Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-12-06
STEEL TRUST MONSTER
Competition Only Possible
Through Tariff Reduction.
HIGH DUTY PROHIBITS IMPORTS

wen beinS of the People Demands
That No Artificial Obstruction Like
the Tariff Should BE Imposed 10 In
crease Prices-Folly OF an Enormous
Import Tax.
The steel trust has contracted for the
vast deposits OF iron ore owned by the
Great Northern railroad and NOW con-
trolls 60 per cent of all the known iron
in the United States. or 1,5OI.Guy.NOO
tons. The pools and selling price AZ
engagements between the trust and
other steel producers make a virtual
monopoly. The price of steel has spen
constantly advancing and is now ut
the point where foreign producers of
steel can export to this country if they
are willing to sell at Il small profit and
ocean freight rates are reasonable.
These foreign competitors of the steel
trust have not only to pay the ocean
freight, but the charges for shipping
and loading the steel abroad and UNI
loading and delivering it on this SIDE
Va Ian "'NNi. lb"I III duNllIOll W III
these charges there is the tariff duty to
pay, and this in 1905 amounted to an
average Of $500 per cent of the value
OF the shipments in the country where
produced. The government statistics
report the value of the iron and steel
Imported for the year ended June 80,
1905, as 500, O44, 937.34 and the tariff
duty paid as $S,4222 37 rs. The tariff
duty on many steel products exceeded
SO per cent, and on cutlery it exceeded
80 per cent, and OF wood screws wei
one inch and not more than two inches
in length the tariff duty exceeded 50
per cent.
The total iron and steel manufac-
lures Of the United States for 1904
were about 100000 tons, and the to-
tai iron ore in sight in the United
States is estimated at $780, 600, 900
tons, and as this ore will produce but
little over half its weight in iron or
steel it will be seen that at the present
rate of consumption all the ore now in
sight will be used up in less than fifty
years.
What folly it is, therefore, to place
an enormous tariff tax upon the import
Of a necessity that other countries are
willing to sell which will be of ines
Unable value in a few years. A tariff
of 5 or 10 per cent on imports Of iron
and steel would reduce the present
price to our people Of all steel prod
ucts and at the same time conserve
the home supply for future generations
that will otherwise have to do without
it or use q now unknown substitute.
Free iron ore and a low tariff Oh iron
and steel would not stop production in
this country, but would compel the
monopolistic steel trust to sell cheaper
or the foreign product would be i'm
ported and undersell that corporation.
The result of a low tariff on crude
iron and steel would naturally reduce
the present production in this country,
but would not stop the manufacture
Of those finished products, like ma
chinery, tools and cutlery, upon which
the tariff could be reduced to a rea-
sonable rate Of, say, 30 per cent of
the present rates to begin with and fur
Their reduction as the business was
prepared for it and the American peo-
pie would be benefited.
When it is remembered that every
one is made to pay his share of the in
creased price of iron and steel, which
are used in the manufacture Of so many
articles of necessity, from a tin pan to
transportation by land or sea, it is OF
the greatest Importance that no arti-
fetal obstacles like the tariff should
be imposed to increase the price.