New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-06
WAGES IN TINPLATE WORKS.

The controversy between the manufacturers
of tinplates and the workers employed IN that
manufacture seems likely to cause some trouble
AS usual, when employers and employed diifer
widely, there Is some misunderstanding OF
facts According 10 such Information as Is
available, The NewYOrk Times seems to be
in error In stating that the demand for a re-
duction of wages Is made by combination
Of the tnplate manufacturers Apparently IL
is urged by some of the manufacturers. but not
by all. and this Is the more natural because the
circumstances Of the different concerns are not
altogether the same. The combination of tin
plate manufacturers was defensive movement
which followed the organization OF the great
billet pool about April l. When that was un-
der consideration the tinplate manufacturers
urged strongly that special concessions should
be made to them. as any material advance in
the cost Of billets, with the reduction OF duty
would probably compel nearly, if not quite. all
the tinplate works in the country to stop opera
tons But when the billet pool was formed
there seemed so much doubt in the minds OF
many whether it could he maintained and made
permanent that the tinplate manufacturers held
meeting not long after to consider what
course they would pursue. At this meeting
they decided upon n price below which they
would not sell tnpates in competition with each
other but. so far as is known. took no further
action, awaiting the result Of the billet pool
contest
For some time after the middlemen were
selling billets largely as they are still to some
extent at prices below those fixed by the pool.
Meanwhile the tinplate manufacturers had In
part supplied themselves before the Organza-
ton of the billet pool with materials for some
time to come Those who had done so, having
a supply Of cheap bets, were not obliged to
face any embarrassment Immediately, while
| others held on well as they could in view OF
| the possibility that the illet pool might be
abandoned. But when that expectation dimin-
| ished many Of the tinplate manufacturers pre-
| sented to their men the alternative which they
had first brought to the attention Of the billet
makers-namcly. that most of the works In this
country would have TO stop II the current rate
Of wages should be paid and the cost Of billets
| should he materially increased
1t Is argued by some that the manufacturers
| in effect show that no reduction Of wages Is
necessary because they continue to undersell
| the foreign producers by 10 to Is cents per
| box. The price has not materially cha ed fol-
some months. and the American plates are sell
ing, as they were before the combination was
formed at about 81 ~. against SO 20 for the
same grade of foreign plate. But 1t IL to be
remembered that the supply now In the mar
| ket has been produced from the cheap billets
which were freely sold before the organization
of the billet pool, at prices about 50 less thar
those now demanded. When the manufact
urers find their supplies Of cheap material OK
hausted. it Is their belief that they will be III
| allie 10 sell in competition with the Welst
works. unless the foreign manufacturers ast
| should have to meet higher cost OF prOduc
ton.
Thus the difficulty regarding tinplates Is di
rectly traced TO the combination to fix the price
| OF steel billcts and this In turn was the dlrec
| fruit OF the two combinations to control prices
of Lake Superior ore and of ConnelIsville coke
Both these earlier combinations had succeeded
| In fixing and maintaining prices mt level con
sjtlcrably higher than the Bessemcr steel max
ers had become accustomed to within the las
year, and they therefore held the advance II
Bessemer steel absolutely necessary In orde
to get anything above cost rs return for thei
labor and risk. So the producers or the orr
and the coke have maintained and with mucl
| appearance Of reason. that some recovery II
price from the extreme low level reached
year ago or more was necessary to enable then
to pay living wages to the hands they employed