The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-10-15
Tinl TIM American TIM


E. 6. Edwards, son of Daniel Ed
wards, the largest individual tln-plate
manufacturer in Wales, waa at the La
fayette last night, says the Philadelphia
Press In speaking OF the effect of the
Mckinley bill on the old Welsh and the
new American tin plate industry, Mr.
Edwards candidly admitted that he
could not help but see that the Ameri-
can manufactures are bound to make
the industry go.
AS rule the WEIGH manufactures do
not take this view, because, Mr.. Edwards
says, they do not want to anticipate such
state of affairs, and consequently shut
their eyes to the contemplation of Amer
lean manufactures securing market.
which has heretofore taken 80 per cent
of the Welsh manufacture. In Wales
there are one hundred tin plate manu-
facturers, Mr.. Edwards said employing
probably so, ZOO hands. These manufac-
tuers produced last year about 10000, 900
boxes of tin plate. Or this output
about 80 per cent. was exported to the
American market
Since the Mckinley bill went into eff
feet the Welsh mills have been running
on half time, and instead of 80 per cent.
being sent to America much of it is be-
ing warehoused, probably to meet an ex
pected demand when the overstock sent
in before the Mckinley bill went into
effect becomes exhausted. That the
American manufactures will not be able
to compete with or interfere much with
the Welsh output for this country is the
hope of the Welsh manufacturers, but
both Mr. Edwards and his father are
keenly alive to the fact that such hopes
are liable before long to be shattered.
While the tin plate industry in Wales
is over a hundred years DID," said Mr..
Edwards, lit is really only during the
past thirty years that it has developed
to such large proportions. The cause of
this development is, candidly speaking,
the American market, and when we are
deprived of the American market. must
confess that l don't know what the
Welsh manufacturers are going to do.
That the American manufactures are
getting in good shape cannot be denied,
and do not think it is a difficult thing
that many of the Welsh manufacturers
claim for the American manufacturers to
be able before long to meet the demand
of the American market.
There are many old tin plate workers
now employed in iron sheet mills in this
country who are simply waiting for q
chance to resume their old trade in an
American tin plate mill Then, of course,
there are many Welsh workmen who are
willing to come over here, as the Ameri-
can manufacturers are offering skilled
workmen just double the money they
receive in the Welsh factories. !"
'sOf course, should the American man.
ufactruer shut the Welsh article out OF
the American market. unless another
market is found to take its place, the
Welsh workman and the Welsh manu-
facturer, too, for that matter, will have
to look around him, and perhaps come
to America
This was liable, Mr.. Edwards thought,
to induce number of the younger men
in the tin plate industry to locate plants
in this country. At present ffere are
only about fifteen tin plate plants in this
country, but Mr. Edwards can see no
reason why there will not before long be
almost as large an industry here as in
Wales now.
Your American manufacturers" said
he, "haye every requisite for success.
You're mining tin, you are making yonr
own steel plates and iron sheets, and you
have lots of cash, and cash will get you
all the help you want"