The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-10-22
About Tin Plate.

The following letter addressed to Gov
Campbell, of Ohio, we find in the Com
nae2.cS0l Gazctte. of Cincinnati of the 9Th
1t explains all about the tin plate bust
ness, and will be instructive to all class,
es OF readers, who seek information:
DEMMLER, Pa, October 2 1891
TO his Eacellency Governor Campbell, Columbus
Ohio:
DEAR Suitcase do not consider this an as
| sumption; we are not politicians, nor do we
care to make any special ado about our bust
ness, but sense of self preservation leads us to
address you this open letter. We consider 1t a
| misfortune that 1t has been deem ed necessary
! TO make the existence or non-existence in this
country OF the industry in which we are engae-
| ed political issue. There are no technical Oh
| stacles in the way of manufacturing tin and
terne plates in the United States, and the best
| proof of our assertion is that we are doing it,
and that we have done so-twelve or fifteen
years ago-when the price of imported plates
was high enough that we could make them here
| at living profits and pay the ruling rates of
| wages to our worklnen; we could not continue
| the business steadily because whenever we
would succeed in establishing a good trade in
one or the other branch of the industry the for
eign manufacturers would temporarily put
down the price III that particular branch until
! we, with our small means could not withstand
the pressure Of the combined millions of foreign
| capital, buJ had to give it up and devote our.
| time and attention to obher PRODUCES which
were in the line of the protective Industries.
me only opStacle IN the way of our progress
with the tin plate industry was an Inequality
Of the tariff laws of the country for while the
black iron or steel plates which form the foun-
| dation of tinpates, were protected by duty of
one and three quarters cents per pound the du-
ty on coated plates was only one cent per
pound, OF three quarters of a cent per pound
less than the article from which they are mad.
While in order to equalize the wages paid to the
Welsh workmen and the workmen OF the Unit
ed States 1t should have been three quarters of
! a cent more or two and one half cents per
pound.
rate OF two and half cents per pound, and the
law read: TEMPLATES, or iron galvanized or
coated with any other metal two and half
Sheet aw ws ia or IKE
tqre OF lead ana tin (terne). would by this time
all De manufactured in this country, and you
would hear as little OF imported tin and terne
plates as you hear of imported galvanized or
zinc coated sheet-iron,
But Mr.. Fessenden, who was then Secretary of
the treasury, like many other great statesmen
after him, evidently ignorant Of the real sub
the comma after the word tin plates was cier-
ical error, and that it must be placed after the
word iron, and that tin plates, as well as iron
must be coated with another metal In order to
come under this provision in other words sheet
iron coated with tin must be coated again with
plates were classed as tin in sheets at fifteen
per cent. ad valorem. Thus, by the misplace
ment of a little comma, the country was de-
prlved Of an immense industry. Is it any won
der that black plates about f1ftyfiv per cent.
ad valorem duty, and rates of wages ruling in
try could not prosper9
For the last fifteen years we have endeavored
TO obtain from Congress change Of this abnOr- |
mai condition, but although a number of far
seeing members, amongst whom we may men
and Hon. Judge Kelley advocated the change |
the influence of those who had by that time pos
powerful than the counsel OF those wise and |
good men, and all our efforts to obtain Just |
and equitable protective rate OF duty for our
anomalies had made general revision neces-
sary, the result of which was the passage of the
iron or steel coated with tim &c. are treated
the same as other branches Of iron and steel in
dustries.
With this law the Government of the United
States has given US the assurance that we shill
be protected against severe foreign competition
until we and other manufacturers can denion-
Strate that the feasibility Of developing is un
doubted fact, and induced BY this ASSURANCE we
are again remodeling and enlarging our works;
we have invested our money for this purpose,
and have induced our friends to invest with us,
and we know it to be a fact that several mil
lions of dollars worth Of machinery has been
ordered by other people in Pennsylvania. Ohio,
New York, Illinois, Indiana and other States for
the purpose of engaging in this industry.
AS to our success SO far, we would refer you to
mails from responsible business men from all
parts OF the country all testifying to the supe-
rior quality of our plates. And yet we must
now daily hear or read in the newspapers the
threat that the next Congress will repeal the
duty on n-plates !; and when we see further
that men like you, of whom we have always
heard spoken as man of highest integrity, are
reported, in your speeches, to attack us and
direction. as political 1mposters, our position
becomes alarming.
Why, if you do not believe that protection to
home industries is the best policy for the peo-
pie of this country, do you single out the tin
plating industry and ridicule and minin lie the
efforts of those who have engaged or are pre-
pairing to engage in the same We can not be-
ieve that you wish to see our efforts and the es-
tablishment Of large industry frustrated
tor political reasons, and we musJ assume that
you are honest in your belief that the manufac-
t1Ir in nt7v ,1o,o
able tariff is an impossibility, for the newspa-
per correspondents reports that you ventured
sound OF your voice would never live to see the
day when tin plates would be made in this coun-
try, and that ii you were mistake you would
apologize to the Republican party.
Now dear sir, the inclosed circular will prove
our efforts The General habit is to examine ev
erything new with a much more critical eye
than old, accustomed ware and the most of our
correspondents pronounce our plates excellent,
anG a few point out small defects, which can be
easily overcome, and Others state candidiy that
our plates are not higher i'll price than any even
grade of i'm ported plate.
But to furnish you further proof of our ability,
press box Of our ~. 81 Bright tin plates, with
the request that you examine the same or have
it examined by an expert tin-plate worker and
to remove all doubts that the tin plates are
sending you are of the same quality that we are
supplying to our customers, and that the same
are produced at our works, we inclOSe our aff1-
dav1t TO that effect. And further more, we
herewith extend to you cordial Invitation to
COiIio S1Au FiStU lllSp0CU Tile Amer
lean method of manufacturing timed plates
from the crude steel bloom to the finely finished
article of which we have sent you a sample
We have now on the way a consignment of
block tin from the Temescal mines Of Cal;for-
nia,and the same is expected here within a fort
night, SO there is a possibility that could at
the time Of your visit produce plates i'll which
even the small amount Of tin which is required
for coating has been produced In this country.
Hoping you will honor us with early visit,
are, with utmost respect,
U. S. IRON & TIN PLATE MFG. Co.,
W. c. Cronemeyer, President.