Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-06-02
THE TEMPLATE QUESTION

|
| \ Y Tribune: A circular by a firm
OF tin plate importers, whose antag
onism TO the tin-plate duty has been
persistent and vociferous, makes the in
| cidental but important admission that
| prices of tin cans and utensils have not
advanced, they claim that tin plates
! have in consequt nee of the new duties
The consumer DO rot pay for cans or
! tinware anything more than they paid
| before the duties we're raised, and the
| foreign makers are gradually dropping
| the prices Of tin plates at wholesale, in
order to retain as much as they can Of
the American market, thus paying out
| OF their own pockets most of the diff
ference in the duties These thing
| prompt the inquiry whether democrats
in the House would gain anything by
| he reduction of duties they demand, il
| they could get it They would gain not
! a cent for the Americans who are con
sumers of tin pans. plates, dinner pals
or cans in packing The retail prices of
all these articles remain just what they
were before the new duties were i'm
posed. But the abolition Of the duties
were imposed. But the abolition OF the
duties would destroy an important in.
dustury which already employs many
hundred hands
This matter deserves more serious at
tention than members Of congress have
yet given it. The bill cannot pass, at
ary rate" they have said, and there,
fore members have voted for the change
without seriously considering what it
would mean They have not thought
what number of men are already earn
ing wages, directly, or indirectly, be
cause OF this single duty. They have
not thought how many men will te EN-
ployed IN works Of this character within
very short time, nor 10 what States
they are located. 1t appears from the
Official report that forty-tHo companies
have already been orgrnized for the
manufacture Of tin plates, of which
nineteen were in operation and officially
repor eel their production for the last
quarter These produce about 1900
600 pounds of tin and terne plates of all
kinds, including about 1900 900 pounds
produced for the manufacturer Of
stamped goods and the production of
one factory which made it's return too
late for compilation But others are
building works, or have already built
and are prepared to begin operations
almost Immediately They scatter all
over the country, but the large proper
ton of them may be found in the States
reckoned politically doubtful
But it is sthted that some Of the
largest esta Easements in Great Britain
are about to remove to this country.
One OF them has purchased site and
about to erect works ia neig hboriag
Uown il New Jersey These would
doubtless bring to this country m4ny
Of their skilled workmen, but would
rely for uns11illed labor upon the
American supply. Hundreds of hands
would thus be called into employment
who are now idle, while American
farmers, American producers of every
kind, and American traders, would
benefit by supplying the skilled latorers
who come hither from ABROAD and who
now obtain ali their supplies from trade
and producers in other countries And
behind all this there is the supply of
The materials now used or to be used In
the manufacture. Hundreds of men
III mines will have to produce the ore
and the coal; many more will have to
smelt the iron andto roll it into sheets,
and to cut it idlto proper shapes, and for
MS will be employed and the increased
demand for their labor will mean in
creased profits for the farmers. the
traders and the mechanics who live
ne T them. A single change of duty.
for which tie democratic party in the
house has voted almost UNANIMOUSLY,
wilitherefore mean the destruction of an
industry which already benefits, direct
ly and indirectly thousands of people in
this coutry, and promises within d short
time to confer benefits upon a Err great
ar an no