Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-05-31
That Tin-Plate Infant.

That Tin-Plate Infant.
Senator Higgins made little speech
on Thursday which Lad at least the
negative meri: Of. being more germane
TO the Tariff bill than his former apology
for American interference, under the
Harrison administration, in Hawaii.
This speech was devoted to the cause Of
that somewhat venerable infant indus
Try, the manufacture Of TEMPLATES, and
is being printed as . serial by his Will
miHgton organ, which commends il as
admirable and as showing that Mr..
Higgins was not only perfectly familiar
with his subject, but that he had the
facts and figures to prove his case" Ac-
cepiing Mr.. Higgins Figures" for the
sake OF argument, however, We find con-
clusively demonstrated that i: would
have been cheaper for the consumers of
tin-plate 70 have supported in idleness
every man claimed to be employed in
the production Of the domestic article,
paying him better wages than he earned
and providing him with superior hotel
accommodations.
Mr Higgins admits in Lis speech,
what the official statistics show, that
during the year 1898, Notwithstanding
what he affects to regard as the en-.
couraging growth Of this 25.years.old
infant, we imported 595,031 ,53s POUNDS
oftin-plate weighing less than 63 pounds
to the square foot, and IS, Gas, ASP pounds
Of heavier plates, making total of
6l3,679, $50 pounds Of foreign tin-plate
imported into this country during that
year. (It may be remarked, in passing.
that the total importation for the year
1890, when we admittedly drew our en-
tire supply from abroad, was GA, 1874. ass
pounds-) The duty on the importation
of 1893 amounted to Sl9, 500, 959.66. No
matter what sophistry Mr.. Higgins may
resort 10, in attempting to explain that
the foreigner paid this duty, it Is plain
to every intelligent man tina; the i'm
porters had to plank down that sum to
get this tin into their possession, and
that the final consumer thereof had to
pay this amount, with interest and
profits added. But, assuming that the
consumers merely paid the face Of the
duty, we have an added cost OF Si5, $780,
050 on our tin-plate supply for 1898.
Now, for the other side. Mr.. Higgins
contends that the domestic production
for the same period amounted to
99,sl9,202 pounds, ard that this produc-
ton furnished employment to G,0O0
American laborers." We might show
that very large percentage OF this pro-
duction consisted simply in the dipping
Of imported black plates in imported tin
by imported laboreEs, but, waving this,
aud taking Mr. Higgins on his own
ground, we have the following as an
irresistible deduction: That, during the
year 1898 the American consumers of
tin plate paid $13,500, 1853 in duties for
the purpose of protecting 5000 Ameri-
can laborers; being $3.50 for every one
Of these COCO workmen, or a little over
S4S per week per man. Which Ger.
tainly justities our claim that the con-
sumers could have much better afforded
70 maintain these G.0O0 alleged Ameri.
can l4boreTs in absolute idleness, pay
ing them good wages and boarding
them at first-class hotels.
Mr. Higgins protested solcitude fol-
the struggling babyhood Of his venerable
infant is, however, entirely superfuous.
The German band Of legislative high.
wsymen in the Democratic ranks has
been looking out for this among other
pets Of Mckinleyism. How well, lei
the following remonstrance, presented
to Congress by the American Tin Plate
Consumers Association, which number:
among its members representatives 81
"the canning industry, that indigenou.
Industry growing up in the States with
out protection, furnishing to the farmers
in their own neighborhoods a high and
a ready market for their by-products,'
which Mr.. Higgins claims "the honol
in part 70 represent" speak for itself:
In 1883 the Democratic party declared in
the Mills bill for free tin-plate, Ia is.JIth,
campaign was fought on the tariff issue
anu the democratic party sought anr
obtained the vote of the American peopl,
on the strength of four bills passed py hi
Democratic House in the spring. ant
accepted as an earnest of the legislation Il
be expected if full power should be givei
20 that party. These four bills were TO
Tree cotton ties, free biuding-twine. fire.
wool, with tin-p!ates at a cent pound unit
October LIST, 1894, and free tln.plates ate
that date. The pledge has been carried GU
as % three of the four bills in the propose,
tariff. Why have its trainers defau!ted OF
hnplates? We stand to-day confronted b.
Democratic measure which proposes
duty upon tin-plates of l is cents be
pound 10 take effect October lst, 1884. a
against the promise in the Democratic oil
passed in the last House of Represents
ives to make tin plates free October Ist
1874. On the basis OF the yaluss Of iii
plates imported this year, tax of /.
cents per pound is equal to 46 per cent a
salorem. Upon present foreign values,
amounts on some Of the cheaper grade
most in use to 81 per cent. This is highe
.han the Mckinley bills average a
Ealorem rates in many schedules. 1t make
The specific rate OH tin-plates and Ill
actual amount of duties ~ per cent aboy
that at the time the Mckinley bill We
passed. As values have declined, the a
saloreIn burden is increased 50 per cent.
The political campaign is getting yer