Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-01-01
OUR NAIL INDUSTRY.


Our Producing Capacity More Than Double
the Demands OF the Home MArket-Our
Highly Protected Nail Mills in q Comb
nation-Nails For Americans and For
Foreigners.
A Pennsylvania nail manufacturer is
authority for the statement that our
nail mills have capacity of 5000. 900
kegs per annum, but that our home con-
sumption is only 1000, 900 kegs. Not
withstanding the great development of
the nail industry, it is still treated by
the high tariff McKinleyites as an ''in-
FAINT industry" and prohibitory duty of
one cent per pound, which is now equal
to about so per cent. ad valorem, is
levied on nails.
This looks like a wanton piece of tar
IF folly when it is remembered that we
exported last year Is, 400, 900 pounds OF
nails and spikes Including cut nails,
wire nails, horseshoe and wrought
naiis), and this year II, 400, 900 pounds
The largest buyers of these nails are
Mexico, Chill and Cuba. 1t is thus seen
that our nails are able to meet the COM
petition of the world in neutral mar
kets.
When the various industries were pre-
senting their claims before Mckinley
last winter there was something said
about nails, which is of no little interest
in connection with the above facts At
the very first sitting of the committee on
December &c, 1889, Mr.. Horace p. Tobey,
of Boston, made a speech in behalf of
cheaper raw materials, such as coal,
coke, iron ore, pig and scrap iron He
presented the petition for free raw ma
terials from the New England manu-
facturers, a petition signed by more than
100 firms, including many of the leading
establishments of New England. He
told how the high freights on coke and
coal from Pennsylvania had made it
necessary for the New England manu-
facturers TO have free access to other
sources of supply, and how the hard
conditions imposed by the tariff We're
crowding the New England manufac<-
urers to the wall.
Mr.. TObey is manufacturer of nails
and steel billets which are used in max
ing nails. During the hearing the fol-
lowing dialogue took place:
Mr.. Gear-Your production Is In bill
lets Are you in favor Of a reduc-
ton
Mr.. Tobey-Yes. SIR. Knight answer
Che question by saying favor reduc-
ton on nails, which is my chief article
of production.
Mr.. Gear-Nhy2
Mr.. Tobey-Because think the duty
could be reduced and could still make
nails.
The Chairman s~e had free
coal and free ore?
Mr.. Tobey-I should be willing to sub
NIT to as much reduction in nails and
then double it.
Mr.. Mckenna-Supposew we gave you
free raw material; would YOU make
nails free?
Mr.. Tobey-I think I would rattle.
have the duty on them.
Mr.. Gear-How much reduction would
you favor?
Mr.. Tobey-I could not tell that. The
duty upon them is large, so we do moi
import any at all; and they cost so much
for transportation. I mean nail plates
At present they are not imported.
Mr.. Carlisle-It is prohibitory duty
now?
Mr.. Tobey-Yes, sir; practically So
After Mr.. Tobey had been heard, Mr.
William III. Morris, of Pottstown, Pa
| a manufacturer of ''billets, ship ant
tank plates and cut nails was heare
by the committee. The following dia
logue reflects the high tariff Pennsylvs
MIA opinion:
Mr.. Breckinridge-Wou you expec
to build up an export trade for plates?
Mr.. Morris-Not at the present time
although we may come to that later on
The same thing applies to cut nails
which have been at a very low ebb fol
| some two years. must differ from my
friend Mr.. Toby in thinking we could
stand reduction in duty. There art
some nails made in Canada, Certainly
| any thing that would make the mai
| business worse at present would be q
deplorable state of affairs
NJ. Gear-What are you getting fol
iron nails?
Mr.. Morris-They bring about 50.
Mr.. Gear-Has there not been an ad
vance in the last ninety days?
Mr.. Morris-Yes, sir; there has been
Mr.. Gear-About Is to 20 centss
Mr.. Morris-Yes, sir.
The result of it all was that McKin.
ley made q slight reduction on cut nails
| Of iron or steel, but left the duty The
same on all wrought iron and horse
shoe nails, which is 4 cents Q pound
The duty Of cent pound on cut nails
is still prohibitory.
It is seen from the above dialogue
| that Mr.. Morris confeSSeS to a ''deplor'
able state of affairs" in the nail bust
ness. Considering the figures of ex
portation already given, the lesson TO,
the nail makers is obvious: Let them
widen their foreign market Instead OF
fearing that 'isome nails made in Cana
da," let our lawmakers fearlessly
throw open our ports 60 free coal, ore:
and pig iron, in order that the nail mill:
on the sea coast may enjoy their natu
raj advantages for the export trade
without being made 20 pay tribute te
I Pennsylvania and the rich mine-owner:
Of Northern Michigan.
But that the nail makers are offering
extra inducements to the export trade
may be seen from the export dis
counts" which they make to foreigners
The recent discussion of this whole sub
| ject OF export discounts" was called
forth by the exhaustive study of the
subject by Mr. J. A Lindquist, the tar
! iff expert of the New York Reform
Club. His investigation of the subjec
of nails had special. reference to horse
shoe nails and tacxs-
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