The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-05
TIN PLATE.

lana, announces tlat inc NelSh VI
| platers will close down their works for
one month from july /. The avidity
with which this little morsel of comfor
has been rolled over the tongue of the
republican press is amusing. At least,
it seemed, they had irrefragable proof
that the Mckinley bill was going to ef-
feet some good for the American people.
Or, at least, the telegram might be
forced to bear that construction. How
pleasant it was to think that the Welsh
men had been compelled to restrict their
output in consequence OF the most bene-
ticent Of republican devices! Now, the
deluded constituencies Of last full could
perceive for themselves that they had
been led astray by democratic clamor
and misrepresentation. The duty IN
tin plate is here, and the people of this
country are paying it. But, with these
~confounded Welshmen driven out of the
field, we must be manufacturing our
own supplies, for tin plate we must
have. Another great industry has been
added TO the of the people OF
this country. and American citizens and
| ~workingmen are reaping the benefits.
That is very pretty picture. 1t has
imagination, strength, breadth. 1t has
only one thing lacking. Unfortunately,
that one want destroys the Whole. 1t
lacks truth. The truth of the situation
is simply this. In anticipation of the
increase in duties imposed by the Nc
kinley bill, which goes into effect on the
first of July, the Welsh factories have
had a plethora of American orders.
They are not altogether fools, these
Welshmen, and they have met the in
creasing price for their goods. In fact,
the Mckinley bill has worked such o
ders for the foreigner that he has raised
his prices to a point almost as high as
that which Will be rendered necessary
by the new duties. Anything under
that. the American importer has been
glad to pay with the first OF July star
ing him in the face. 1t is probably no
eyaggeratlon TO say that the anticlpa-
ton of the Mckinley bill has already
extracted four or five millions of dollars
from the pockets of the Woodworking
people of this country, and put it to the
credit of tho Welshmen. Naturally
when the new duties come into opera
ton. there will be a check to importa-
ton. Tho importer is no longer in
dread OF another lose of Mckinley, and
the abnormal demand will cease, until
tho accumulated stock on this side of
the Atlantic has beer worked of at the
increased price on a suffering public
Then the merry Welshman will resume
his labors as before.
And the wonderful picture Of thou
sands OF we'll paid American workers ir
The tin-plate industry, and Of smiling
capitalists, is as illusionary as all tht
rest. or the effect of the republican
tariff in this direction, there is not one
+ shadow of proof. y few TN plates have
been manufactured in this country, an,
they have found their natural restin!
place in the cabinets Of museums or O
curio hunters. In SPIT of many bogu
announcements, no evidence is forth
coming to prove that the manufacture
| OF TN plates on a commercial scale i
either a probability or a possibility il
:. this country. Even if it we're other
; Wise, the payment Of $4,000 oO per al
! mum in the shape of taxation Nigh
support a capitalist or two and a wEol
army Of working men without an
necessity for labor. 1t was not tn
s benefit Of the people that the tariff hi
AIMED at. Ii Was not the encourage
mont of a new industry. Ex-Congress
man Neidringhaus was a generous cor
tributor to campaign funds. It is bu
g right he should have his pound of fest
And be and other virtuous, self s~acrifit
@ ing patriots have a monopoly of galvar
5 lied iron and granite ware. And thes
o are pretty fair substitutes for tin plat,
1t is all very simple. You pull tn
t string, and the figure moves. You pa
t your money and you can have YOU
r choice.