The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-04-03
PROTESTING AGAINST
FREE IRON ORE
FROM ALL PARTS or THE LAKE
SUPERIOR REGION
MATHER's STRONG ARGUMENT
A gainst the Clause OF the Payne Bill Is
Having It's Effect Letters Going to
Young and Burrows

The Lake Superior mining region is
up In arms against the clause of the
Payne tariff bill which places iron ole
on the free list and mass meetings are
being held in all of the mining towns
to forward protests TO congress against
this action Of the committee.
A reduction in the duty was looked
for but the complete abolition of the
duty was an extreme 20 which it was
not thought the committee would go
The interview with President Math-
or OF the Pickands- Mather company
the interests that control the Verona
Mining company and the Hemlock
River Mining company is the most
telling arguments against the placing
OF iron ore on the free list. Mr.
Mather says:
~ am emphatically not stand
patter and should not be considered as
one opposedto the revision of onr tariff
laws The party was pledged to fulfill
certain promises in accordance with
those promises and pledges do ask
however. why all should not be treated
alikeG Why not remove part Of the
existing tariff Why not cut it in
half, as in other cases3 Or why not
reduce it 10 fifteen cents or there
abouts3 Why in one fell swoop, in a
year that mas been noted for it's disas-
ters. IL the tariff reduced from forty
cents TO the free rates
lis there a sufficient deposit Of iron
ores in any country likely TO ship them
here to seriously compete with the
Lake Superior productg'
"In Cuba and in Spain there are
vast deposits. and their owners are only
awaiting the opportunity that seems
close at hand This particularly applies
TO Cuba. In Spain they are principally
owned or controlled by Englishmen
and Spanniards. Ii they are anxious
TO do so. they can ship ores here in
quantities that will reduce the price of
the local product II they do not do
that, they can become a factor in die
tating the American prices. In Cuba
it's different The principal Cuban
deposits are owned 10y three steel con
Germs in America. the Bethlehem,
Maryland and the Pennsylvania COM
panies. They are naturally particularly
anxious for just the legislation that Is
proposed because they are now enabled
to ship their own product direct from
the mine to the mill. in competition
with Superior ores.
Cuban ores are already entering into
competition with Lake Superior ores
in the Pittsburg market and should the
entire duty of Accents per ton be re-
moved it will place ores from this dis
trict at much greater disadvantage.
IL is said that ore is already being
loaded from the great mines OF Sweden
destined TO be sent TO this country
should the present duty be removed.
Congressman Young Of this district
is working hard 10 have the clause OF
the bin changed but the program
among the leaders of the lower mouse
seems TO be to put the bill through the
house in about it's present form and lei
the Senate stand sponsor for any a
mendments thereto.
The senate finance committee is th,
committee to which the bill will IL
sent when IL reaches the senate ant
one Of the members of this committe'
il Senator Burrows Of tnis state ans
the iron ore interests are placing theii
faith In his ability TO get something
like a square deal from the committee
W. q. Matner, president Of th'
Cleveland Gifts iron company. whC
testineu before the ways and meant
committee. fixed the cost Of mining II
the entire Michigan district at 81 3s4'
per ton. The average royalty Is 3309
The transportation by both rail arc
lake 10 the lake ports is 81. 23l4 Tel
ton. Including the administration
expenses, commissions etc. the tota
cost Of getting ton Of ore TO Lake
Erie ports is So O595. In a Statement
OF the average freight rates from LAX,
Erie ports 10 the furnaces Mr., Mathei
stated that to Mahoning and Shenang'
valley points shey are sixty-iiye cent
per ton ;si. 05 10 Pittbsurg and yiciuit,
81. 25 to other western Pennsylvania
points, and sl.a0 10 points east Of tn
Allegheny mountains, Adding TN
transportation cost from Lake Fri
! ports % the points mentioned to th'
cost Of mining and lake and raj
freights TO Lake Erie, the total cost 9