Sharp County record., 1891-01-08
OUR NAIL INDUSTRY.

Foreigners.
A Pennsylvania nail manufacturer is
authority for the statement that our
nail mills have capacity Of 1900. 900
kegs per annum, but that our home con-
sumption is only 100000 kegs. Not
withstanding the great development of
the nail industry, it is, still treated by
the high tariff McKinleyites as an sin
FAINT industry" and a 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 wanton piece of tar
iff folly when it is remembered that we
exported last year 19,4OOOOO pounds of
nails and spikes Including cut nails,
wire nails, horseshoe and wrought
nails), and this year 100000 pounds.
The largest buyers Of these nails are
Mexico, Chilli 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 20, 1889, Mr.. Horace P. Tobey,
of Boston, made 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, petition signed by more than
12O 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 were
providing the New England manufact-
urers to the wall.
Mr.. Tobey Is a 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 hill.
lets. Are you in favor of a reduc-
Hon
Mr. Tobey-Yes, sir might answer
the question by saying l favor reduc-
ton On nails, which is my chief article
.9f production.
Mr., Gear-WhyP
Mr.. Tobey-Because l think the duty
could be reduced and I could still make
nails
The Chairman-Suppose we had free
coal and free ore?
Nr. Tobey--I should be willing to sub
NIT to as much reduction in nails and
then double it.
Mr., McKenna-Suppose we gave you
tree raw material; would you make
nails free?
Mr. Tobey-I think I would rather
have the duty on them.
Mr.. Gear-How much reduction would
SNp favorP
d. t,obey-I could not tell that. The
=. Son them is large, so we do not
a. for wy at all; and they cost so much
A. portation. mean nail plates,
MT they are not imported.
powo rlisle-1t is a prohibitory duty
Af.o ,cy-Yes, sir; practically SO.
W;li," Tobey had been heard, Mr..
n n,a aa Morris, Of Pottstown, Pa,
tani nhianI,cturer Of "billets, ship and
hr IN n pias and cut nails" was heard
\ ~, Sno cNmittee. The following dia-
n;s uo feil'ts the high tariff Pennsylva-
10 ,ri h,,;, ,5recdnridge-Would you expect
- WIno upan export trade for plates?
Tss@ Morris-Not at the present time,
reNs ~gh we may come to that later on.
eden" eame thing applies to cut nails,
'd have been at very low ebb for
ma swo years. ! must differ from my
svSt Mr. Toby in thinking we could
,ao@ reduction in duty. There are
'..dMh pals made in Canada. Certainly
''.u ~. INA hing that would make the nail
/, ". w. ma ss worse at present would be q
'o' v" vable state Of affairs.
rave USED Ailsp '''
are Wv Morris-They bring about 50,
a correwYear-Has there not been an ad-
0 Il q wan the last ninety daysq
|, be vasSN Morris-Yes, sir; there has been.
-pRlCKL' har-About is to 30 centsP
,ois, for orris-Yes, sir.
cO.. suit Of II all was that McKin-
ria, Mon slight reduction on cut nails
-or steel, but left the duty the
all wrought iron and horse
n Is, which Is 4 cents pound.
y OF | cent pound on cut nails
A ohibitory.
- cen from the above dialogue
IL Morris confesses to u "deplor-
+own, OF affairs" In the nail busi-
Pnsidering the figures Of OK
! already given, the lesson for
So""' aakers Is obvious: Let them
}, pr foreign market, Instead Of
Ind, at some nails made In Cana
Roll our lhw-makors fearlessly
wound n our ports to free coal, ores
10 KNOWN, In order that the nail mills
70 ,rd:aug coast may enjoy their natu-
te" magos for tho export trade,
2ng made TO pay tribute TO
.FYsY 10 and the rich mine-owners
XNy Michigan.