Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-04-06
IA. WHEELER ANNmNREn.
NJ would have been BETTER ~ SIC had
boon Were sure 81 Ilis Rnris.

~ would have been Better u SIC hnd
been Mere sure Of isis Facts.
Everett p Wheeler Of New York. in his
recent debate at Boston with Congressman
Butterworth ON the question whether the
tarh benefited the ge-earner, drew illus
trati1ns from the Merden (Ct) Britannia
company and the American Screw company
of Providence r. l. The former company.
said Mr. Wheeler, had been driven through
the tariff on nickel, which is largely used
in the manufacture Of their plated goods.
to establish branch factory in Canada.
where nickel was free Of duty. in order Nv
supply the markets of the Dominion and
England This tariff on nickel was in the
direct interests Of Mr. Wharton of Penn
sylvauia, the owner Of the only nickel mine
and imposed tax of S20, 600 yearly on the
manufacturers for the nickel they must i'm
port MIR. Wheeler was of the opinion
that if the manufacturers Of plated goods
in this country would get their nickel FREQ
Of duty they could supply the markets of
| the world
The illustration Of the American Screw
company, Mr. Wheeler said is well known
1t managed 10 ret a duty for a time. al
most prohibitory, put upon screws. But
soon the English manufacturers, including
Joseph Chamberlain by skill and ingenui-
ty, were enabled to make their screws so
cheap that they began to export them TO
this country Thereupon the American
screw company made an arrangement with
the Englshmen whereby they agreed, in
consideration Of large sum Of money. 10
keep out Of the market And vet, said
/ Mr.. Wheeler, this same Providence Screw
/ company has only recently established in
| Canada branch factory where, through
less taxes ON iron, they can make screws
for that and the English market while every
| builder in Amcricu is taxed to increase the
profits Of the concern at home.
After the debate Secretary Radcliffe Of
the Home Market club sent Mr.. Wheeler's
references to the Meriden and Providence
companies, asking as to the truth of the
conclusions drawn from them. Both com
| panies replied at length The letter from
| the Merden concern is very much 10 the
| point. Mr.. Wilcox the president, says
that
Mr. Wherler's statement is wholly untrue
| Some years ago the Canadian government placed
| a large duty ON all plated ware brought into the
| country in order to protect her own manufactur-
| ers We were practically excluded and Obliged tu
| uV vlt 'l Nv. ,IN' .i.lc! ElNt w our tauGll
an trade or start "a factory there. We did the lat
ter with good results We have increased tine
| same from three Ia four fold. Not a cent worth
Of the goods manufactured here exported
| They are all used in Canada aud the provinces
The question OF nickel did not enter into the prob.
lem at all As To wages, thos.. paid Their. do not
| differ materially from what We pay here"
ln regard To- the duty on nickel the letter goes
| 0u Co say that Not many years ago all the nick
cd which we used was imported from Europe at %
cost ~ from - 80 tu - pound When the nick.
| 81 mime owned lbs Mr. Joseph Wharton was dis
covered, the United states government, in order
| to induce HIM 20 work IL. pl iced on nickel duty
uf . cents per pound In lss3. under the Arthur
| administration, this was reduced To 10 cents
pound. and the cost uf nickel today is about Is
IHlIluI. which Is IL ,t
duty. We us. uu nickel IN It's primitive state. hut
il forms from lOto 81 per cent NJ all the German
and nickel silver which We use. ana for every
| pound We pay ~ cents more than II there was
| uu duly. When We contrast this small amount
with the price which nickel has been reduced hy
reason ~ the protective tariff, say s. cents 20
Sl.1s per pound. we arr perfectly satisfied t. let
| the duty remuin as 1t Is. II the removal Of the
| duty uu nickel would enable US to get nickel 90
| cents "A pound cheaper, II would make COMPARE
lively little difference n the cost to Us of our sill
vrr-plaJed goods. the principal element ui -,,st
being the amount which We pay Tor labor H. on
the other hand thu removal OF the duty should.
as q might result ia stopping the production OF
| nickel 10y Mr.. W hurtuu- the prtcr Of the article
would, We think. be- increased. as the few foreign
| producers could easily combine to enhance. IL
| We do not know how profitable the business b. 90
Mr. hartnu. but feel SURF that a tarlff which
viii cuaule him To- continue the business at q t4t
profit is for the advantage of the manufacturer.
the llD'itr and the consumer alike.
| we now export goods 10 almost every civilized
| country ou tho globe, wth one notable exception.
France. where the protective duty ON plated war.
/
| their markets. our principal points of export
arr Australia and South America and tli, priuci
pal c'ulI-tlt"r We have in thcss markets .uutsid.
VI 90" manufacturers M the United States b..
England, wuu. wing t. cheaper paid labor. D., rii.
ahlea tn sell goods very low. and We believe th,.
suc'r~~ We have attained Is almost wholly due 90
! the superiority boz the design and finish cot our
gppl~. which i- the direct result of the sharp COM.
| potion among the manufacturers uf the nif,.tl
| states. and Is directly tracraule to the prucIpl,
| ~ protection. bon which We all most thoroughly
believe We are much obliged a. Mr. Wheeler for
ms free advertisement, but arr sorry that he has
10 us"
The American Screw company replied
that the subsidy paid to Chamberlain was
prior TO the adoption of the 1861 tariff
and if IN that time they had such ii tariff
on wood screws he would not have had an
advantage over them. Continuing, their
letter says.
Tin screw business is one requiring the invest
! mrut ut large capital and intricate ma rhiuery.
and the value ui tine product is small that We
cannot turn our capital ufteurr than unc,. M two
years. All the Iron W consume is imported, and
uu'i"r the existing tariff pays q duty Of about ~
pr cent al Nalurrlu We arr advised that the
Mills OIL proposes 10 Increase this duty 10 ~ per
sent while very lucuusisteutly reducing the tariff
! ON screws o. q per cent al valOn.m For many
wears We have been threatened with this kind Of
legislation. ami anticipating it, effect bust
ut>s II adopted We some years since started a
branch establishment IN Canada 10 enable us in
caSt' oi Necessity 20 remove Our machinery from
Providence and manufacture IN Canada Tor this
market. The Canadian government has treated
us with fairness, recently imposing a duty on our
| product sufficient Ia give us fun benrht OF the
Canadian market and las removed all duty upon
cur iron. There L. not much difference in the cost
! on manufacture OF ,.p'NS IN the United State
ans Canada With the encouragement given our
! Canadian enterprise. the people thep now obtain
| screws OF much better quality than heretofore.
anu al lower prices than when imported. with all
the benefits pi home manufacture. on that side
Of The line We art prosperous but on this side We
have had "a nard struggle to hold our own
] 4 = . % uIfN rs
against Eu-lish manufacturers. as they can com.
lnnud an tHy market here they are not shut out
| 10y ID tarn
In furnishing this correspondence 70 the
press Mr.. Radcliffe significantly SAYS 1T
is not my purpose t. comment on the state
ment of Mr.. Wheeler and the replies made
10y the parties referred to they tell their
l own story