advantage than this letter
of Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, as it an
swers SO fully the claims of free trad
crs and those who are advocating reci-
procity.
All our readers know that Mr.. Hewitt
is now advocating that free trade, by
which I'VE cannot expect to procure
cur supplies abroad by increased ship
mants of grain," and the story that
Mr.. Hewitt was changed from pro-
tectionist to free trader through the
arguments Of Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell,
who showed him that reduction of
So per ton on the duty on pig iron had
enabled him to raise the price Of that
commodity from $50 to $53 a ton, Is en-
tirely foreign to the admirable and
convincing arguments for protection
advanced by Mr.. Hewitt in 1870.
Three Reasons.