Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-09-09
THE TIN PLATE TAX.
HOW THE DUTY ON TIN PLATE
INJURIES THE FARMER.

MILLIONS Lost and Labor Wasted to Build
Up an Infant Industry-A Burden on
the Canning Business, rs Shown by .
Prominent Gamer.
Congressman Bunting, prominent
Gamer, in his recent speech in congress
depicted the burden imposed upon agri-
culture by the tin plate duty as follows:
The canning industry, which consumes
over one-half of all the tin plate i'm
ported, becomes the principal victim,
because it has no alternative but to pay
the increased tax or go out of the bust
ness. This wonderful industry ema-
mates from the farm, and its profit is in
preserving perishable farm products and
the surplus of glutted markets.
There are 1900 canning concerns in
the United States, scattered over the
productive fields of twenty-five differ
emit states. Adding to these the meat,
fish and oyster packers, we have an in
dustry of 1900 concerns affected by
this legistion, of growers, pickers, stock
raisers, ranchmen, oystermen, fisher
men, Gamers, packers, laborers, box and
label manufacturers, canmakers and
shippers, which stands for the support
and sustenance of 1900, 900 of our people
| On basis of tin consumed" by Gamers
during the season of 1891 there were
| ], 300 ,OO0, 900 cans used. Computing the
amount, to be safe, at round 1000 200, :
| 900, and assuming that two-thirds were
2-pound cans and one-third S-pound,
which is the usual proportion, we have
duty cost in the cans used of 81, 89S, 900
At the prices ruling in 1891 this vast
sum represents the cost to consumers of
$500, 900 cases of corn. To pack this
amount of corn would require the prod
uct of from 10000 to 10000 acres of
land, and would pay the farmer and his
laborers So 500, 900. The total labor en-
ployed in growing, picking, canning,
packing, canmaking, labelling and box
ing this amount Of canned goods would
not fall short of 10000 people during
the canning season, or half of that mum
Der during the whole year. Here then
is a tariff tax which would pension of
10000 on living wages now deprived Of
a chance to earn their living.
A bushel of tomatoes in New York
will fill on an average fifteen cans. A
ton of tomatoes therefore fills 500 cans
Five tons of tomatoes to the acre is 6
good average. The duty cost in cans
per ton therefore is $3.50, and per acre
it is $22.5O. The price paid the farmer
in most states is six dollars per ton
hence the farmer has this sublime sum
mary of protection presented for hiI
practical consideration. In the absence
of any duty on plates the Gamer coulG
pay him $685. instead of thirty dollars
per acre for his tomatoes, an increase o.
1 F~n- - l. E.
i of 1879 cents per bushel. We have know
farmers, irrespective of politics, to entel
into a justiiable combination and STRIKE
for an advance of az cents per bushel
The average yield of corn per acre i
three tons, which, at six dollars per ton
nets the farmer eighteen dollars; tn
duty cost on the cans to'put up an acr
y of corn is $11.61. In the absence of ,
tariff on tin plates the farmer could re
? ceive 81 per cent more for his crop ant
the Gamer still be able to sell his good
at the same price.
With free tin plates business revo
luton among the canneries would tax
place; the farmer would get 20 per cent
of this tariff tax added to the price o
his tomatoes and other products; the la
, borer could get % per cent. of this tarit
tax added to his labor; consumers woul
: get so per cent. of the tax through a re
duction in the cost of canned food
! This reduction in prices would increas
r their consumption 25 per cent, whic
means larger home market and NOR
t acreage of products for the farmer.
Again, the senate committees repor
+ on their measure says, "The Trainer
have not hesitated to erect or maintai
defensive barriers which will carry cor
d fidence and comfort into America
, homes" Yet we have here the specta
Gle presented of the value of 10000 cal
loads of canned tomatoes or 1000 cal
loads of canned corn thus added by lay
to the cost of the cans, which woul
only go to swell the dump heap wher
the goods are served, while men by thor
sands ask in vain for days work, an
while mothers, tortured by the pleadin
Of starving children, beg for bread.
A Comparison for Farmers.
ReDublican organ assures the farm