Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-03-31
THE TARIFF ON TIN.
COW THE PROPOSITION TO INCREASE IT is RE-
CARRIED IN WHEELING.
| It Is Generally Conceded that the Mckinley Blu
Would Increase the Cost 70 Consumer
Various Shades Of Opinion.


in the Mckinley tariff bill. proposing to
about double the import duty on tin
plate, by adding one cent a pound to the
present tax, which would make the tax
on duty . l. cents per pound, the REG
ISrER has interviewed a number OF lead
ing tin manufacturers Of the city. a
summary Of their views will be found
below
Mr.. W. 4. List. an extensive manu-
facturer of roofing, in tin and iron, was
asked as to his opinion of the proposed
tin schedule.
Il hardly know what to think OF it,
was the reply. Il have given the mat
ter great deal of thought. and am not
quite convinced, as yet, as TO the merits
of the measure. At our late meeting In
Cincinnati the matter was up Tor dis
cuSSion. and there was quite differ
encc Of opinion as to whether the IN
creased duty would be beneficial. For
myself. can hardly see of what avail
il will Dee To increase the cost OF TIN
plate-which OF necessity means an IN
creased cost 10 the cOnSumer-ln an ef-
fort To benefit a few manufacturers. 1t
would certainly bee at the risk of cutting
of the consumption. Pending the Gre
alton OF tin plate industry In this
country. there would be an increase OF
one cent per pound upon every pound
of plate manufactured, and possibly
manufacturers might be reluctant to en-
ter upon the production Of tin. or the
production might be limited, and the
price be governed largely
by importationS. after all.
The increase made by the
duty would be especially hard upon the
canning industry and upon roofers-and
the consumers would have To make II
up. Before they would do that, in the
particular OF roofing. the builder might
turn hiSattcntion to slate, As being cheap
er. Really. hardly think that Amer
lean manufacturers now speak OF
sheet millS-would care TO go into the
of thin sheets for tin plate.
There is good deal of trouble and
risk connected with the rolling OF such
plates. The sheet mills Ia America are
now very prosperous. and / believe they
are contcntcd. The price OF tin, as at
present existing. is also satisfactory all
around. When you weigh the probable
profit To sheet iron and sheet steel
and workmen against
the Increase i'm the price OF tin-platc To
the manufacturer, and thence 10 the .
consumer. pending the possible decrease
In price through domestic manufacture. f.
one is little at Il loss To see the prac-
teal benefit"
Mr. c. +. Stifel said:
Il think the proposition TO about /
double the duty on tin-platc is a great /
piece Of foOliShneSS There is little /
enough money in the business at pres /
emit. and an additional tariff tax would /
only be that much more of burden. /
The increase would come most heavily /
ln the manufacturers of roofing. rs far .
rs this city iS-concerncd, for l suppose
there is ten times as much plate used /
for roofing purposes. here, as bright /
tin. for the manufacture OF utensils. /
The duty ON both sorts OF plate, as ! I'M /
icrStand il. would be the same. The /
timers business. and when | use that /
term refer 10 the manufacture OF utcn- /
SilS-picce goOdS-iS nothing like what /
IL used 10 be-. and there is little money in /
the trade. / think il is useless for
American manufacturers to attempt to /
compete with foreign manufacturers Of
tin plate mainly because OF the great /
difference i'm labor.
At the Lantern Factory President \. /
W PAUL said:
The Mckinley bill is nothing else /
than robbery. first OF the manufacturer, /
and secondly Of the consumer. In our
business IL would increase our expenses
81 900 or -, 900 a year through buying
tin at the increased cost. The thing is
"a job. and was entirely uncalled for. 1t
would increase the cost Of our goods
about twenty-five per cent. and we
would have to make that up, OF course,
from the consumers purchasing our
goods.
The Nail City Lantern concern is one
of the big industries i'm this section and
its product goes everywhere. The in
crease in the cost OF its output would
diminish the demand.
Mr.. Thomas W. NeSbitt, Of the firm
of NcSbitt * Bro, said
Il think the passage of the Mckm-
Icy bill would ultimately be Il good
thing for the timers, through starting
up new industry here, and the conSc-
quent reduction in the price Of plate.
OF course up TO the time the domestic
OF tin plate was com
menced, there would be an increase in
the cost Of plate, which would ultimate
IN come off the consumer. | think the
increase would be about ten per cent,
both on miscellaneous articles OF manu-
facture and ON iron roofing. II would only
be few years until tin would be made
in America, and perhaps right here In
Wheeling. was talking with manu-
tacturer short time ago, and gathered
that he was only waiting for an oppor-
tunity 10 engage in the production OF
tin plate. We have to nurse these
things along at first until they can take
care Of themselves We are now indie
pendent in the matter Of steel rails and
are practically independent in pig iron.
We ought 10 be in tin. think free pig
tin would transfer numbered the Eng
fish manufacturers to this country, for
America consumes more tin than any
other nation in the world. This is the
leading market
Mr.. Henry Jones, Of the firm Of Jones
Bros. Said:-
Il haven't thought much about the
matter, FOR ! don't believe the bill will
pass. As understand il, the increased
duty proposed by the Mckinley bill
would increase the price OF plate about
Sl.e5 q box Of 100 pouudS-in other
words, il would put up a - box to
Sl0.25. That makes material differ
encc. of course. and the consumer would
have to bear it until the domestic man
ufacturc OF tin plate would commence.
The advance would bo equal on all
weights and kinds OF tin, including roof
ing. There is five tons OF roofing tin
used i'm this city TO one OF bright, and
the increase would come heaviest In
that Quarter-or would be more widely
felt. believe the passage OF the bill,
however. would ultimately bring about
reduction I'm prices"
Mr. b. +. Caldwell said;-
IL believe the bill will be good
thing. as il will result in the domestic
manufacture OF tin plate, and that will
mean Il reduction in the price. II l
would consult my immediate business
necessities aud was disposed to be sell
FISH, would probably be opposed TO the
bill. as it would result in an increase in
the price for a time, or until the domeS-
tic manufacture could Dee begun, and
would reduce manufacturers profits to
that extent. but the difference upon any
article would be very small The bene-