The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-08-26
The Tin Plate Fraud.

MIR Molin, one of the Young voters
of this country, very naturally wants
to know what the people get in return
for the tariff tax Of $4,000, 900 levied
upon every family of the land ostensi
bly, to protect the tin industry. He
submits the following pertinent inqulr
les:
To the Editor Of The Times:
Will you kindly state in the column.
OF The Times what the annual con
sumption of tin is in the United States
how much we produced before ant
after the Mckinley bill; how man,
people are employed, what the quality
of the tin is compared with the import
ed, and whether the plates, etc, are
all made here or some imported ant
dipped here. By stating the above
with any additional information yor
will greatly oblige young voter.
Yours very respectfully,
]. w. MoLIN.
PHILADELPHIA, August 90, 1892.
I. The annual consumption Of tir
in this country is 6So, 900, 900 TBS.
2. We produced no tin plate in thi.
country prior to the passage of the
Mckinley tariff.
8. The official report from the
Treasury Department for the yeal
ending June 80. 1892, gives the pro
duction Of American tin as follows
For the three months ending Sept. go
1891, Sa6,o22 Tbs; for the next three
months 1, 4o9,S2I TBS, and for the
next three months ending March 81,
1892, 5000, ,oS7 Tbs.
4. The total production of tin plate
in this country for the nine months
since its alleged manufacture in the
United States was s,s4o,S3o TBS. The
American consumption Of tin is about
s,s6o,ooo TBS. per day of eight hours,
and the American product o. nine
months would supply the American
market less than three days.
S. The tariff tax on the tin con-
sumed in the nine months under the
Mckinley bill was about SII,7ao,ooo,
all OF which was paid by the American
consumer. The tariff tax to protec,
American tin, estimated on the nine
months American product, amounted
to about $2.oo per pound on what we
produced.
6. 1t is impossible to estimate the
number of people employed in Ameri-
can tin establishments. The N. & G..
Taylor Co., of this city, reports to the
Treasury Department that, with the
latest improvements, two boys can
make 10 boxes Of tin plate per day.
AT that estimate, $50 boys could pro-
duce our entire annual consumption,
and allow each boy to earn $500 per
year, tine total wag.s would aggregate
$232,ooo, while the tax on the people
would be about 100000.
!. How the tin plate industry pro-
crosses after it is established under the
inspiration of direct tax of $4,000,
900 on the people, may be learned by
the official Treasury reports. The
first summary for Ist September, 1891.
shows that Cronmeyer produced I3q,-
900 Tbs, the first quarter, 100000
the second and 100000 Tbs. the
third. The Pittsburg Electro. .pla-
ting::Co produced $4,000 Tbs the first
quarter, s55,ooo TBS. the second and
98,ooo Tbs. the third. Marshall Broth
ers produced 100000 Tbs the first
quarter, 100000 Tbs. the second and
none the third. The second summary
to December 81, 1891, shows that
VIM. P. Simpson produced 1900 Tbs.
the second quarter and o95 Tbs. the
third. The Apollo Iron Co, Apollo,
Pa, produced $1,000 Tbs the second
quarter and none the third. The Nc.
Kinley Tin Plate Co., of Pittsburg, ad-
vertised samples Of tin plate in May
last and month thereafter Dun's
Mercantile Agency of uns 4 announced
that the corporation had "dissolved
on vote of the stockholders"
s. Not only nearly or quite all the
plates used In the alleged manufacture
of American tin plate are imported,
but the pig tin is imported and the
skilled workmen are all imported. So
called American tin is, therefore, as a
rule simply foreign block plates impor-
ted; foreign tin imported; foreign
workmen imported foreign tin-dip
ping pots imported, and all the Amer
lean industry about it is the dipping
shed. and for that luxury, the people
are taxed some $4,000, 900 year on
their dinner pals, kitchen ware, roofs,
fruit cans. etc. 1t is not an American
industry at all it is palpable, flag
rant fraud and simply oppressive taxa
ton on all without compensation to
ally Times.