The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-10-22
Important Facts as to rin-Plate.

N :,
of Ohio, giving some facts as to the man
ufacture of tin plate, that are instruct
i've and entertaining. We also transfer
to our columns an editorial article from
the Petersburg fndeG- appeal, one OF the
ablest Democratic papers in the South
which concludes with a quotation from
the Baltimore Manufacturers Record,
non-partizan paper, edited by Demo
Gratis Both of these able papers take
the same view of the tin-plate question
that the VIRGINIAN maintains, whose
editor is a Republican, but the VIRGIN
IAN is not a partizan paper. The ideas
and the policies we support in these cole
ums are best calculated to promote the
welfare of the South, of Virginia and
especially of this mineral district, and OF
the United States 1t is an American
policy. 1t gives preference to American
labor; will establish an III e + a n
industry, and by its operation will pro
mote the interests of all classes Of peo-
pie. in the general enrichment and pros
perity of the country. Ninety>five per
cent of tin-plate is sheet-iron, which
can be as readily made in this country
as in any other, and the other five per
cent is block tin, used as a coating
Block tin is now being produced in the
limited States, since the increased tariff
on tin-plate went into operation July
/ list. A number of furnaces for reducing
tin ore have already been established.
We have one in process of erection, with
in 90 miles of Staunton, and others in
different parts of the Union, demon
stratlng that the $30,00O,0O0 of tin-plate
now imported from Europe can be made
in this country and that large sum res
tanned here to assist in advancing the
industrial independence of the United
States.
;. understanding he demonstrated
fact that tin>plate can be and is being
manufactured in America, since the
present tariff law went into effect, we
have men in high places denouncing the
law, as it respects tin plate, as a fraud
and boldly asserting, in face of the
proven fact that tin-plate is now being
made here, that the tin plate industry
cannot be established in this country.
One member of Congress rarely ever
opens his mouth, on public questions,
that he does not thus scoff at the
thought of American tin>plate, and rid
icule the idea that tin-plate can be made
in the United States. 1t is charitable to
assume that Mr. Tucker does not keep
up with the times and note the indus
trial progress and history of his own
country. He is SO much absorbed with
his free trade theory that he seems OBJ
livious of what is practically occurring
all around him, proving his theory to be
a falacy. He laments over the high
taxes imposed upon the farmers, indif
ferent to the fact that the farmer pays
less for what he buys and gets more for
what he sells, than ever before in his
life. He argues from the false assumption
that the tariff duty is added to the price
of the article, when in fact, there are
instances where the price Of the article,
as the result of competition brought
about by protection, is less or but little
more than the tariff rate.
Why any American, and especially any
one entrusted with authority to legislate
for the whole country, should work to
discourage an important American I'M
dertaking, we cannot understand. 1t
having been demonstrated that tin>pate
can be made here, and that by making
it we will keep at home 100000 of
American money which now goes
abroad for this very product, and at
the same time give our own labor EN-
ployment, it would seem reasonable to
assume that every well-wisher of his
country would be willing and anxious to
make the test, whether or not those who
claim to know, are right in their con-
clusion that tin~plate can be profitabIy
and successfully made in the United
States. Instead of this we hear the law
denounced, it's friends condemned as inn
posters, and the whole American sys-
tenn of protection ridiculed and reviled
as an oppression to the people
We submit that this is not the right
thing for national law-maker to do
1t is making war upon American inter
ests. American progress, American labor
and American prosperity. 1t is giving
precedence to foreign interests over
American interests. 1t is inveighing
against American institutions and Amer
lean policies and favoring foreign poll
cies and foreign governments. 1t is not
patriotic, it is not practical, it is not
American.
1t is in no partl2an sense that we write
thus We think we can absolve ourself
from all party feeling and prediction
in discussing an economic question, im>
plicating the welfare of all the people.
There is not an impartial mind, free
from the virus of Dartizanism, that will
not say we are right. There is not an
intelligent citizen, divorced from the i'm
fiuence of partizanism, thatswill not reach
the same conclusion that we dO-that it
is better for this country to be indus
trially independent, than to be depen-
dent upon other countries There is no
one who desires to see the resources
of our country developed; its labor EN-
ployed; its inventive genius encour-
aged and its growth and prosperity as
sured, who can gainsay that an Amer
lean policy is better for America than
would be a policy that is recommended
and attempted to be thrust upon us by
foreign countries
When the people fully understand this
subject, and can bring their minds to
consider it, apart from partizan associa-
tion and prejudice, they will not be long
in deciding that it is better to give pref
erence to American interests than to
| foreign interests.
On the 10th District Judge Goodrich,
at Waco, Texas, held that the alien land
law, passed by the last Texas Legislature
was unconstitutional and void The law
excluded foreigners from buying or loan
ing money on Texas land and had crea>