Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-16
THE TIN PLATE TAX.
HOW THE DUTY ON TIN PLATE
INJURIES THE FARMER.

Millions Lost and Labor Wasted to Build
Up an Infant Industrial Burden on
the Canning Business, as Shown by a
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
ent 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
| 1850, 100000 cans used. Computing the
amount, to be safe, at round 100000
600, and assuming that two-thirds were
| 2-pound cans and one-third 3-pound,
which is the usual proportion, we have
duty cost in the cans used of 81, 1916, 900.
At the prices ruling in 1891 this vast
sum represents the cost to consumers of
| 100000 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 $2,500,000 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 num-
Der during the whole year. Here then
is tariff tax which would pension off
| 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 a
good average. The duty cost in cans
per ton therefore is $3.50, and per acre
it is $780, 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 his
| practical consideration. In the absence
of any duty on plates the Gamer could
! pay him $50. so instead of thirty dollars
| per acre for his tomatoes, an increase of
70 per cent. This is loss to the farmer
Of 1917 cents per bushel We have known
farmers, irrespective Of politics, to enter
| into a justifable combination and strike
for an advance of 215 cents per bushel.
The average yield of corn per acre is
three tons, which, at six dollars per ton,
nets the farmer eighteen dollars; the
duty cost on the cans to put up an acre
| Of corn is $11.61. In the absence of
tariff on tin plates the farmer could re-
ceive Ga per cent. more for his crop and
the Gamer still be able to sell his goods
at the same price.
With free tin plates a business revo-
luton among the canneries would take
! place; the farmer would get 25 per cent.
of this tariff tax added to the price Of
his tomatoes and other products; the la.
borer could get Is per cent. of this tariff
| tax added to his labor; consumers would
| get 80 per cent. of the tax through a re-
duction In the cost of canned food.
This reduction in prices would increase
their consumption % per cent, which
means larger home market and more
acreage of products for the farmer.
Again, the senate committees report
on their measure says, "The trainers
have not hesitated to erect or maintain
defensive barriers which will carry con-
| fdence and comfort into American
homes" Yet we have here the specta-
Gle presented of the value of 10000 car
loads of canned tomatoes or 1000 car
loads of canned corn thus added by law
to the cost Of the cans, which would
only go to swell the dump heap where
the goods are served, while men by thou
sands ask in vain for days work, and
while mothers, tortured by the pleading
Of starving children beg for bread.