The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-18
FOREIGN Versus DOMESTIC TIM
The Proper Duties should he Collected on
All ImportatIons.

To THE EDITok OF THE SUN--Sir: Our
iron manufacturers have long complained OF
irregularities in the importation OF so-calod
tin plates 1t Is charged that iron plates coated
with tin. and nvoiced under the general name OF
tin plates. ought By law to pay duty Of ga cents
per pound whereas only 40 cents per pound
is collected pursuant to a decision OF the Treas
ury Department 1t is said that this irregu-
larity began as far back as the days Of the
late VIM. p. Fessenden. when Secretary
Of the Treasury. BY this ruling then
made it is claimed large amounts have
gone into the importers pockets which
should have gone into the Treasury. At the
same time, the admission Of foreign tin at a low
duty has cffectuay prevented the manufacture
Of American tin plates. The importers Of
metals arc rich and powerful rs clHss. In
this matter of tin they have generally proved
too strong Tor outside interI,rence. 1t is FUR
Their claimed that the importers have had here
tOfOro and now have, an extraordinary infiu-
ence in Congress- whereby they have defeated
all legislation adverse to their interests. The
press has not paid much attention to the inn
portatiuns Of tin or metals. because not always
conyersant with a subject rarely brought to
public notice.
There being n considerable difference in the
cost Of tin plates from being made by different
processes. II follows that there should properly
be u tnrin discrimination to correspond. The
law has always recognized this difference OF
cost and value. apparently. Yet. ii there is no
mistake in the statistics. fully nine-tenths Of tho
so-called tin plates entered at the New York
Custom House for several years have paid less
than hall the proper duty. This alone say the
iron manufacturers, has prevented tho
possibility OF making tin plates here;
Attempts to establish this branch Of
industry have failed. and will fail in
the future from the same cause. The tariff has
been altered from time TO time; hut 1t is not
casy TO see why II should be miscOnstru"d. by
act of June 30 1864. on tin plates and iron gal
yaniZed or coated with any metal by electric
batteries or otherwise. the duty is pa cents per
pound. The act OF June &. 1872 section A. fixes
al Valorem; also on terne and taggers tin. On
iron and tin plates galvanized or coated with
any metal 10y el,ctrlr batteries, the uuty ls Two
cents per pound. BY act Of June %. 1874. tho
duty on tin. in plates or sheets. terne or taggers
tin, Is iNed NJ 10 per cent on iron and tin plates.
galvanized with any metal by electric batteries. 2
cents per pound; not by electric batteries. .,
cents per pound.
From THIS il is claimed by the iron interest
that the bulk Of our tin imporiaiions. being iron
plates coated with tin, should pay duty
o! % cents per pound. Tue duty really paid
IL. as before stated. l lilo cents per pound
this latter rate being nearly equivalent to is
per cent nd vaorem. Tin plates imported dur
ing the fiscal year Of 1877 amounted 10 22z 3O1,-
amounting to ~ 4l9 02719 Tin plates paying
the highest duty of 2's cents sam" yenr. WERE
only % $50 pounds aud the duties So 1872.
The loss here incurred. according TO the iron
interest lies ut the door of the Treasury. In
tho present depressed condition Of the iron
interests tho consumption OF barely few hun
drrd tons Of domestic iron for making 500
called tin plates would give employment "a
some ldie men, while giving stimulus toward
creating new industry. Alta recent meeting
OF the American Iron and Steel AssOcin-
ton resolutions were passed deprccatinu
the present tariff on tin as construed
by the Treasury. and leaving the matter at that
II. as they claim. we are annually paving a large
sum abroad That need not be paid II our me-
chanics nre to be taken into tho account ~ frs
intended by Congress, then imported tin plates
should he assessed the highest duty. pa cents
per pound. and not l-1O cents.
Az any rate. whether we can or cannot manu-
iacturc our own TN plates, the proper duues
ought to be collected on all importatons.