The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-10-13

An Industry Built Upon the Ruins of More
Important Industries Furnishes the
Governors Greatest Argument.

Important Industries Furnishes the
Governors Greatest Argument.
As was expected, Gov. Mckinney
opened his campaign in Ohio by point
ing with pride Ia "torty-two tin-pl.t e
factories employing thousands Of men,
not n Of which The probably means
industries) was in existence before
the tariff Of 1880" After stating that
the products of his pet industry was
nearly $4,000, 900 pounds for the three
months ended June 30, 1898, and that
A. per cent of that was made from
American black plates, he said:
II assume that tin plate is to be
made free, because the last house Of rep
resentstive, which was democratic. made
IL free by n party vote. These sp,en-
did industries which have been built
mp in u country, AMI which have sup
piled employment for SO many work
inglnen, are 10 be closed, and this. the
greatest consuming nation of tin plate
in the world, will hereafter buy this
product from abroad. unless our labor
il brought down To the degraded level
of competing labor. | cannot believe
that the people of the United States
favor this policy. II they do. they are
recreant To their highest and best in
terests. The manufacture of the tin
plate annually consumed by the peo-
pie of the United States would keep up
an army of so, 900 w~orkingmen in con-
slant employment The policy of my dis
tinguished competitor, the democratic
candidate for governor, is.to take this
employment from them and to give it
TO the cheaper labor Of Europe. The
tariff Of the republican party would
employ these 60, 900 workingmcn in the
United States at good wages and thus
give the agriculturists. to the manu-
facturers and u merchants 90, 900
profitable consumers of their prod
ucts."
Undoubtedly the tin plate industry
i the greatest achievement of Mckin-
lcyism. i'ut should its putative father
bc proud of it? In the first place we
will inspect the governors figures:
The official estimate for the quarter
ended June 30th. 1858. is $50 900 600
pounds But nearly 20. 900, 600 pounds
Were made from imported sheets. AS
nine-tenths of the weight and of the
value and three-fourths Of the labor
cost of tin plates is in the black or I'M
coated sheets, h treasury department
has very properly decided that such
sheets when merely dipped in import
ed tin, often by imported workmen, do
not constitute American tin plate"
IT was only by a patriotic move of re-
publican officials, who wished to mag
Nifty our production, that this foreign
product was ever declared to be Amer
lean. Our actual product for this quar-
ter, then. was less than 100 0 900
pounds, about half Of which was terne
or roofing plate.
Next, as to that army of 60. 900
~workingmen." Hon. Thomas L. Bunt-
ing. president of the Tin Plate Consupi-
er>' association. said in congress in 1872
that our average annual consumption
of tin plate latter deducting 1000, 900
boxes for export) is about 5000, go
boxes: and that the total labor cost Of
producing this is IS. 00O, 900. at $40O,
h average wages paid such help in
this country, IL, 500 people might pos-
sibly find employment in this indus
try ii we should make all the tin plate
we If we should employ an
army of 60, 900 the average wages
would be less than 81 per week. The
governor can choose between the two
horns of this dilemma.
As 10. 200, 900 pounds equal about 1G0.-
600 boxes we are now employing about
400 people in this genuine American
industry. II. as Congressman Bunting
estimated, 800 men at $500 a year could
tin. wash. grease. rub and dust the
5000. 600 boxes which we annually con
sumo, we are now employing about lis
men in our tin-dipping establishments.
About 800 men. then, should he en-
ploycd in Il tin plate works. As,
however. many of the plants are small
and not run to good advantage the
number actually employed may be con-
siderablv greater. We will bc very
liberal and give il 1900 men at $500
each. making "A total for wages paid of
$500. 900 as the result of the Mckinley
tariff.
In order to estimate the profits of
this industry to this country we shall
now see what il is costing us. The
duty On 800, 900. 900 pounds of tin plate
il $4,000 600. Seven million dollars of
this was added by Mckinley for the ex-
press purpose of inducing tin plate fac
tories to s~ojourn with us. The first
two years was almost a lead loss to
this country. as the mills were not, in
lso2. making more Than ) per cent of
our consumption. Now, after nearly
three years Of prosperity, greater than
that of any othe, new industry ever
started in the United States as Nc
kinley tells MS. we pay out s12. 600, 600
and take in 5000, 900 And Ohio's gov
ernor considers this a great bargain.
But suppose that The great expectations
and promises Of Mckinley had been
realized and that we were now making
all Of the tin plate we consume, and
that our factories were dependent upon
the duty, we would her expend si2,-
600. 900 in increased cost of tin p ate and
get back s5, 900. 900 in wages, il Con
gresham Bunting's statistics are cor
rect. But it should not be forgotten
that not all of this 81. 900, 900 is gain;
the most of those employed in this in