Evening journal., 1909-05-18
FREE IRON WOULD
HELP LOCAL MILLS
Belief That il Would Cause
Boom in This City and
New Castle

In line with the statement that Will
mington and New Castle iron and steel
mills will thrive if Cuban ore is put
on the free list by Congress in the
new tariff bill, a special from Wash
ington says
If the Senate will yield to the power
ful arguments being brought to bear
upon 1t to secure the free admission Of
ore, the Atlantic seaboard is certain
TO become the scene OF extraordinary
commercial activity. The cities along
the coast such as Philadelphia, Bal
timore and others have for years COM
planned about the lack Of bottoms in
which to export their merchandise. II
ore were admitted free there would re-
suit an increased interchange of COM
merce that would be beneficial to both
sides.
II is manifostly Improbable for any
vessel-owner to send his boat across
the waters-either way--without the
prospect of a return cargo. He does
not care to make the trip one way
empty. There must be a regular and
systematic interchange of commerce.
with an unwavering demand from both
sides, to Justify his keeping bottoms
at the disposal Of merchants.
Tho Benefit to Commerce.
All this would be changed were ore
TO be let i'm free. No one who is aware
Of the number of appeals that have
been made to the Senate can doubt that
there is a lively demand for iron ore
along the seaboard. Admit it free. and
there would be a steady influx of ore.
The bottoms bringing this commodity
J.
only would the independent steel man
lufacturers be benefited i'm that event,
but the manufacturer of every class.
At the same time no injury could be
wrought the larger steel interests, since
they have their ore supplies at their
very door, as it were.
The chief argument against free iron
ore seems to be that the influx Of for
eign ore might tend to curtar activity
at the domestic mines. In other words
the opposition Is hiding under the torn
and tattered cloak of labor's friend
Thus, It is made TO assume a certain
popular aspect. since anything which
touches labor touches the entire people
The argument is fallacious. An au-
thority says that not ton of foreign
. run ore mas bten snippeu lndnu De-
yond the Allegheny Mountains for
years nor il is likely that ton of il
would be shipped inland were It ad-
b mitted free, since the principal market
for it would be in the East That nc
miner Of ore west of the Alleghenies
! can need any possible protection
against Canadian ore is evidenced by
, the fact that during the fiscal year end
ing June 30 last total of pa. SOB tons
were exported from Duluth and Super
ior to points in Canada.
High Prices and the East
! on the other hand the prohibitive
! prices which the Eastern independents
are obibed to pay for ore might SER
iously handicap their activity, a poini
, which labor must not overlook Theii
margin Of profit is dangerously small
and their further operation is to a larg,
extent at the mercy of the Superior
, producers Any advance in prices ol
any increased difficulty in the way o.
getting supplies might seriously EN-.
, barrass the independents. 1t does no
= need further elaboration to show tina
labors interests win be best promote,
] through free ore