Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-10-27
AMERICAN
CONSUMERS BILKED
Startling Difference Of Cost In Favor
Of Foreign Steel Rltl Buyers

or the points made by Hon, John
Sharp Williams, in his powerful anti
trust speeches. none Is so unanswer-
able as that which he emphasizes with
the undiSputel fact that steel rails
manufactured In this country are sold
cheaper TO foreign than TO American
CDNSunCrS.
Here Is the way MIR, Williams treat.
81 the suffice, IN his Brooklyn speech
Of October I
Let me read you a letter from Mr..
Roaul, President OF the National Rail-
road Company OF Mexico, 4 road which
operates both In Mexico and IN Texas:
lin 1902 secured bids on steel rails
for Mexico from united States mills at
about S2l delivered at Tamplco, while
the price paid at the same time for
rails for our road IN Texas was SIS at
the mills"
Remember that these rails were laid
down az Tampico. Mexico, FOR S3I, and
that the freight TO TRmpieo was 81, SO
that the price at the mills Cor the rails
shipped to Tampico was so, while, as
the writer states, the price at the mills
for that part of the order 20 be used
IN Texas was SIS The extortlon in
this case was S.
Let me read you part OF another let.
ter, addressed TO Senator Bacon, OF
Georgia and dated February 2S, 1904.
and written by MIR. j. 4. Wright, an
Indiana Republican;
Tho extension or our road, some for
~ miles, was decided upon and cash
provided for II early In the spring OF
1901. Owing to the demand at that
time for steel In all forms and the
probability OF an advance In price, 1t
seemed wise TO take up the matter OF
the purchase Of the necessary rails ut
once, Inquiries, therefore, were adj
dressed aud matted to all the leading
steel rail manufacturers In the conn.
try, asking for tenders on sixty miles
OF seventy pound steel rails delivered
ut Savannah or Macon. the Joint OF de-
livery TO be option with Ms.
"Artcr eudeavorlug In vain TO obtain
better prices than those quoted, we
tinally accepted the bid of the ---- steel
Company, and placed our order with
them FOR the 56lS tons OF rails nj SD
per ton, based upon delivery at iidc-
water, This would enable us 10 ar.
range our own freight rate TO SavHu.
nah aud effect somc saving In the cost
OF the rails. The order was declined
on these terms, the ---- Steel Company
refusing to make any price T. o, b, mill,
but insisting upon delivered price.
Il made one more effort Some
friends OF niue were interested In
railroad project In Central America.
aud bronchcd the subject to the rep
rasentatiye of the ----- steel Company
who hnd come here TO close the matter
with me- told him That my friends
had made some inquiry of me rs To tho
cost OF construction In that country,
and should like TO know al what price
he could sell me steel rails delivered
at tldcwnter FOR shipment to Honduras.
lie promptly quoted me $40 per ton.
ALLOWING Il liberal amount for cost
OF delivery AZ tldewater, which, In this
particular case would have been very
small, we American citizens paid 10
this American industry $4,000 In ex-
cess OF what foreigners would have
been compelled TO pay. And S33,W0
would have put up very handsome IL
brnry tilled with standard books on
protection.
"And this was very small transae-
tion--only nifty miles OF railroad! Pay
ments were cash, and we neither need
ed nor asked amy concessions In the
matter OF time, Because we werc
Americans interested IN the develop
mcnt OF u small section OF our country.
involving faith and sacrifices, we were
compelled to pay out, rs bonus, In
excess OF 5000 per mile"