Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-06-23
COSTLY TIN PLATE.
FORCING AN UNNECESSARY INDUS
TRY AT PUBLIC EXPENSE.


of Work and Raising Prices of Canned
Goods-And the Idiots Rejoice.
The New York Tribune and other high
tax papers are going into ecstacies over
the report Of Ira Aver, special agent Of
the treasury department. on the tin
plate industry. This report shows that
during the quarter ending March 81,
1899, nineteen manufacturers produced
about 10000 pounds Of tin and terne
plates, about two-t thirds Of which were
terne plates, and that the production
for the past fiscal year has been A, ,527,-
$50 pounds, of which 1885, ,06S pounds
were tin plate. AS our annual con-
sumption of tin plate is about 400, ,000,0 900
pounds, our last years product would
supply us for about three days, and is
equal to about l per cent. of our total
needs.
To attain this magnificent standing
among the tin plate manufacturing ma
tions of the earth we are now taxing
ourselves at the rate Of ten or twelve
million dollars per annum, and have ex-
pended during the last thirty years per-
haps $150, 200, 900 for the same purpose.
This expense, however, as great as it is,
does not begin to equal the indirect cost
to US, due to the injury done to other in
dustries by high priced tin plate An
idea Of this indirect expense and injury
can be gained by reports from various
large consumers Of tin plate. made in
The National Provisioner of April 80,
1899. The National Provisioner is the
"organ Of the provision and meat indus
tries of the United States" 1t advocates
the interests of its subscribers and is
not biased in favor Of any theory. The
following extracts are from this number
of The National Provisioner:
In view of the fact that the bill of
the Hon. T. l.. Bunting providing for
the reduction of the duties of tin and
terne plates, a copy of which was pub
lished in recent number of this journal,
has been introduced in congress and will
come up for discussion in week or two,
the directors of the Tin Plate Consumers
association have endeavored to ascertain
what the effect of the increased duty has
been upon the business Of the consumers
of tin plate throughout the country
They have therefore sent out a circular
asking consumers of tin plates what the
effect Of the tariff has been ON their bust
ness, and in response have received an
swers from most of the large consumers.
For want Of space not all of these an
swers can be published, but selection
is made which constitutes fair average
Of their general tone. which shows pretty
plainly what the effect of the increased
tariff has been upon the people who cut
up in their business four-ffths of the en-
tire quantity of tin plate used In the
United States.
Fairport, N. Y: I'VE used 800 boxes
last year. Payment of Mckinley duty
required additional capital. In some
branches increased cost of our goods
compelled us to cut down wages of la
borers to meet popular prices. In
making baking powder cans increased
cost Of article and unwillingness on the
part OF our customers to pay increased
price caused us to lose the business of
some Of our best customers. After two
or three months of experimenting with
others they returned to us, having learn
ed that we were not trying to rob them,
but were, like others, only asking fair
price on the basis Of the government
making us pay heavier taxes for the
privilege of doing business. We have
been heavy exporters of canned goods,
but we fear that we will have to give
up or greatly reduce our export trade.
In the English and Scotch markets, es-
pecially, Canada is selling at less than
goods cost us. Canada pays no duty.
Rebate does not place us on an equality.
On fifty cases Of pears rebate would not
pay expenses of obtaining it. We pay
duty on full sheet of tin. The rebate
does not cover waste in cutting round
blanks. We have substituted galvanized
iron for tin in consequence of the in
creased cost of the latter"
Adrian, Mich; ITO increase the cost
Of No. cans, the size most used by us.
an average of sixty cents per hundred.
and other sizes In proportion. We are
not extensive packers, but the cans used
by us last season cost over $4,000 more
than the same quantity would have cost
in 1889. This loss must be borne by us
or by the producers of fruits and vege-
tables, or both. The canning industries
have been greatly crippled by the in
crease Of duty on tin plate. We have
used the same help as before. but paid
less wages per day."
Indianapolis: "To reduce our profits
to such q narrow margin as to cause
the desire to have our capital invested
in some other enterprise or abandon
the present business altogether"
From a Boston packing house:
Packed In our East Boston factory in
1900, $4,000 cases; in 1891, IS ,845; falling
off, 20,655; decrease of help, 25 weekly
hands"
Gutterpipe, etc.. etc., Cambridgeport,
Mass: ITO increase the cost one dol
lar box, instead of natural de-
crease of some thirty cents a box
This has prevented those engaged in
our line from making such a drop in
prices as has occurred in almost every
other line Of business. Prices have
therefore been too hiQh in proportion