The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-11-19
vERITIES OF PROTECTION.
They hob Up 90 vex tho Souls OF
Frcc-Trade E~dttors-Con-
cerning TIN Plate.

It Is In order TO extend a cordial
greeting TO the st. Louis Republic for
It's new grasp of the tin plate question.
An article on it's editorial page con
tains some luminous sentences which
deserve acknowledgement, even
though they are made to lead TO the
discussion OF another subject. There
was a time when the mention of Amer
lean tin plate excited the risibiiities
Of democratic editors. They found In
tense amusement in the idea that the
protection Of the industry in this
country could result In anything ex-
cept an extra tax on Re-
publicans held hat when the manufac-
ture of tin plate was built up In fac
tories of our own the price to con-
sumers would be the same, IL not low-
er, and that we should enjoy the adj
vantage of n new field for well-paid
American labor. Democratic hilarity
on this subject reached such a height
that an exhibition of American tin
plate anywhere was treated as a piece
of campaign deceit, and, after tho
duty was applied, political emissnries
in the shape OF peddlers circulated
through the country Offering tin cups
at an advance of 400 per cent, ION &C
count Of the new tax" Those were
halcyon days for democratic tin plate
writer's.
But the Republic has had new light.
1t proceeds to say that the Mckinley
law placed an import duty on tin plate
which almost ended its Importation.
A part of the duty was retained under
the Wilson law, which showed demo-
cratic progress, for the party at the
| time had full control of the govern
ment. Then came the Dingley increase
to III cents n pound. What has since
happened? Let the Republic tell the
story: "Under the stimulus thus given
the output has increased so rapidly
that IL is estimated that the amount
Of tin plate, so-called, made In the
United States for the first six months
Of 1895 has equaled the entire importa-
ton Of seven or eight years ago, when
there was comparatively no substitute
made in this country" That reads ex-
actly like the republican prediction.
The production is ours, but how about
the price? Again let the Republic
state the case: The logical result
has been TO reduce the price, putting IL
back TO where IL was when the duty
on Il was framed on a strictly revenue
basis"
AT Inst our contemporary takes tin
plate not only seriously, but with a
generous acceptance of all that the
party of protection promised. 1t In
true that the Republics article goes on
to say hat the tin plate mills now pro-
pose TO form cxtortionate trusts. But
this Is a surrender Of the former demo-
cratic position on tin plate. which was
that a protective duty itself would rob
the Since American tin
plate has given rise 10 an immense
home industry and the price has re-
turned to the most favorable figures OF
the past, the charge Is shifted, and had
TO be on account of indisputable facts
1t is not the first time the v~erities of
protection have downed n democratic
editor, nor the first time he has found
IL necessary TO concede the strength
OF n republican position. AS the re-
publicans move forward the demo-
Gratis are apt TO take possession of tho
old parallels. Still the collection OF
last years birds nests Is not entirely q
satisfactory occupation. II Is better
10 be alive and up to date.-St. Louis
Globe-Dcmocrat.