The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-10-29
patrso' ism ard Truth,

The current number of the Baltimore
Manufacturers Record contains an arti-
Gle on the subject of tin-plate manufac>
ture that is so patriotic and truthful
that we cannot refrain from printing 1T
in full. Some papers are led to mlsrep-
resent the facts about tin-plate manu-
facture by sheer ignorance, and for these
one should feel pity rather than con-
tempt, but what should be said of those
better informed papers that deliberately
for mercenary or partlzan reasons per
vert the truth? No intelligent advocate
of American industrial interests will
contend that the manufacture of tin is
beyond the stage Of incipiency, and no
reasonable opponent will expect more
than this of it. The clause in the tariff
bill which makes the manufacture of tin
at all possible did not go into effect until
the first day of July last. Prior to that
time and subsequently, the enemies of
home manufactures have done every
thing in their power by threats OF repeal
by legal proceedings against the constis
nationality of the measure, and by the
excitement of popular ignorance and
prejudice to deter capitalists from en-
barking in the new industry. The im>
porters of foreign manufactures who, in
this as in every other line of trade. are
dustrial progress, have been active to a
remarkable degree. Immediately after
the Mckinley bill went into effect last
October nine months before the tin
clause became operative, they sought to
prejudice consumers against the meas
ure by adding to the price of stock on
hand the duty which did not go into
effect until the succeeding July, falsely
representing that they were forced to
this increase OF price by the new tariff.
Meanwhile, as a part OF the conspiracy
to retard American manufactures. tin
plate was imported in such quantities as
to glut the market, the increased prices
obtained before the 1st of July enabling
the conspirators to- reduce the price to
competitive points whenever the Ameri-
can product appeared in the market,
thus further discouraging and throttllng
the infant industry.
The question naturally arises, why
should any American desire to oppose
the establishment and development of
American industries? The answer is,
that many do so unconsciousiy and In
servile obedience to a fell spirit OF par
tizanry, but others do SO wilfully and
seIfishly. These latter are importers, who
may justly be characterized as foreign
Americans so far as concerns their in
terests in American industrial develop
ment. They have recently organized
themselves into an association fraudently
known as tin plate consumers for the
purpose of further embarrassing an in
dustry that will, as the Record properly
says, give employment to thousands OF
hands and keep at home millions OF dol
lars.
Here is the Records article.
'tPobabably the most bitter fight ever
made against an industry in the history
of our country is that now being waged
against tin-pIate making. Here is an
industry, the development of which will
prove of immense advantage to the
whole country; it will furnish employ
ment to many thousands of hands, and
keep at home $25,000,000 or $30,000000
that is now annually sent abroad to pay
for tin-plates. Notwithstanding the
financial stringency of the last twelve
months, more than dozen concerns
have been getting ready as fast as posi-
BILE to make tin-plate, and in the aggre-
gate several million of dollars worth OF
the tin-plate companies whose plants are
now under construction. The progress
that has been made in this industry,
considering the monetary troubles, is
really amazing. And yet, knowing these
facts, and knowing that they are wilful-
ly misstating and misrepresenting the
progress of this industry, many leading
papers are daily doing all in their power
to prove that nothing is being accom-
plished towards the development of the
tin-plate business. 1t is amazing that
papers of standing, whatever their pos
litical preferences may be or however
much they may be opposed to a protec-
tive tariff, should SO Intentionally mis-
represent the condition of any industry
as they are now doing about tin-plate.
For argument thev have substituted
abuse and, as the facts would upset
their theories, they absolutely deny facts
of which they cannot be ignorant. Such
a condition of affairs is certainly not
creditable to American journalism"