The record-union., 1892-10-19

cents per pound on hops, but the McI<in-
ley bill thought this not enough protec-
ton, and raised il TO 10 cents.
In 1880 we imported, pounds. 6,5S9.516
In 1890 we exported, pounds. 7,540,S54
In 1882 we imported, pounds. SS3,70l
In 1852 we exported, pounds.....~12 ,6O4,6 $50
Our exports have for ten years, except
IN 1887. exceeded our imports, showing
that we do not need TO buy from abroad,
and the figures show that since the Nc
kinney Act we have saved to the farmer
money by reducing our imports and in
creasing our exports.
The hop-grower ought to sustain the
protective policy that protects him. 1t
costs about 10 cents pound to produce
hops in this country. Eight cents did
not secure the cost of production, and
when there was large foreign crop there
was nothing to prevent large importa-
uons, TO the detriment of our growers.
The present duty of 10 cents secures the
grower against foreign competition and
assures him living price against all the
world except our own people.
The California farmer and fruit-grower
is lhe best protected class in the United
States. Our agricultural and horticult-
ura1 products ali come in for distinct and
adequate protection. Our grapes, wine,
brandy, prunes, raisins, tigs, olives,
almonds, grains-indeed, all our farm
products are taken care OF in the Nc
klnley Act as never before.
Ii the Democratic raiSin- grower thinks
this unconstitutional, we are sorry; but
we propose to 60 right on benefting him
just the same.
For myself, consider the farmer vote
the most intelligent vote cast, and am
not surprised that Democrats are making
special efforts to drive the farmer away
from his allegiance to protection.
One thing no amount Of sophistry or
misrepresentation can change, and that is
that the farmer knows by consulting his
store bills that he pays very much less
now for nearly everything he buys than
be dld ten years ago. He knows that
England will not buy a pound of wheat
or flour from us if she can buy it else
where cheaper, whether we have free
trade or not. He knows that foreign
countries cannot ship into America wheat,
or corn, or barley, or hay or oats, or po-
tatOeS, or any other farm product with
out paying well for the privilege, and this
duty secures TO him the home market.
If wheat is low he knows that our
tariff has nothing to do with the price
abroad.
The farmer cannot be deceived into
the notion THAT he could be supplied
cheaper with free trade or if he could he
don't want 30 see our home market and
our home manufactures destroyed. In a
word, the farmers is eminentiy patriotic
and this keeps him with the party Of
progress and patriotism.
TEMPLATE INDUSTRY.
Prior to the Mckinley bill the importa-
ton of tin plates was regulated By the
Act Of 1883, and they paid purely reve-
nue. duty of one cent pound.
There was not pound of tin plate
made in the United States when the Me-
kinley bill was passed; and yet the
United States We're then, as they are now,
the largest consumers of tin plate on the
globe.
There is nothing that enters into the
manufacture of tin plate which we have
not in the United States, except it may be
the tin metal itself (and this we shall
find), which is admitted free of duty, and
has been for many years.
From 1871 to 1891 we paid Great Britain
for tin plates the enormous sum of S307.-
81 ,404, or over Sl5,000,O00 per annum for
the period of twenty years. But this
commodity has increased so enormously
i'll its usefulness that in the two years.
lS90-9l, we imported SOC, ,lS7 tons of tin
plate, of value of S67, ,l02, ,O06, on which
we paid duty of ST, ,323, 759 under the old
law, making over S74,0O0,000, or S37, ,O00,-
600 annually.
As Republicans we believed that this
industry might be transferred from Great
Britain, and established as one Of the
home industries of the United States.
About 81 per cent. of tin plate is iron or
steel, and only about per cent. tin
metal.
We thought it worth our while to en-
courage the manufacture of this article
and save this great drain upon the coun-
try; and so, in the Mckinley bill, we
raised the duty to % cents per pound
after July l, 1891, to hold good to July l,
1887.
And the bill provides that tin plate
shall in fvaa Tlro1nse ha
duct in any one year preceding June 30,
1897, shall equal one-third of the imported
tin plate in any one year after the passage
of the Act
This provision of the law was chal-
lenge to those who opposed it that we
would be able to establish the industry
upon permanent foundation.
1t must be borne in mind that in addi-
ton to the value of the tin-plate imported,
which we have to pay, there must be
added also the ocean treights. the inn
pOrters' commissions and profits and the
middlemen's prohts-all OF which we say
should go to American capital and Ameri-
can labor.
The prices of tin-plate have been in the
control OF few manufacturers of Great
Britain, and the fiuctuation shows how
completely we have been in their power.
In 1873 charcoal tin 14x20 had reached
the eXtortionate price OF Sl4 70 box.
w e DiSlliC al btiOIb dlbSI 1910 10 manu-
tacture tin plates, and the price was
dropped down by the English manfact-
urers to IS % a box in lS7S-a point which
made the manufacture Improbable in
this country and it was finally ahan-
doned.
The first result of the Mckinley Act
was decrease of impOrtations.
The next effect resulted in lowering the
price of tin plate in the foreign market,
while it did not increase it in our own
market. On January /, lS9l-siX months
before the Act went into effect-the price
in Liverpool was 81 % box. July, l,
1S9l-when it took effect-the price had
dropped to SS 46. April l, 1892, the price
had fallen to 50 or box, or 81 Il box
six months after the Act took effect
cheaper than six months before.
The increased duty OF IL cents per
pound equals 81 % per box of los pounds,
showing that the price had fallen nearly
the amount of the duty added.
Another important result has been the
starting Of factories for the manufacture
of tin plate.
On April %, 1892 there were forty-four
companies organized.
The total output for nine months. end
ing March 81, 1892, was over 1900 tons.
showing an increase by a geometrical
ratio which if continued will by the close
of the year 1894 show product of Z75,00O
tons, which is more than we imported in
1889 or 1880
Now, as to home prices, tin plate is
cheaper in the United States to-day than
it was before the Mckinley Act passed.
And there is no article of necessity or use
made from tin plate that cannot be pur-
chased in the United States to-day at the
same price or a little less than before the
Act passed.
This is one of the important industries
which the Democratic House undertook
to destroy by placing tin plate upon the
free list.