The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-06-03
Tin PLATE HUMBUG.
THE CLAIMS OF THE M'klNLEY BILL
ERS RUDELY PUNCTUREo.

Dipped 1ron-The Canning Industry
Seriously 1njured-The Industry 'Tos-
tered" for the Benefit Of Monopoiists
We have rather impressive plate of
sheet tin before us as we write. 1t is of
oblong shape, of easily handled size, and
handsomely coated. We are asked to
believe that this is American tin. The
iron that forms its base is probably
American. Where the tin which makes
its coating came from it is perhaps not
so easy to say, but we are disposed
strongly to hold that it was not mined
in this country. That there is any
proof in it that the tin manufacture on
any scale of importance has been estab-
lished in this country; that we owe to
the Mckinley bill aid in the manufacture
of tin to any considerable extent here,
OF that, If we are to have it, it will be at
a less sacrifice than paying good deal
more money for our tin than If legisla-
tion had let this matter alone, we do not
believe.
As near as we can get to the true in
wardness of this tin plate matter, the
case seems to be about this: A remuner-
ative and healthy business was being
carried on in the manufacture of tin
plate for the American markets. The
great bulk of it was consumed in the
making of tin cans for the preservation
Of fruit and the packing of other ma
terial that can be conveniently handled
and kept in this way. Nobody suffered
from it; many were benefited. There
was little inducement to change the
conditions on which it was conducted
little desire to do so. 1t is q victim to
the cupidity of certain men who did de-
sire to call in the government to help
them in their business in another
production. Certain Pennsylvanians
thought there was a way to establish Il
sheet iron manufacture, They would
have been willing to let this tin produc.
ton alone, so far as it applies to canning,
but 1t was in the way of their sheet iron
business. They used timed sheet iron
plates for roofing purposes, and wanted |
to get monopoly of that business
We are told that we are manufactur. |
ing tin plate. So we are, such tin plate
as that we have made the occasion of |
this article. 1t is composed of iron
dipped in tin. 1t can be manufactured |
almost anywhere. The chief thing nec-
essary is to procure sheet of iron and
dip it in solution of tin, and the tin
plate is made. But those who make it.
and those who vaunt themselves upon
having introduced a new article into
American production, are very careful
not to state that it is not new article
of American production; it has been
produced here for period of about
fourteen years.
This is roof tin. Probably considera-
BILE mischief would have been done by
the effort to set up one or two million
aires in Pennsylvania through the aid of
government legislation in this business
of making plate for roof tin, but not
tithe as much as If those desiring to en-.
gage in 1t could have been induced to let |
canning tin alone. To afford an excuse |
for this monopoly there was a great
parade about introducing the tin manu-
facture generally in America. The great |
bulk Of the tin manufacture here is the |
tin canning branch of it. This tin, such
as we have been considering in this arti- |
Gle, does not apply there at all. The
plates that form its basis are steel, not |
iron. They are rolled to thinness very |
much less than this show tin which is |
used for political purposes. They have
not been made to any extent in this |
country. Of the nineteen firms in this |
tin dipping business. which the McKin-
ley bill claims to be its trophy, but
which existed independent of it before it
was passed, but four make these plates
at all; the bulk are made of iron, while
but few make the steel plates that are
necessary to the tin canning manufac-
ture.
1t is possible to force the country into
its production with sufficiently high du-
ties; almost anything might be achieved
in this way; but the effort toward it now
is grievous wrong to the tin canning
industry and an inexcusable burden to
the greatbulk of the American people
Boston Herald.