Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-06-04
THE TIN-PLATE QUESTION
An Intelligent survey Of the sl,pat,o

An Intelligent Survey of the situation
N Y. Tribune: A circular by a firm
OF tin plate importers, whose antag
onlsm TO the tin-plate duty has been
persistent and yocierous, makes the in
cidental but important admission that
prices of tin cans and utensils have not
advanced, they claim that tin plates
have IN consequence Of the new duties
The orsumer do rot pay for cans or
tlnWare anything more than they paid
before the duties we're raised, and the
foreign makers are gradually dropping
The prices Of tin plates at hclesale, IN
order TO retain as much as iey can OF
The American market, thus paving out
OF their own pockets most of the diff
ference in the duties These thing
prompt the inquiry whether democrats
IN the House would gain anything by
he reduction Of duties they demand, il
they could get 10 They would gain not
cent for the Americans who are con.
sumers OF tin pans, plates, diuuer-pails
or cans IN packing The retail prices of
all these articles remain Just what they
we're before the new duties we're i'm
posed. But the abolition Of the duties
we're imposed, But the abolition OF the
duties would destroy an important in.
dustury which already employs many
hundred hands
This m liter deserves more serious at
tentlOn than members Of congress have
yet given it. THE Till cannot pass, at
any rate" they have said, and there
fore members have voted for the change
without seriously considering what it
would mean They have not thought
what a number of men are already earn.
ing wages, directly, or indirectly, be-
cause oethis single duty. They have
not thought how many men will be EN-
ployed IN works of this character within
a very short time, nor in what States
they a~a located. 1t appears from the
official report that forty-two companies
have already been orgrnzed for the
manufacture Of tin plates, OF which
nineteen were in operation and officially
repor ed their production for the last
quarter These produce about $780,
600 pounds of tin and terne plates of all
kinds, including about 1000 600 pounds
produced for the manufactures Of
goods, and the production Of
one factory which made its return too
lite for compilation But others are
building works. or have already built
and are prepared TO begin operations
almost Immediately They scatter all
over the country, but the large proper
ton of them may be found in the states
reckoned politically doubtful
But it is sthted that some of the
largest establishments in Great Britain
are about TO remove to this country
One Of them has purchased a site and
II about TO erect Orks IN q nsigAboriag
town in New Jersey These would
doubtless bring to this country N ny
of their skilled workmen, but would
rely for unskiled labor upon the
American supply. Hundreds of hands
would thus be called into employment
who are now idle while American
farmers, American producers of every
kind, and American traders, would
benefit by supplying the skilled lahorers
who come hither from atroId and who
now obtain al their supplies from trade
and producers in other countries And
behind all this there is the supply OF
the materials now used or TO be used IN
the manufacture. Hundreds OF men
10 mines will have to produce the ore
and the coal; many more will have to
smelt the iron aud to roll it into sheets,
and to cut it into proper shapes, and for
the work Irall these operations Ameri
c MS will be employed, and the increased
demand for their labor will mean in
ere sed profits for the farmers, the
traders and the mechanics who live
nelr them A single change of duty
for which tie democr tic party ia the
house has voted almost UNANIMOUSLY,
mean the destruction Of an
industry which already benefits direct
ly and indirectly, thousands Of people in
this coutry and promises within a short
time to confer benefits upon far great
er mum Der