The morning call., 1892-09-21
TALKING on TIN PLATE.
Congressman Springer Reviews the Tariff
From a Democratic Standpoint.

NATION, H., Sept. 20.-Hon. William
n. Springer addressed large audience here
today. His speech was principally reply
70 that delivered by Governor Mckinley at
FlwOod last week. He said that during the
interval Of nine months before starting the
increased tariff rate provided in the Mckin-
lev bin there was an enormous Increase IN
tie importation Of tiuplateS to get into the
country under the old rates ana sell them at
the increased rates. If the Mckinley bill
had taken effect on tin plates Immediately
on It's passage, as it should have done, the
Government would have received over ten
millions more revenue than 1t did from these
importations. The people we're compelled
to buy at the supposed increase price, how
ever. aud this $4,000, coo was the net profit
Of lie tinplate importers and jobbeTs. After
wOl king to their utmost capacity Tor time
to meet the enormous demand from the
United States, the Welsh mills, after June
1891, were obliged to shut down Tor tlme
in order that the consumption could eaten
ND with the production. The Republicans
Immediately set UP the claim that the Nc
Kinley bill had caused the Welsh mills TO
shut down and the industry TO be trans
ferred to this country. Thus history ana
facts were perverted 20 deceive cur people.
Congressman Springer further SAID IN al
the manufacture of tinplate IN this country
was conceded by ali 10 be an Improbable
industry, which cannot exist without
Government bounty or high protective
tariff. Either the Government or the con-
suners OF tinplates must pay 100000
every year more than would otherwise be
required, in order to have our annual sup
ply of tinplates made here. The report Of
the Government Agent Tor the fiscal year
ended June last shows that the output OF
lin aad terne plates IN this country that
n a T1 fnnz
than per cent of the amount consumed IN
the same period. We were told when
the Mckinley Dill was pending that within
one year from its passage we would make
here all the plates we could consume. Ae-
cording 10 the official report, only about
one-ouarter Of the amount produced here
was tin plates. the other three-iOurths were
terneplates, which are coated with lead and
tin and are used for roofing purposes only.
And even this meager output Of less than
Ter cent Is not altogether an American pro-
ducilOn.
Springer went on TO state that the impor-
tatiun of steel sheets or BLACK plates" used
in the manufacture of tlnplates since the
passage of the Mckinley bill began to in
crease almost corIespondiDgly with the
increased prOduc Ion OF tin and terne plates.
An agent Of the Treasury Department
claimed for the last quarter Of the fiscal
year that 100000 back plates were made
in the United States, but where made and
whether used in the manufacture OF tin
plates does not appear. But 1t does appear
that the importati0ns for that quarter were
over 100000 pounds and from this it is ap-
parent that the greater amount of tin and
terne plates produced in the Unite1 States
were made by using imported black plates.
The part performed in America in large
measure is merely a dipping process Of
metals mostly imported. Ii was stated in
circular recently issued by the Taylor Com
pany Of Philadelphia that by Using the latest
improved Welsh dipping-pOt two boys
can dip seventy boxes Of tin daily. Ii
this is true twelve boys by work
ing the entire year could have dipped
the entire American production Of the ii cal
year. at the same ratio ii would only require
642 boys to dip the.entire amount required
IN the United States. Neither the dipping
boys nor the men who box the plates are
skilled laborers, and are hired at the lowest
prices for unskilled labor, but no matter
how many persons were engaged In the
industry here in the past year 1t is evident
that the American people who are subject
TO tax Of 600 a year for building up
the tinplate industry have paid very dear
for the luxury.
Springer asserted that it is not intended
to build up bona.fde tinplate industry in
this country. The increased tariff rate was
largely lobbed through by the American
Corrugated Roofing Company. which wished
to drive the tin-roOfers out of the field, and
IT has succeeded. The Democratic party IL
Clothed with power by the people Will
speedily put an and to this political part
nership with private enterprise and restore
the duty on tinplate to ! cent pound or
put it on the free list