Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-10
Capitalists See No Other Way to
Engage in the Manufacture of
Tin Plate in This Country.
NOW AT WORK WITH CONGRESSMEN
Endeayoring to Secure More Advantages
Thsn They Would Have Were the
Mckinley Bill Law.
TREY FEAR TIE ENGLISH COMPETITION
That Night Inundate the States With the Product on
Passage Of the Act.

It transpired yesterday that there are GER
tain capitalists who do not think the pro-
posed duty of 2.20 cents on tin plate will be
suficientto to encourage mill owners to engage
in the manufacture OF that commodity.
They argue that no manufacturer would
embark in the business on the chance OF
Gaming the problematical profit which that
duty would allow him in competition with
the foreign product, and they hold that the
only way to promote the tinplate industry
in this country is by the Government subsi-
dIzing the plants which engage in it until,
by experience, the manufacturers have
learned how to produce plate so cheaply as
TO pnderbid the foreign market.
The men holding this view argue along
the line that Englishmen would-on the
passing of the tariff bill-unload a vast
stock into this market, and subsequently Gu,
prices so as to prevent and discourage manu-
facturers from engaging in the business.
This policy would, it is claimed, result in
nullifying the effects of protective tariff,
because there would be no tin plate made in
this country to protect
WHAT Is PROPOSED.
The proposal of these capitalists is to in
duce Government to subsidize mill owners
that undertake the manufacture of tinp late,
until, having familiarized themselves with
the process and got into fair working order,
they would be able to compete with the
foreign article. For there are those that
hold that, with the ingenuity so readily de-
veloped by the American mechanic. means
would in very short time be devised for
reducing the cost of manufacture by aid of
machinery for operations now performed by
hand, which would place the American
manufacturer in position to compete with
his English rival, tariff or not.
1t is argued that the mere duty on the
imported article will not be sufficient to
cherish an industry which is held to be one
of the most important in the country, and
that to properly develop the young plant it
must be assisted in its growth from the be-
ginning. 1t is also argued that, looking at
the millions by which the country would
benefit by making its own tinplate, the in
dustry may as fairly claim to be encouraged
as the building of a marine, the manufac-
ture of sugar or the carrying of mails under
the American flag. To this end the Gov
ernment is looked to for aid, and it is said
that the Congressman in both branches al
ready approached have given the promoters
very assuring encouragement.
MR.. MEYRAN'S VIEWS.
The foregoing facts were developed in an
interview yesterday with Mr.. Charles Mey-
ran, President of the Germania Bank, and
also President of the Cannonsburg Iron and
Steel Company, who returned within the
last day or two from New York and WASH
ington, where he had conversations with the
Eastern men. While refraining from men,
tioning names. Mr., Meyrsn said that the
men promoting the subsidy scheme included
some of the best known Eastern iron and
steel manufacturers, brokers and jobbers.
He said that he was unaware of any Pitts
burg men being interested in it, and. out
side of himself, he did not know that any
Pittsburger had been approached.
"The proposition to suosidize any branch
of trade" said Mr.. Meyran, seems rather
preposterous, but there are conditions at
tached to the tinplate industry which puts
it out of comparison with other industries,
and requires for it something exceptional in
the way OF protection. i do not think that
any manufacturer in this country would
protection Of the proposed tariff. The
moment it would gointo operation, English
men would begin to food this country with
tinplates, and send in such a supply as
would sufice for probably a years trade
Following this they would cut prices so as
to undersell any home made plate that
might be ready for market, hoping to dis
courage the makers from pursuing the
trade.
But supposing," continued Mr. Meyran,
"thst some manufacturers were adveutur-
Gus enough 10 begin the manufacture of the
article; under what conditions would they
work? They would have to RELY, at first,
on foreign help of inferior worth, for En-
glishmen would hardly allow their good
men to leave; and they would be dependent
on such outside assistance until they had
trained American mechanics to the work.
In short, while the American was learning
how to make plates of equal quality with
his, the English manufacturer would con-
tinue his hold on the market, and would
only let 90 when, after several years, the
American manufacturer began to turn out
plates as good and as cheaply as his.
DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.
"The opinion among iron men with whom
have conversed is that the Mckinley bill
does not go far enough and put such duty
on tinplate as would make it impossible for
Englishmen to undereut the market. The
proposed duty protects but it protects what?
Not an industry already well established,
but one that yet has to be built up in this
country. If the industry were now in full
swing, grant you the duty would be sufi-
cient, but it does not suffice to protect to the
degree of encouraging men to embark capi-
tai in business the profits from which
would be very problematical.
Speaking for myself, 1 will say that my
company will not undertake to 60 into the
business, being rather inclined to let others
lead the way and test the results of the pro-
tecting influence of the tariff. And this il
the opinion of many have spoken with on
the subject.
"When recently In Washington, there
were there at the tine a number of we'll
known iron men from the East who were
interesting Senators and Representatives in
a proposal TO subsidize the manufacture Of
tinplate until it obtained a thorough foot
hold. They argued that the proposed duty
would prove nullity unless manufacturers
were given some guarantee that the capital
they invested in the business was not lost in
q iruitless attempt to compete with war
ring English competition. This guarantee
would be best afforded by the Government
undertaking to pay a premium on the out
put until, by experience In the manufac-
ture, mill owners could hold their own with
their foreign rivals. The promoters met
with much success, and received encourag-
ing assurance from the Congressman they
saw.
Regarding Senator Spooner's amend
ment" continued Mr.. Meyran, sit looks to
me like q free trade dodge. 1t would be
quite impossible for the manufacture Of the