The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-11-06
The Tin-P.ats Industry.

Hon. S. B. Elkins addressed a Repub-
lican meeting in Wheeling on the e5d.
Much of it was devoted to the discussion
of the recent tariff bill, and especially !
that provision which increases the duty |
on tin plate. His remarks were so prac-
tical and timely on this point, that we
reproduce them for the edification OF
our readers. They will be found full OF
information and conclusive facts. as to
the wisdom of the law affecting this in
terest On this subject he said:
AT this session of Congress the Re
pnbicans put tin on the free list and
advanced the duty on tin plate, SO that
this industry NAV he established and
built up in the United States. What
We call tin plate is III AIDE largely of iron
No well-founded argument can he made
against the encouragement of This ia
dustry. We produce everything to make
tin-plate that England does except the
tin in quantities; then why should not we
admit tin free and manufacture the tin
plate for our own people, To-day the
United States consumes more tin plate
than all the rest of the world. In the
last twenty five years we have bought
directly for manufacturing purposes four
million tons or eight billion pounds. OF
tin plate. for which there has been paid,
outside of duty and freight, over three
millions of dollars when it could have
been made in this country. three hun
draI million Inltars SaCaJ ami ri "
five thousand people given employment,
whose annual wages would have been
twenty-four million dollars We con
sumed last year three hundred tons of
tin-plate, on which we paid duty Of
about seven million dollars.
1.-The United States now pays thirty
three million dollars year for tin plate.
If we could manufacture two hundred
and fifty Thousand tons of tin plate, it is
estimated we would consume in doing so
about eight hundred and fifty thousand
tons of iron ore, three hundred thousand
tons of limestone, one million five hun
dred thousand tons of coal and coke,
three hundred Thousand tons of pig iron.
five million pounds of lead, twenty-five
million pounds of suiphurc acid, eleven
million feet of lumber. and twenty five
million pounds of tin. Every article
named, except tin and lead, can be pro
duced in West Virginia. The number
of people necessarily employed in all the
operations of tin plate making, and
those dependent upon them, would
amount TO three hundred thousand.
These three hundred thousand people,
allowing they consume only twenty-five
cents a day, (which is too low All esti-
mate.) would make their consumption
for food, clothing and shelter amount to
twenty eight million dollars per year.
In 1874 and 5 attempts were made 10
establish the tin plate industry in this
country, but the English producers. un-
der trust. reduced the price from 81
to 81 so box, SO as to crush out the in
dustry here, and they succeeded The
establishment OF this industry in the
United States will not only provide labor
for wage earners, but will largely in
crease the consumption of raw materials
and farm products. by creating a larger
demand for the same, and in the enc
thus benefit the whole country. Once
established, the price OF tin plate. though
1t may be high at first like steel rails
wire nails, bar iron and many other pro
tected products, under home competi
ton will be gradually reduced until i
can be bought cheaper than the pric
we now pay England.