The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-09-15
The Republican Journal Thursday Morning. September IS 1892

W elSn makers at once CUT prices 10 pOlul
that drove the American beginners out of
the business, and when this was accom-
plished again made their own prices. A
correspondent OF the Industrial World,
the official organ of the Welsh tin plate
workers, published at Swansea, in the is
sue of June TO- 1892, advises a new trial
of these methods. He says:
'sDo not be deceived. The victory of the
Republican at the polls means the reten-
ton of the Mckinley bill and means the
rapidly accruing loss of so per cent. Of
the export of American trade. Had there
been no Democratic victory in 1890 the
spread of the tin plate manufacture
in the United States would have been
both rapid and bona tide. 1t is not yet
! too late to do something to reduce the
prices of plates. Put them down to II
slllings per box of 100, II by 20 full
weight basis. Let the workmen take
half pay for a few months and turn out
more. Then let the masters forego profits
/ for the same time
And again that paper says: ct is
clearly the interest of both employer and
! wolkmen) to produce tin plates, tariff. at
a price that will drive all competitors from
the field
But in spite of the doubts raised
| by the elections of 1870, and of the
Vaccinations of foreign producers to
maintain their monopoly the tin plate in
dustry has been established in the United
States. and the alliance between the Welsh
producers and the Democratic party for
its destruction will not succeed
The official returns to the Treasury De
paltment of the production of tin and
terne plates, i'll the United States during
the last fiscal year, show total produc-
AZ,
of the first quartel-S26, 922 pounds-with
the lasts. 900, 600 pounds shows the
rapid development Of the industry. Over
), 600 900 pounds during the last quarter
We're made from American plates: the re-
mainder from foreign plates. MI. Aver,
the Treasury agent in charge. estimates as
the result of careful inquiry that the pro-
duction of the current year will be 1OO
900, 600 pounds, and that 10y the end of the
year our production be at the rate of POO
OO0 600 pounds per annum.
Another industry that has been practi-
cally created by the Mckinley bill is the
making of pearl buttons. Few articles
coming to us from abroad were 50 dis
tinctly the product of starvation wages.
But without unduly extending this letter,
cannot follow in detail the influences
of the Tariff law Of 1890. 1t has trans
and established them here and has revived
or enlarged all others. The act gives to
the miners protection against foreign sill
yer bearing lead ores-the free introduce
ton of which threatened the great mining
industries of the Rocky Mountain States
and to the wool growers protection for
| their tleeceS and tlockS-Which has saved
them from a further disastrous decline.
The House OF representatives. at its last
session passed bills placing these ores and
wool upon the free list. The people OF
the West know how destructive to their
prosperity these measures would be.
This tariff law has given employment to
many thousands of American men and
J. women, and will each year give employ
ment to increasing thousands. Its repeal
would throw thousands out Of employ
ment and give work to others only at re-
duced wages The appeals Of the free
trader to the working man are largely adj
dressed to his preiudices or to his passions.
and not intreuuently are pronouncedly
communistc
: The new Democratic leadership RACES at
, the employer and seeks to communicate
$ his rage to the employee. / greatly regret
that all employers of labor are not lust
and consderate. and that capital some
4 times takes too large 4 share OF the profits.
But do not see that these evils will be
ameliorated by a tariff policy the tilst
, necessary effect OF which is a severe wage
, cut. and the second q large dminution of
5 the aggregate amount of work to be done
4 in this country. If the injustice of his
, employer tempts the workman to strike
, back, he should be very Sure that his blow
t does not fall upon his own head or UPON
+ his wife and children. The wurkmelI in
i,,.l, -.
| markedly Intelligent. and are lovers of
4 home and country, They may be reused
> by injustice. or what seems to them to
, be such. or be led Ior the moment by
f others, into acts of passion: but they will
settle the tariff contest in the calm light
of their November tiresides. and with sole
t reference to the prosperity Of the country
f of which they are citizens and OF the homes
t they have founded for their wives and
. children. No intelligent advocate Of a
. protective tariff claims that it is able, OF
!, ITSELF to maintain Il uniform rate Of wages
without regard to fluctuations in the sup
ply of and demand for the products OF
labor. But it is confidently claimed that
| protective duties strongly tend to hold up
wages. and are the only barrier against i,
2 reduction to the European scale.
! The Southern States have had a liberal
=
law, and, though their representatives
have generally opposed the protection
2 policy. | rejoice that their sugar, rice,
!. COAL ores, iron, fruits. cotton cloths and
other products have not been left to the
fate which the votes OF their Representa-
; tives would have brought upon them. In
the construction OF the Nicaragua Canal,
+ in the new trade with South and Central
America. in the establishment of Ameri-
) can steamship lines, these States have al
SO special interests, and all these interests
will not always consent to be without
f representation at Washington.
t Shrewdly, but not quite fairly, our adj
versaries speak only Of the increased
, duties imposed upon tin. pearl buttons
and other articles by the Mckinley bill
and omit altogether any reference to the
great and beneficial enlargement of the
, free list. During the last fiscal year sos.
! 900, ~ worth of merchandise, or %. 30
per cent. of our total importations. came
in free (the largest percentage in our his
, tory; while in 1850 the per cent. of free
importations was only 81. A. per cent
; The placing of sugar upon the free list has
, saved for the consumer in duties in -
, months, after paving the bounties provid-
ed for. SS7 600. 600 This relief has been