Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-12-30
A Word More About Tin.Plate.

'"o'A A""'S", WYNN NO "uuitioual
consumers of farm products :"
For two reasons: First, Mr.. Ladd'
letter related solely to the cutting of
of part of the farmers foreign mark
ct by the exclusion of an article fol
which his surplus crops have hereto
fore been exchanged, and l could no,
in the reasonable limits of a repl,
follow all the phases of the tin.plat,
tariff. Second, because it is very fal
from true that it would give employ
ment to anything like $4,000 work
men to make the tin-plate required
by the people of the United States.
l know that such wild and OK
aggerated statements were made il
both houses of Congress by mer
whose duty it was TO deal candidly
with the people-that my correspond
ent may we'll be excused for takins
even so moderate figure as $4,000.
But in truth about 10000 hands
of whom very large proportion arc
women and children, make all the
tin-plate used in the world. Les.
than two-thirds of that number would
be required to make all the tin-platt
we consume, and Major Mckinley
himself, after many exaggerated
statements, finally put the number al
$4,000.
Now, let us see what is the mean
ing of the claim of this writer and OF
Major Mckinley that an American
tin.plate industry is to make work"
for our home labor.
At the lowest calculation the in.
creased duty on tin-plate will osmpel
the American users Of articles made
of that material to pay $40, ZOO, 900 a
year more for such articles than they
would have to pay were there no duty
on it, and this whether we use i'm.
ported or homemade tin-plate.
But if we are supplied with home
made plate we shall, says my cor.
respondent. make work for $4,000
workingmen." Nothing Of the kind,
We shall merely have transferred ten
or twenty thousand laborers from
employments in which they were Sup.
porting themselves into an employ.
ment whsre it costs the people $780,.
100000 to support them.
And that is the least cost of the
transfer. We cut off market for
$25,000,000 worth of farm products,
keeping those products at home upon
an already Glutted market, to the loss
of the farmer, with distress and loss
Of employment to his lahorers.
Furthermore, by Increasing the
first cost of a common material of in.
dustry we have lessened the consump-
ton of articles made from that ma
terial all over the country and robbed
other labor Of employment.
Take the canning industry alone.
1t is not only o great and growing
employer Of labor, it is the sole profit
able outlet for many farm and dairy
products. In the State of Maryland
alone, it is said by those who know,
10000 people find employment in the
canning trade and its supporting in
dustries. When Congress adds 2 is
cents pound. swollen by the profits
of all the middlemen, to the cost of
tho material out Of which wrappers
for all this canned food is made, il
strikes heavy blow at a great and
growing industry. 1t increases sensi-
bly, the cost to consumers of the
products Of that industry, lessons the
sale OF those products. and in so doing
narrows the field Of employment for
labor both in that and its many aux.
iliary industries.
Surprising, then, the tin-plats in
dustry established in this country, and
all our demands, what has
It cost us to compensate few capital
lists for undertaking and carrying on
an Improbable business
First, tax on the people Of twenty
millions a year of articles Of common
and necessary use secondly, q rob-
berry of the already distressed farmer
Of a reliable market for twenty-five
million dollars worth of his surplus
products lastly, the throwing out Of
employment, or the taking away Of
the chance Of employment, Of thous-
ands Of laborers on the farm and in
The shop, and in the scores Of connect
ed industries.
And what have we bought at this
cost Two things only.
lily paid and, to some extent, I'M
healthy employment for few thous-
and men, women, boys and girls-
not enough with all their families to