Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-06

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facturers, the persistent disbelief of every
report OF the opening of . tin plate mill o.
of an increase of our foreign trade bv re
ciprocitv, are as surprising as they are dis
creditable. There is not thoughtful bust
ness man in the country who does not know
! that the enactment into law of the declara
tion of the Chicago convention on the subjec
Of the tariff would alone plunge the country
into a business convulsion such as it ha.
never seen; and there is not thoughtful
workingrnsn who does not know that il
would at once enormously reduce the
amount of work to be done in this country
by the increase of importations that would
follow and necessitate q reduction of hi
wages to the European standard.
If any one suggests that this radical
policy will not be executed if the Democrati,
party attains power, what shall be thought
of party that Is capable. Of thus trifine
with great interests? The threat of such
Legislation would be only less hurtful thar
the fact. A distinguished Democrat rightly
described this movement as challenge tc
the protected industries to a fight of exter
mination, and another such rightly expressed
the logic of the situation when he inter
preted the Chicago platform to be an in
vitation to all Democrats holding even the
most modern protection views to go into the
Republican party.
Benefits of the Mckinley Tariff.
And now few words in regard to the ex
listing tariff law. We are fortunately able
to judge of its influence upon production
and prices bv the market reports. The day
of the prophet of calamity has been sue.
ceeded pv that of the trade reporter. An
examination into the effect of the law upon
the prices of protection products and of the
cost of such articles as enter into the living
of people of small means has been made by
a Senate committee composed of leading
Senators of both parties, with the aid of the
best statisticians, and the report, signed by
all the members of the committee, has been
careful inquiry has ever before been made.
These facts appear from the report:
First-The cost of articles entering into
the use of those earning less than 81, ,001 per
annum has decreased up to May, 1892. 34 per
cent, while in farm products there has been
an increase in prices. owing in part to an IN
creased foreign demand and the opening of
new markets. In England during tho same
period the cost OF living increased l9 per
cent Tested by their power to purchase
articles OF necessity the earnings of our
working people have never been as great as
they are now.
Second-There has been an average ad-
vance in the rate OF wages of rs of per
cent.
Third-There has been an advance in the
price of all farm products of 1857 per cent,
and OF all cereals 3S SO per cent.
The ninth annual report of the Chief of
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
State Of New York, a Democratic officer,
very recently issued. strongly corroborates
as to that State the facts found by the Sen
ate committee. His extended inquiry shows
that in the year Immediately following the
passage of the tariff act of 1892 the aggre-
gate paid in wages in that State was Sc, 377, =
925 in excess, and the aggregate production
S31 ,315, 40 in excess of the preceding year.
Better Wages and Cheaper Living.
In view of this showing of an increase in
wages of reduction In the cost of articles
of common necessity and of a marked ad-
vance in the prices of agricultural products,
it is plain that this tariff law has not i'm
posed burdens, but has conferred benefits
upon the farmer and the workingman.
Some special effects of the act should be
noticed. 1t was courageous attempt to
rid our people of long maintained foreign
monopoly in the production of tin plate,
pearl buttons, silk plush, linens, lace, etc
Once or twice in our history the produc-
tion of tin plate had been attempted and
the price obtained by the Welsh makers
would have enabled our makers to produce
it at profit But the Welsh makers at
once cut prices to point that drove the
American beginners out of the business,
and when this was accomplished again
made their own prices. A correspondent
of the Industrial Word, the official organ of
the Welsh tin plate workers, published at
SU ansea, in the issue of June 10, 1892, ad-
vises a new trial of these methods. He
says:
Do not be deceived. The victory of the
at the polls means the reten-
tion OF the Mckinley bill. and means the
ra pidly accrufng loss of so per cent of the
export American trade. Had there been no
Democratic victory in 1890 the spread of the
Tin plate manufacture in the United States
would have beon both rapid and bona fide.
4 1t is not yet too late to do something
to reduce the price of plates. Put them
down to lis per box of 100 4x20 .full-weight
basis Let the workmen take half nay for q
the masters Iorego profits for the same
time.
And again that paper says:
1t is clearly the interest OF both proprie-
tors and workingmen to produce tin plates,
tariff or no tariff, at price that will drive
all competition from the field.
An Alliance Knocked Out Completely.
But, in spite of the doubts raised by the
elections OF 1890 and of the Vaccinations of
foreign producers to maintain their mon
opoly, the tinplate industry has been estab-
lished in the United States, and the al
lance between the Welsh producers and
the Democratic party for its destruction
will not succeed. The official returns to
the Treasury Department of the production
of tin and terne plates in the United States
during the last fiscal year, show a total
production of 13, 240, $50 pounds and COM
parison of the first quarter, 1886, 922 pounds,
with the last, 100000 pounds, shows tho
rapid development of the industry. Over
5, ,000,000 pounds during the last quarter
we're made from American block plates, the
from foreign plates Mr.. Aver,
the Treasury agent in charge, estimates. as
the result of careful inquiry, that the pro-
duction of the current year will be 100, 900,
BOO pounds, and that BY the end of the year
our production will be at the rate of 200,
900, 900 pounds per annum.
Another industry that has been prac-
tically created by the Mckinley bill Is the
coming to us from abroad were so distinctly
the product of starvation wages.
But, without undulv extending this let
ter, 1 cannot follow in detail the influences
of the tariff law Of 1890. 1t has transplanted
several important industries and estab-
lished them here and has revived or en-
larged all others. The act gives to the
miners protection against foreign silver
bearing lead ores, the free introduction of
which threatened the great mining indus
tries of the Rocky Mountain States; and to
the wool growers protection for their feeces
and flocks, which has saved them from q
further and disastrous decline. The House
Of Representatives at its last session passed
DiAs placing these ores and wool upon the
Tree list
The West and South Interested.
The people of the West will know how
destructive to their prosperity these meas
nres would be. This tariff law has given