The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-31

only have been done by domestic competi-
ton made possible by the protective tariff.
Our authority for the statement that tin
plate establishments are in process Of cree
ton at Harvey, at Chicago, st. Louis and
in California is the Philsdelphia Press and
the Albany Eseaing journal, two entirely
reliable journals of large circulation and
influence, but the following from the Lon
don Times, concerning the lockout of 2o,-
600 Welsh tin plate makers, Is sufficient TO
make II certain that the American tin
plate industy, like the American iron and
steel industry, has come to stay:
Hitherto there has been an idea that IL was
impossible 70 msnufacturs successfully tin
plates In America because Of atmospheric con-
dltions. Tbs same ides prevailed with respect To
the manufacture Of iron and steel, only to Be
faIsifed By events. During the visit Of the iron
and steel institute TO America number OF TIN
plate makers paid visit to the United States,
and majority on their return reported that
there was nothing to prevent the successful
manufacture Of tin plates In America All that
has been wanted was the skilled labor.
The British frankly confess that the
United States can produce its own tin
plate. The Philadelphia Press has pub
lished the statement Of the London Econo-
mist TO the same effect, warning the Welsh
manufacturers that no lockout, but drop
in prices viii be necessary; that American
competition Is an established fact. So far
as reciprocity Is concerned 1t is illogical
from the ''free trade" standpoint. but not
from the standpoint of the Republican
party, which accepts Webster's view that
the tariff was always to him a ques-
ton Of practical expediency, not a
hard and fast theory Of free
trade versus protection. The tariff
protects the farmer against Canada, which
last year exported SAC, ooo. 900 of farm pro-
ducts and provisions, because the farmers
of New York, New England and the East
ern frontier states. brought into direct
competition with their Canadian neigh
bors, needed additional protection for their
grain. hay, milk, butter, eggs and vegeta-
bles, and against Scotch and German pota-
toes forcing down prices and destroying
profits. That we do this against Canada.
which is a competitor, is no reason why we
should refuse reciprocity to Brazil in the
matter of free entrance into this country
for her coffee, sugar and hides, articles in
which we do not and cannot compete with
her for the trade of the world. In return
for this concession Brazil admits free of
duty mining and mechanical tools,
implements and machinery, resin, tar,
picked pork and bacon, and re-
duces the tariff % per cent on
sow;po I'M aob;nas wood and ;fs vcanufoot
ures. The result is our exports have null
tiplied four fold. We do this because we
can afford to do it with West India, Cen.
trail America and South America, where
we secure articles which our own soil and
industry cannot provide, and increase our
own export trade. but Canada's produc-
tons are so identical with those of our
northern soil and climate that we could
not afford reciprocity save unlimited reci-
procity, and that she would not grant, be-
cause she would then discriminate against
the mother country against which she en-
forces protective tariff. The Mckinley
law was passed for the people of the United
States, and its efficiency for its purpose
is evident from the fact that it
pinches England, France, Germany
and Canada 80 shrewdly that France has
already rescinded her decree against Amer
lean pork, Canada is anxious to make
terms with Us, and England is on her
cratic administration in 1892. Neverthe-
less the foreign trade was never before SO
free as it is at present under the Mckinley
law; nearly If not quite half our imports
are on the free list, but there has been
restoration Of duties, which were reduced
by the hostile treasury decisions of Cleve-
lands administration, and an increase of
other duties where excessive importations
indicated insufficient protection. The re-
suit is that while we have increased our
trade with the West Indies, Central and
South America through the repeal
of the sugar, molasses and other reve-
nue. duties on articles we cannot
provide, the restored and increased
duties on articles we can supply at home
have diminished the volume of our inn
ports from Europe, as is shown by the
treasury statement in our issue of yester-
day. The Mckinley act is a tariff framed on
the Webster idea OF expediency; not of
hard and fast theory. Limited reciprocity
with non-competitor no more means free
trade than limited coinage means free
silver. The Mckinley tariff lowers the
duty on iron and steel, on boots and
shoes, on the lower grades of cotton goods.
The duties on cut and wire nails of all
kinds are reduced; the duty on timber is
reduced one-half; the duty on pine clap
boards is reduced in the same ratio from 50
to 81 per thousand; there is heavy re-
duction in shingles, and the duties are
lowered on iron and steel bolts, on iron
Orders, and on all forms of structural iron.
The new tariff makes no increase in the
duty on common window-glass, nor on
earthenware.
Leather and hides are on the free list.
The tariff raises the import duty on cham
payne, silk and cigars and cuts down the
price of sugar, while our customs duty on
plain sawed lumber is reduced from 81 to
81 thousand feet. Such tariff will en-
dure the test of time, and on the issue of
its intrinsic excellence its author will be
elected poyernor of Chin