Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-10-23
Patriotism and Truth,
Index.Anpeal, Dem


Tho current number of the Baltimore
Manufacturers Record contains an article
on the subject of tin-plate manufacture
that is so patriotic and truthful that we
cannot refrain from printing it III full
Some papers are led to misrepresent the
facts about tin-plate manufacture by
sheer ignorance, and for these one should
feel pity rather than contempt, but What
should be said of those better informed
papers that deliberately for mercenary or
PARTISAN reason pervert the truth NO
intelligent advocate OF American indus
trial interests will contend that the man e
ufacture of tin is beyond the stage OF IN
cipiency, and no reasonable opponent Will
exnect more than this of IT. The clause
in the tariff bill which makes the manu-
facture of tin at all possible did not 90
into effect until the first day of Jul J last.
Prior TO that time and subsequently the
the enemies of home manufactures nave
done everything in their power by threats
of repeal, by legal proceedings against the
constitutionallty OF the measure, anu Oy
the excitement of the popular ignorance
and prejudice to deter capitalists from
embarklng in the new industry. The I'M
porters of foreign manufactures who, ID
this as liz every other line OF trade, are
the most inveterate foes of American IN
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
preiudice consumers against the measure
bv adding to the price of stock on hand
the duty which did not go into effect un-
til the succeeding July, falsely represent
ing that they were forced to this increase
of price by the new tariff. Meanwhile,
as part of the conspiracy to retard
American manufactures, tin-plate was
imported in such quantities as to glut the
market, the increased prices obtained be-
fore the 1st OF July enabling the conspira'
tors to reduce the price to competitive
points whenever the American product
appeared in the market, thus further dis
couraring aud throttling the infant in
dustry.
The question naturally arises, why
should any American desire to oppose the
establishment and development of Ameri-
can industries The answer is, that many
do so unconsciously and in servile obedl'
ence to a fell spirit of partizanry, but
Others do so wilfully and selfshly. These
latter are importers, who may justly be
characterized as foreign Americans, so Tar
as concerns their interests in American in
d1striaI development. They have recent
" organized themselves into an assOcia-
ton iraudently known as tln-plate con-
SINNERS for the purpose Of further embar-
RAISING an industry that will, as the Record
properly says, give employment to thou
sands of hands and keep at home millions
of dollars.
Here IS the Records article:
"Probably the most bitter fight ever
made against an industry in the history
of our country IS that now being waged
against -plate-making. Here is an in
dustry, the development of which will
proye of immense advantage to the whole
country it will furnish employment to
many thousands of hands, and keep at
home $25,000,0O0 or 100000 that is
now annually sent abroad to pay for tin
plates. Notwithstanding the financial
stringency of the last twelve months,
more than a dozen concerns have been
getting ready as fast as possible to make
tin-plate, and in the aggregate several
millions of dollars worth of machinery
has been contracted for by the tin plate
companies whose plants are now under
construction. The progress that has been
made IL this industry, considering the
monetary troubles, is really amazing
And yet, knowing these facts, and know
ing that they are wllifully misstating
and disappearing the progress of this
industry, many leading papers are daily
dong al in their power to prove that
nothing is being accomplished towards tic
development of the tiu-plate business.
1t is amazing that papers OF standing,
whatever their political preferences may
be or however much they may be opposed
to protective tariff, should so intention
ally misrepresent the condition OF any
industry as they are now doing about
tin plate. For argument they have sub
stituted 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.