The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-06-12
The Tin Fiat. situation.

The attitude of the free trade press
was concisely and accurately described
by the Rochester IN. W Post Express
In its issue of May 18th. 1t said:
Papers like the Evening Post, the
New York Times and the Buffalo Cour-
Ter maintain stoutly that there is no tin
plate made in this country: that tin
plate cannot be made here; that, every
specimen exhibited as made in the
United States is bogus, and that the
men who profess to make it are impos-
tiers.
The Evening Post endorses this pre-
sentation OF the case as accurate, at
least so far as its own position is con-
cerned, by printing the editorial from
which the above extract was taken, and
adding this brief comment:
We also are anxious to have the con-
troversy settled, and for that reason are
trying to find factory. One medium
sized factory, working openly and SELL
ing its goods at profit, would close our
mouths.
Ever since the new tariff law was
drafted the free-traders have main
tanned the position described by the
POst-Express. During the last few
weeks their attacks upon the new in
dustry have broken out with renewed
virulence. A few calm words on the
controversy will not be amiss.
To manufacture tin plate on a large
scale requires the erection of extensive
and costly plants. So soon as the new
tariff bill passed, preparations were
promptly made for the establishment OF
tin plate mills in all parts of the coun-
try. There are at least eleven OF these
now under way. OF course none OF
them at any time expected to begin
manufacturing on large scale until
the new duty took effect. On the con-
trary, it was because OF the confessed
impossibility of manufacturing them
under the present duty of cent pound
that the higher rate was provided for.
That higher rate does not take effect
for more than month yet.
Aside from the question of duty, there
has not been time since the passage Of
the law to locate, establish and get I'M
der way extensive plants. The men
who intended to embark upon this new
American industry naturally wished,
before risking their capital, to acquire
some experince in the business. So,
many of them erected temporary plants
and began to manufacture on a small
scale, pending the building and equip
ment of their larger works. few of
which were expected to start before the
new tariff rate should take effect. Now,
the temporary mills are what the free
trade reporters have dishonesty
been describing as the great tin plate
mills which were to be brought into
being by the new tariff. They shut
their eyes to the projected permanent
establishments and have persisted in
their course of denying that any such
are under way.
The new tin plate industry has full
filled the expectations of its friends.
Although it was not expected that tin
plates would be made on commercial
scale before next July, yet as matter
Of fact they are now so being made.
The Evening Post satisfied itself or
this point when it sent a reporter to the
office of Fl. r. DeMilt & Co. of 23S Water
street, New York, who are agents for
p. II. Laufman & Co., Apollo, Pa. The
Apollo works have been manufacturing
and placing tin plates on the market
for some time, and if we are to credit
them with ordinary common sense, they
must be doing so at profit.
The friends of the tin plate industry
need have no misgivings about Its fu-
ture. 1t is its substantial progress
which so excites its enemies. 1t takes |
time to build even hen coop: to trans
plant grea: industry from Wales to
America requires time, too. When the
work is accomplished, back numbers of
The free trade papers will furnish inter
esting reading.-American Economist