The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-26
KILLING AN INDUSTRY.
One Very Striking Instance OF the
Benefit OF the Mckinley
Tariff
An Important Industry Being
Driven Out Of the Coun-
try by 1t.
The A m erican Screw Company Preparing
to Move to Leeds Occupation OF
Many Workmen Gone.

PROVIDENCE, Nav rs. - The Mckinley
tariff as a 'benefit" to American industry
is receiving striking example in the re-
moval of part of part of the extensive
plant or the American Screw company to
England and its projected further cstab-
lishment in Germany. The 30 per cent
drawback clause of the Mckinley bill
which is cited by the protectionist orators
rs comforting all the benefits of practical
free trade upon our industries has been
found to have very different result in
operation and even those officers of the
screw company who will net admit that
tariff legislation has had anything to do
with the present change are loud in their
denunciation of the tangle of rules and af-
fidavits with which the drawback measure
is burdeped and which are 80 numerous and
80 difficult to comply with as to make it
almost impossible for the manufacturer to
avail himself of it.
The American Screw company is over fifty
years old and practically controls the screw
business OF this country. Itsgreatest period
of prosperity was the decade from 1860 to
1870, when it's stock. now offered at PA. was
held at 600 to 700. 1t bought up patent
matte screw making machinery. practically
tho same rights which gave Joseph Cham
berlain's concern the control of the British
market and, owing to the advantage of free
raw material, enabled the English firm to
extort tribute from the American makers in
turn for keeping their hands off this mar
ket. A number of smaller concerns have
been absorbed by the American Screw COM
pany besides which extensive mills in two
sections of this city, has factory in Ham
ilton, Ontario, to supply the Dominion
market.
President Angel, of the Screw company,
says the principal reason for the English
venture at Leeds is the utter worthlessness
OF the drawback clause of the Mckinley
bill. In order to take advantage of the
drawback on goods made or imported raw
material on which duty has been paid. the
manufacture er must make sworn declara-
tion, stating the grade or quality of ma
terial--iron i'll this instance-and the name
of the steamer in which the material was
imported together with the date of i'm
portation. The signature of tine captain or
mate of the vessel III which the goods are
exported and the foreign consignee are also
necessary before the documents can be
taken to Washington and put i'll the cours,
of passage through the proper channel.
SIN our case" said MIR. Angel, "all this
is practically impossible, because we use
imported raw material from different
foreign countries, and to keep track of all
the different kinds, with the dates and
places, would involve endless work and
trouble. All the goods the company will
make abroad and all now made in Canada
could be made in Rhode Island better and
cheaper if il we're not for the fiscal policy
of the government. Wages are higher than
in England, but under the Ame lean system
each mechanic does more work."
The assistant superintendent of the COM
pany is now upon the ocean with plans for
the Leeds establishment. which will
be built at once The fac
tory buildings will cover an acre and
n half of ground, and will be oper-
ated on the American system, with men
sent out from this city as heads of depart
ments and English factory help. Most of
the screw-cuttino machinery in the Eddy
street mills of the company have been idle
for weeks, the mills making wire nails,
coach sc ews and the rougher class of work.
The cutting machinery from this mill will
be sent to Leeds and the English mill will
have capacity of about 1900 gross of
screws a day.
1t is also proposed to establish factory
in Germany, and sites at Berlin. Hamburg
and other cities have been considered. but
nothing has been decided upon in regard to
this enterprise.