Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-04-24

A LOCALIZED Robbery OF n Great
Local Industry.

q
That provision OF the Mckinley Tariff
bill increasing the duty on tin. plates over
900 per cent has stirred up an pmount of
opposition TO that laundering measure thar
Its trainers prohably little thought OF when
they recommended the Increase In ohedi-
ence to the demands OF the tin-plate trust.
Not only are tho thousands of mauufac-
tuners uaing tin-plare IN their business ar
rayei agni the bill, but 1t has aroused
the anger OF the hundreds Of thousands OF
farmers and working people who are de-
pendent upon the canning trade for q
living. Altogether 1t is estimated that It
affects ininriously not less than 75O, eco per-
sous.
The vast extent Of the canning trade OF
the United States can only be appreciated
after careful study OF the figures showing
its magnitude. OF the total annual impor-
tations OF plate 1t is estimated that ono.
third, or 200 900 900 pounds, is made into
OO,O00,O O0 cans for preserving food prod
ucts. These canned goods have been
brought 10 an astonishing degree of cheap
ness, and now furnish no small part OF the
food of both rich and poor, To the cost Of
every ono OF those 600000,000 cans the
Mckinley bill, II passed. will add half Il
cent or little over, or total OF something
more than $3,000.00D. This must come out
OF the consumers, and this extorticn Is to
be practleed for the benefit OF few Pitts.
burg manufacturers.
seAE SAMPLE FIGURES.
The little town OF Salon, In South Jersey,
makes 5,C0O,0O cans year, aad Salem
county turns out II 900, goo. 1t estimated
that In that county go farmers are engaged
10 growing and delivering tho products.
chiefly tomatoes, put up In these cans, and
that $500 persons are dependent, In whole
or In part, on this industry. Ia Hartford
county, Md, So 900, 900 cans are packed u
year, aud % 900 acres are cultivated to sup
ply the demand OF the 500 canueries In the
county, employing 40 hands. These
figures would apply equally well to other
| counties OF Nav Jersey and Maryland,
and to Delaware and several other states
In which the industry is Of the ntst i'm.
| portauee.
No country can compete with the United
| States In producing canned goods. Feanee
has tried II, but with Ind Gerent success
| American canned goods are to ba found Ia
| every corner of the world, aud the trade Is
| constantly growing. Tho Mckinley Tariff
bill proposes to put CHECK on this grea'
business by increasing the cost Of the tiI
cans, and consequently Of the goods, anc
thereby decreasing the demand for these
distiactively American products.
OPPOSED TO AN INCREASE.
The Gamers. the farmers and all other!
engaged IN this great Industry are therefor,
| up III arms against tho bill Their view
are reflected by many merch ants In THU
city who handle thsir goods. Speaking o
the bill, s, b. Kneff. OF u. x. Kaetf 81 Co.
Delaware avenue below Chestnut street
who handle the product Of Starr & Bros,
OF Salem, N. j.. the biggest Gamers OF to
matoes In the United States, said:
"Phe effect OF tho bill will simply bs Il
increase the cost OF clnued goods anC
thereby decrease tho consumption OF them
Canned tomatoes, such rs we handle, arr
consumed principally among laborinl
people, who will have TO pay more for then
or do without them II the bill passes. VIVA
nonsense it is to put tax on an tndustr.
such as this for the sake of an Their tina
does not exist here. Tin-pate should no
be taxed at all, but should be put on tn
free list. voted for Harrison In 1888, but
like many thousand other Republicans.
feel sorry for 1t now"
At the Office OF the West Jersey Packing
Company, No. 23 South Front street, who's
factory IL at Bridgeton, N. j., 1t was said b
n representative of the company that tn
bill would make the tin IN every doze
cans cost 6 to cents more than 1t MOI
does. This would make a case OF tomatoes
peaches, pears, strawberries and othe
canned goods cost from IL to IA cents NOR
than the present price. This is differ
ence that ts certain 10 be felt by many con
sumers.
s. H Levin's sons Of Delaware avsnu
and Race street, who have q canning fac
tory at Lelpslc, Del, whore they put u
peaches aid tomatoes, expressed their op
position o an increased duty on tin plat
for the same reasons as the others. The
use 1000 boxes of tin n year, and the ad
vance OF duty on this will be S6,45O, whic
IL tle end will have to come out OF tn
consumers pockets.
Comley & Flaneygn of No AZ Snut
Front street, who act as agents for y larR
number OF packers, are opposed to an
Increase nj duty on tin plate, holding tn
II will Eff3et the canned goods trad VI
favorably, and this view is held by MATTHEW
Ssmpla Co., III. Fl. barrow & Co., j.
Iost d Co., q. Z. Poole Il Co., and man
other firms of this city Interested In tn
trade; the Anderson Preserving Compan
aud Joseph Campbell Il Co. OF Camden
with ali tue Gamers OF South Jersey.
IN THE LARD TRADE.
One OF tho largest users OF tin. plates |
this city Is the firm of George O. Naphsy ,
Son OF No. $40 SpEuso street, dealers
lard. They pack lnis IL Tia paIls, anu the
output reaches 800. 900 packages II montt
1.-The increase OF duty on tia.plate," cal
Edward O. Nsphey yesterday, will ad
from ons.eighth 10 oGe.hslf Of csnt {
the cost on every package Of lard. II W
ralse the prias Of the article acoordingl
the result will probably bn that many Gu
toners will object aad prefer to take III
lard without the pals. That Wouli affe
the peopo who make the pals, ana thro
soEe out of work. rhs bill Is biz; mi
take, and ought NOT 10 be passed. IGstes
! OF increasing the duty on tiD.plate 1t ougl
70 be put on the free list. l have alHal
been Republican, bnt must say that
am growlrgvor tired OF this sort ofthing