Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-11
MASON'S VAGARlES.
Juggling With the Truth in order
to Deceive His Hearers.
The Facts Regarding Tin fiates ir-
respective of the Nonsense Of High
Taxer--rinkering with the Tarift
IN This as In Other Things

that if il does that the workmen will be
glad 10 pay it or more under the circum-
stances, for year or Two until this
American industry gets started when
everybody will become suddenly rich and
happy under it. According to this it will
take but year or two to put this tin
plate industry on its feet. What is the
peculiar difference between 1t and the
other infant" industries that have been
running in this country for the past thirty
years. at least, and are still in such
puny. struggling condition that they can
not stand alone and are continually hold,
ing out the hand of charity to the govern
ment for aidr And suppOsing it should
prove vastly different from other in
dustries and employ the large nuns
Der of men It is said it would,
what better off will be the American la
borerS Will not the cheap labor of Wales
or other countries flock in here and do the
work? 1t is the same in nearly oil the
great American industries. There is
much 6loquence expended upon protec-
ton to the American lsborer while the
fact is he gets no protection at all.
The factory owners and the mine owners
and the owners of nearly everything else
employ the men they can get the cheap
est and the American laborer is not con-
suited about it either, whether he lives or
stsrves.
The Union and the MasOns and the
general horde of high takers make little
Of the fact that an additional one huns
dred and twenty per cent of a tax on tin
is not much after all. They point to the
one and three-qusrter cents on each din
ner pail and say that is all the add
tlonal amount you have to paw and
certainly that IS not enough to make
cry about. True. cent aud three-quar>
tiers would not make much difference in
buying farm, but it makes considerable
difference in buying postage stamp, and
tin pals are not the only things used in
this country made of that article. 1t is
by such contemplate methods that dust
is is intended to be thrown into the eyes
OF the people who may not for the mo-
ment contemplate the general result
But, regarding TIN plates. upon which
the old tax was one cent a pound. and
the new tax two and fifth cents a pound
it is q tax, mind you, as well as a tariff
Mr.. r. b. Davis. of New York, a par
ticulsrly wel-inf5rmed importer and gen
eral dealer in tin pilates, says
THE TIN PLATE TRADE
The tariff question involves such an
enormous variety of individual and bust
ness interests that are woven and inter-
woven into every industry in such com
pick forms that no one mind can in
lifetime master more than fraction of
it. For this reason the righteousness of
400 busy party politicians attempting to
settle satisfactorily and intelligertly a
matter OF such grave importance to 80.
OOO.OOO OF people is apparent
For this reason congress should never
attempt to handle it en- masse, but make
such changes each session as the cond-
tons then existing require. Then the
changes should be intelligently made,
without putting the entire business IN
terests of the country into q state OF
chaos and uncertainty as to the final re-
suit.
l..
as 1t does not protect the people against
this political evil, Should such course
be adopted. no doubt congress would be
kept busy for few yesrs taking the
kinks out OF the present Mckinley bill.
Had the writers Of the constitution an
ticipated that the Fifty-frst congress
would make use OF tariff changes to nav
political obligations, no doubt we would
have been spared the discomfort and un
settled conditions that have existed the
past two years. Protection is good
when 1t protects the interests of the
masses. but when 1t levies tax of S75.-
OOO.C0 to 800, 900. 900 to start an un-
tried industry that at best cant extend
beyond dozen corpor Itions, and even
doubtful If it starts at all there must be
something wrong IN cOngressmen's un-
derstanding of political economy.
Such is the condition with the much.
argued tin-plste industry. If congress
really wanted to make American tin
plates, instead of increasing the profits
OF galvanized iron shingle and galvanized
roohng iron, which the cheapness of tin
plate has prevented from paying over 30
per cent dividends, it would have solved
The problem for the interests of the peo-
Pile, and insured the success of American
lin plate.
We must cODcede that the money col
ected for revenue belongs to the people.
it is taken from them to
conduct the business of the country. Con-
eress IS IN part the business head of this
great corporation, and the people expect
II TO conduct its business on business
principles. 1t orders the employment of
Iabor, the purchasing of goods, the man
ufactnring OF goods; in fact, the govern
ment is business institution the same "a
any corporation, with this distinction.
that instead of paving cash dividends ON
the money paid in the government com
pensates by giving individual protection
10 life and property.
The people wish to unite the tin OF the
Black Hills with the iron in the Allegha-
MES, and ask congress to solve the prob
lem. See how it does it. 1t goes to some
odd friends who understand uniting lead
and iron for roofing material and asks
them TO start the enterprise. These gen.
tlemen generously offer TO try it if con-
gress will charge the people SIS. 900 900
a year instead Of 81. 900, 900 year for the
Tin plates they now must take from Eng
land In payment for wheat, corn. etc
The senate branch OF congress modj6es
he matter by putting seven year limit.
,qual to $75. 600. 600. that the people must |
De assessed-for what? For a mere
promise from these "old friends" that If |
here is really tin in the Black Hills, they |
Will make tin plates. This is all congress |
las To show for this tax OF $75 DOC. 900. |
10 be sure 1t has seen what purported |
% be companies formed and money paid |
10 10 start several plants for this enter
PRISE but which in fact were plants TO |
extend the galvanized single and roofing
business, which promises greater profits
NOW had congress not enjoyed the ac-
1uslntence OF those "old friends" and had
"A interest in the peoples welfare. it
"ouid nave seen at glance that we could