New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-01
THE TIN PLATE INDUSTRY.
YREETRADERs INFORMED THAT PROTECTION
DOES NOT DEPEND on SINGLE IN
DUsTRY FOR ITS ARGUMENTS.

Sir: "The New-York Evening POST OF May IN
denies my recent assertion In The Tribune that the
tn-platng industry called INTO being by te " NC
Knley bl' is likely to prove success Other free
trade journals are also predicting and anxiousy avail
Ing the demise Of this newborn offspring OF the pro-
tectve policy Their hopes appear TO be based upon
the fact that by some sort OF combined action the
Welsh tin-plating monopoly will be able to crush the
American enterprise In Its cradle Notwithstanding the
that about twothirds of the entire product Of the
English factories is exported to the United States and
that this country tin plate than all the
rest Of the world 1t is estimated that the full develop
ment Of the n-plang industry in this country would
give employment to about 80 900 American worfmen,
and afford a market for about 100000 tons OF Ameri-
can iron and the necessary quantity OF American coal
which would be consumed in those industries, and
yield S15,00O000 annually in wages to American
laborers.
From the time when independence was achieved
British manufacturers have combined TO reduce prices,
in some instances sacrificing hundreds OF thousands
and millions Of pounds sterling In order TO break
down American industries In their infancy; and tne
trade leaders OF the United States have thrown up
their hats in JOY at the occurrence OF such disaster
British Parliamentary reports also have commented
upon such results with appreciation as evidences OF
the superiority of British enterprise.
II the American tn-platlng infant is stricken down
by such means its little green grave VIII De more
eloquent in 1902 than its survival.
II is evident however that The Evening POST and
It's coadutors have Interior object In view In this
controversy viz to make it appear that the Republ-
can position on the tariff question stands or falls with
the tin plating industry, thus evading the whole ISSUE
That cannot be done. The Republican party stands
or all that protection has done, for all that 1t Is anT
for ali il implies and that line proposes 10 go into
action. Relatively the tinpating industry Is very
small one One hundred pounds of American tin plate
consists Of about ninety pounds OF American
80 md thraa
tin imported free OF duty The tinpate protection is
simply upon the process of coating the iron or steel
with the molten tin.
The struggle to whi FreeTrade Democracy Of
this country is summoned in the coming Presidential
struggle Is not with infants, but with the giant
progeny of protection and their related Interests The
freetrade forces must make this fight or surrender at
discretion.
Consider our magnificent iron industry, which In
creased its annual product from 731544 tons in 1851
TO 10 307 025 in 1890. In 1882 produced Just hall
as much iron Great Britain, but steadily gaming on
her. in 1890 to the front as the greatest IRON
producing nation on the globe. In the way we are
now proceeding we shall be able TO supply the world
with iron in 1900 If the Free Traders OF the United
States want fair and open fight, let them tackle this
gigantic son of protection and stop trying TO torment
our infant industries The woollen Industry inc cou
ton industry and a hundred other stalwart SOUS VI
protection also challenge the forces Oh Tree tde 10
Development
the paty of protection has proceeded in the course Oh
ra.r~o won nust have babies il you would have men.
The total value of the products of American manu-
facture under inadequate protection amounted 10
81 ss5 SOL $40 IN 1860 and $5,369o19,l9l IN looo-
The census WILL in all probability, show II TO DC lS
a. 600 900 900 in 1890 under adequate protection III
n word the Republican party under protective pohcy
during the space of thirty years carried TO succes
conclusion war for the preservation OF the Ohioh'
National credit and increased the National industry ana
tho National wealth to four times their magnitude ID
1ee1 under free trade and inadequate protection curing
the preceding 100 years
But as the coming political struggle hopeluiiy ID "
he educational allow to submit to all studous free
traders the following inquiries which shall NUMBER
and reauest that all such persons will paste them LII tc
ton of their hats as to be available ror iehe00
Thought during the next seventeen months:
No Assuming that, as Mr. Cleveland ana Gil
tber free trade apostles say the duty on any foreign
imnort increases the price OF the American prouu
If like kind by that amount then the MchiilieS 1
duty Of Is cents bushel corn puts over qooo00o
600 into the pockets Of American farmers each ye'
rnon the basis of the product of 1889, VIZ, 2'Zo'-
600 bushels BY similar computation the uutles vi q"
products Of agriculture will put over Sooooooooo u
rraIlv into the pockets of American farmers. IL any
rrea Trader objects to this mode OF stathg te roSul'
If his doctrine, will he be so klnd as 10 inioi" IN
Aroadcan peope lust where that doctrine Desnis alu
where ii ends, and why . ,
No. o Free Traders say that we can't export ull',
,va irnort But during the last ten years tne value
y. 80 ,nor,s N free-trade Great Britain have been
100 nor cent greater than the value OF our imports
from that country and have yielded oaian'e VI
So 2s6 900 900 in our favor ,
No. 3. They say protection depresSes loioish 'O"l
merce Let us see about that unuer uie me. pr ~
tective tariff which has ever been a"oPue" W ~
fOnn
lightened Nation increased our lhpor's 'o .-
$3.50 600 600 in 1861 TO 100000 in $780, ana our
to+aI toreqr commerce from sos 664OOo Ill leol 10
a. ea7 40 Oo3 in 1890 The increase durlng Ih th
wears of adequate protection was more go S 49, NJ in
adeonate nrotecton and free trade ileaSe 10 he
Mr. Free Trader, that there IS VIZ tarid-in
rectcs 4 Is much wider than between free trade anu
prohibitory tarn. 49,. ,,,oc+,on K detrimental to
o,tnre Of Ms see about that our total cef ne5
product increased from 932 oo0ooo vaIne of our
" product other than cotton, IN loDo
was three times its value In 1850 buo h lea ne 10
markets Porroons Increase so that our exports
of products Of agriculture OF $40 const
amounting in value to ceDt Of our total product
In word the developed home market, na ;cn nit
suit Of protection TOOK three mlS demand in this
Country Is growing faster than PRODUCTION ht tariff
40, NO; nnt the Republican party has done great
deal in the direction Of tarif reform; ~ In order
record The various war ,ai and 10 preserve its
credit reduced the free list 10 Sl5141 6l5' or bt
per cent Of the total value Of our imports IN Measures
The free list to 1906 102 77s or "a per Gem
Of the total value Of imports IN cd dsET of all in
creased the free list from "a per cent 70 aDos
per cent of the total vaue OF our imports. V coee
Tariff makes cocoa. farina. sago, tapoca, ur"' tbe
and sugar free and gives every poor mnl 81 t r
Country free breakfast table 1t gives IS La and
tre fertilizers free animals for breeding %
frec grass seeds II gives all the people Tree I'LL 10
and hundreds OF other articles the free ~ b
Which does not interfere with the Development VI ho
What has the Free Trade party 10 oher the cOnire
In tbe dreci0n of tariff reform worthy 20 pe 80
With This careful adjustment OF our ta.in i""s :"
tonaI wants and National experiences .,.o ,,.c,4
In considering these grand results anu ILL., ,srelv
orestons which confront us. how small con w. rs
does the infant tn-plae industry apper; b,"b has
aDtor,ng upon the greatest tariff DEBATE Will Ia
er cnmmanded the attention Of the American peuPoi
To The Evening Post" and all other tve t harosc
desire to say-pease to address retio: yo"i'0''''