The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-09
A seXINDICATION..


Some people have queer ideas as to
what constitutes the "vindication" of
an economic or commercial policy. The
Pioneer Press of Monday has a long
article in which it finally admits the
truth Of the statements made repeated
ly by the G b concernig the pres
ent status of the tin plate industry It
quotes literally from the Board of
Trade Journal to show that before the
end of the year 1896 the American tin
plate industry was established on so
firm basis that it had no fear of for
eign competition. 1t observes that
since December the ruling prices of tin
plate have been 80 cents box less in
New York than the lowest foreign
prices. 1t comedies that the American
product 'can stand alone with practi-
cally little aid from the protective tar
III" This is agreed to, although 1895
was a trying year for every kind Of
business; for during that time there
was only one failure among the tin
plate mills, while their capacity in
creased 25 per cent Arguing from these
facts, all Of which were set forth in the
G 0 e weeks ago, at which time the
Pioneer Press was protesting that the
tin plate industry required protection,
the latter now says: 1T does not ap-
pear that anything will be gained by
any increase in the tariff over the Cor
man-Wilson rates. In fact,
any increase in those duties, by shut
ting off all possibility of Welsh compe-
tition, might pave the way for the for
nation of a trust, the benefits of which
would be reaped solely by it's mem
bers, to the public detriment."
All of this is very we'll in it's way,
and is of the nature Of that honest
confession which is said to be good for
the soul, provided that the advocates
of high protection really have souls.
After column of this frank statement,
which ought to be interpreted as a re-
traction of error, the Pioneer Press,
with wonderful indifference to the
claim Of logical consistency, winds up
the whole business with a sentence eX-
actly in its old vein: 1.-THE Republi-
can policy of protection to young in
dustries has again fully indicated it.
self" The man who can find anything
of the nature of a vindication of the
protective policy in the facts relating
TO the tin plate industry in the United
States has a mental eye Of incompar-
able magnifying power
Let us examine, for a moment, the
history Of tin plate manufacture in the
light of the theory of the believers in
protection. Tin plate came within the
fostering influence of that policy with
the passage Of the Mckinley act. Be
fore that time it must be considered
as forgotten infant, or. rather, as one
of those that could not be even brought
to birth without the gift. of a substan-
tlal subsidy. The protective policy be-
gan to get in its work on tin plate
with the Mckinley bill, which provid-
ed that on and after July l, 1891 tin
plates imported should pay a duty of
E2 cents per pound The German bill
provided that these plates should bear
a duty of l LIS cents a pound. and
that this reduction of duty should
take place on and after Oct. 1, 1894 We
have, then. the limits within which
this creative act had room to work
Its operation extended only over the
three years and three months between
July 1, 1891, and Oct. 1, 1894. Within
this period we are asked to believe
that the magical work was wrought
Now, everybody knows that the condi-
tons of labor and capital have not
been changed by legislation since July
1, 1891, so as to make profitable in the
United States Industries that were NOT
profitable before that date. If the
American manufacturer can make tin
plates today and sell them in the home
market lower than any possible COM
petitor, and still earn a fair profit on
the capital invested he could have done
80 In 1891, or in 1890. The proof is incon-
testable. Our manufacturing industry
has not been so thriving in the years
r. question as 10 make 1T a more for
rfiiaSbl6 competitor now than then
me whole contention Of the protec-
tfoEfst, fhss . tariff duty enables him
e. P$y higher wages 10 labor, falls to
fas <f5uTtG. We know that the wages
81 AHeFf6sh w6Tkingmen have not been
ficTe4Sed M me aApIrsble I'VE years
fSroug1 wEtcn ne have passed. nor