Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-09-08
Tin Plate Up to Date.

The Press today presents some hard
nuts for free traders to crack in regard
to the tin plate industry. Special Agent
Aver of the Treasury Department yes
terday made public another report. In
it he brings down the tin plate industry
to June 80, 1892, and wonderful show
ing it is. During the first quarter of
the year only persons were engaged
in the business, in the second quarter
II firms were engaged, in the third
quarter 20 were engaged, and at the
close of the fourth quarter 26 concerns
were making tin plate with a probabil-
ity Of at least new names to be added
to the list by the close of the present
quarter.
In the same way the product is rap
idly increasing, and the amount for the
year will not be far short of 10000, 900
pounds. Less than 100000 pounds of
tin and terne plates were made in the
first quarter of the last fiscal year. and
more than 100000 pounds in the last
quarter. This is showing that should
make the tin plate liar hang his head
for shame. 1t is a grand tribute to
American patriotism and courage in
passing the bill, and to American skill
and enterprise in starting the industry
in spite of free trade threats to repeal
the law. Give the American manu-
facturer and workman chance. and
the story of the tin plate industry will
simply be the oft told story of the Amer
ican steel rail industry, the American
wire nail industry, the American silk
and ribbon industry, the American
plush industry and score of other in
dustries that have been firmly establish
by the aid of the protective tariff.
To repeal the law establishing the
manufacture of tin plate in the United
States would be nothing short of crime;
and yet the Democratic party is posi-
lively pledged to do this very thing,
and Democratic House has already
passed on the question. The purpose
of that law was not to advance the in
terest of any set Of manufacturers, be-
cause there were none engaged in the
industry in the United States. In 20
years, from 1871 to 1891, we paid for
this necessary article to foreigners the
immense sum of 1907, 341 ,404, exclusive
of freights and importers profits, upon
total importation of 3,622, ,750 gross
tons.
The use of this money was unneces-
sarily lost us, taken from the channels
of our own trade. 1t neither employed
American labor nor added to American
capital. Il took from us just SO much
capital capable of utilization as it
amounted to in bullion exported from
this country. And this exhaustive
drain upon our resources was not the
result OF any lack of materials, ma
chinery OF labor upon our part The
want of proper protection to home labor
against the unpaid labor of Europe
made and kept us industrially depend
ent upon Great Britain and at her mercy
as to prices.
The Republican party had the cour-
age to pass the necessary legislation to
compel this industry to run in our
channel instead of some other channel.
The American manufacturer has had
the courage to put his capital and his
energy into the manufacture of tin
plate. And the American artisan will
have the courage to aid other patriotic
American citizens in keeping the duty
On tin plate until we pay that $500, ,OOO,-
600 out here at home instead of sending
it abroad.