The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-29


The tin-plate industry, which made it's
first fight for existence in this country
under the Mckinley law. mas got a much
harder one before it under the present
tariff. The establishment Of the indus
try under adequate protection was by
no means an easy matter, but the main
difficulties had been overcome and the
industry was getting fairly on its feet
when the present law was passed. Mr..
John H. Rogers, the head Of two large
tin-plate mills in Wales, and also in
terested in a large factory at Gas City,
In this State. is authority for the state
ment that if the Mckinley law had been
allowed TO stand. in another five years
America would have been making all
the plates 1t could use and the working
men would have been receiving all these
years the same high rate of wages. Mr..
Rogers says, further, hat 1.-The business
OF making tin plate, which, under the
Mckinley law. America was rapidly
learning, will be restored in large meas
ure to Wales" This is what British tin
mine owners and manufacturers expect,
n the signs of the restoration are al
ready apparent In the improved value OF
British tin properties. The London
Financial Times Of Sept. Is said:
The passing of the American tariff bill
has already caused a marked improvement
In the shares of several Cornish mines, and
they are at present rather difficult to OBJ
tain. Trade In tin with America is now
practically on a free basis. The metal upon
which a tax of f9 per ton, or 4 cents per
pound, was levied under the Mckinley act
Is now Qdmitfad fran nf 6rItV and a G n Hnn-
sequence the quotation has risen about f3
on the London market during the last week.
The market Is also encouraged by tie di-
minished supplies of tin from the East. the
imports for the present month being esti-
mated at five hundred tons less than the
f @ines fo are 'q lGSkine Alt 1g tin since ane y We
wrote there has been an advance In quota
tons of these two companies shares alone
of no les than f150, 900 In the aggregate,
which cannot be deemed an unsatisfactory
feature after the lethargy which for so long
a time has characterized the market.
This savors of true British ~frankness.
There is no pretense that the repeal of
the duty on tin can benefit any Ameri-
can interest, and no effort to conceal
the fact that British interests nave al
ready(been materially benefited. That
'tin n tin mine are looking up" is
undoubtedly as true from a British
point of view as it is from an American
point of view that the manufacture of
tin plate has received a probably fatal
blow.
British manufacturers are quick to
seize and utilize any advantage. and it
will not be their fault if they do not
improve the present opportunity to
crush out the tin-plate industry in this
country. AS one means to this end they
are trying TO induce skilled tin workers
who came to the United States under
the operation of the Mckinley law TO
return to the old country. The South
Wales Daily News Of recent date says
The movement started a week ago at
Swansea with the object of taking advan-
tage Of the strike Of millmen at the Ameri-
can tin-plate works to get them back to
Wales is gaining ground. Originally it was
decided TO offer in the Welsh works prefer
ence places for such millmen as would re-
turn. Now the makers going a step further
and not content with merely guaranteeing
places, a number of them, with the APP
proval of leading representatives of the
home of such as are inclined to return at
once. -rin-
AS many of the tin-plate mills in this
country have closed and none can re-
sumo except under a heavy cut in
wages, it is a good time for British
manufacturers to hold out inducements
to the tin workers who have come here
during the last two years to return. The
time to press an enemy or a rival is
when he is weak, and the British manu-
facturers are smart enough to see that
now is their opportunity. Meanwhile,
they are flooding the country with
British tin. The Industries and Iron, a
trade paper published in London, says
in its issue of Sept. %: 9TH alteration
in the American tariff has been prompt.
ly responded to by a largely increased
movement of British tin plate to the
United States" In view Of these facts
there seems to be very little hope fol
the American tin-plate industry under
the present law.