The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-12
A MARVELLOUS DEVELOPMENT.

Judge r. w. Mcbride, who is now trav-
cling in Great Britain, has sent the Journal
a copy of the Scotsman, which contains
marked article on the tin-plate trade with
the United States, taken from the Pail Mall
Gazette. 1t begins with the blunt statement
that the shipment of tin-plates to the
United States lis going from bad to worse
and is really desperate. In almost every
other category of goods" the Scotsman
continues, imports into the United States
have increased during the current year in
some cases tenfold compared with 1896 and
1895, but of tin plates there has been a de-
cided falling off. During May the export of
tin plates into the United States was 6,916
tons; during May, 1896, 1922 tons, and dur
ing that month in 1895, 1918 tons. During
the five months of 1897 which closed with
May the export of tin plates to the United
States was 43,90S tons; during the CORE
spending period of 1895, the export was 223,-
or tons, and for the same months in 1892
27S,477 tons" This means that during the
five months of 1897 closing with May Great
Britain sent to the United States less than
one-sixth as many tin plates it did dur
ing the corresp onding period of 1892.
I'VE have lost our hold upon the Amer
lean market" the Gazette goes on, land
the indications point to our complete GUST
ing" The suddenness of the rise of the tin
plate industry in this country is what sur
prises the British paper. In five years." it
says, I'VE have lost 70 per cent. if not
50 per cent. of our tin-plate trade in the
United States all of which, it says, "is due
to the Mckinley tariff and the fall in the
price of steel billets in the United States.
The growth of the tin-plate industry is also
given by the Gazette, as reported by Brit
ish consular officials in this country. If it's
melancholy interest to the British exporter
causes it to be published, it cannot for OPP
posite reasons, fail to be worth quoting by
American newspapers. In part the report is
as follows:
Though the quantity used has not grown
very rapidly the proportion of American
plate to the total has increased phenome-
nally Down to June, 1891, very little tin
plate was made in America-the industry
was a failure because it could not produce
at prices that would enable it to compete
with English. In the twelve months ended
June, 1892, the production was IS, GAG, 719 lbs :;
in 1928 99819,202 lbs; in 1884, 1879 223 457
lbs; in l694-95 l93, S0l UI3 lbs; in 1S30-96 3d.,
226. 900 lbs. In 1912 the quantity made from
American black plates was 9296,533 lbs, and
from imported black plates 4 $780, 166 lbs In
1885 the proportion of the former was 303,
600, 600 lbs, and of the latter 4 226 600 lbs. In
other words, nearly 81 per cent. of the black
plates used in 1S91-92 was foreign; last year
only 1.3S per cent. of this variety was used
Another consul reports that there are $50
tin-plate mills at work in the United States
and eleven more under construction with a
potential capacity of $3.50, 600 boxes per an
num-about equal to the consumption last
year" Only five years ago newspapers pub
lished in the United States, in Indiana, de-
clared that the attempt to build up tin
plate industry in the United States had
proved a CHASTITY failure. With a sort of
exultant glee an Indianapolis Democratic
organ published a cut, q little more than
five years ago, to ridicule the tin-plate in
dustry in Anderson which it used two
columns to cry down. To-day it is one of
the prosperous industries of the country
and Indiana has secured more than its
share of it. If the American papers which
rdiculed the industry five years ago should
allude to it's marvellous growth in this coun-
try it is probable they would not forget
their old sneering, or, f confessing the fact,
would adopt the dolorous tune of the Pail
Mall Gazette. They wisely observe silence.
---a-C-p-