Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-04-28
SWANK'S BOOMERANG
LUDlCRoUS SHOWING OF THE PRO-
TEcTIONlST "TlN PLATE LIARS"

The Manufacturers Association Reports
Three Times as Large Product as
Manager Swank Can Find-The Con-
sumers' Association Finds Still Less.
So much has been said and written on
the rise of the tin plate industry in the
United States as completely to bewilder
the people. On one side claims are ad-
vanced that the growth of the industry
since the Mckinley tariff went into eff
feet is phenomenal; on the other, all
these claims are denied and the counter
claim is set up that only little tin plate
has yet been made, chiefly by coating
imported sheets of iron or steel, and that
the total product is less than per cent
of the consumption.
The Tin Plate Manufacturers associa-
tion has done much to create favora-
BILE impression. On Jan. 8 it gave out
for publication list of the works in op-
Grafton, with their capacity, and those
now building and projected. Twenty
four of these, it claimed, were already
turning out tin plate, with an estimated
weekly capacity of $3.50 boxes, while
four others would soon be in operation.
This statement was published in full by
The Bulletin of the American Iron and
Steel Association and other high tariff
papers.
In January last the Tin Plate Con-
sumers' association issued statement
to the OBJECT that the production of tin
plate in this country was equal to less
than per cent. of the consumption, and
consisted largely of terne plates made
from imported sheets of iron or steel.
And in order to get at the facts the as
sociation sent out to its members cir
cular letter requesting them to send in
reports of the amount of American tin
plate used by them since the duty went
into effect. So far 115 reports have been
received, exactly 100 of which declare
that their writers have not bought any
American plate whatever, while fifteen
report that they have bought some-the
total being 665 boxes.
Each of the above statements is vouch-
ed for as being perfectly correct. Which
is to be believed?
The manager of the American Iron
and Steel association issues annually a
directory of the iron and steel indus
tries, publication which is regarded as
standard authority in the iron trade.
If the statements of the Manufacturers
association are correct, they ought to be
vouched for by this directory, the edi-
ton of which for 1892 has just appeared
The statements have been corrected
down to the middle of last February.
To any one who is curious enough to
consult this directory it will at once be-
come evident that Manager Swank has
not used by any means as much latitude
of statement as is in his weekly Bulletin
In the directory Mr.. Swank describes
the status of twenty works which are
''in operation or are prepared to make
tin or terne plates" and ten others now
building. Of these he says fifteen are in
operation. In giving their weekly ca
pacity he is careful to use the word
estimated" which he explains in note
as meaning reported by the respective
manufacturers. The following compar-
ison between the statements made by
the Manufacturers association and the
facts as ascertained by Mr. Swank is in
teresting:
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