The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-01-21
SLOW TO LEARN.

In default of specific figures on use
of tin.plate by fruit canneries, the
Oregonian recently estimated the loss
to Pacific coast interests by reason of
recent advance in tin-plate, at 1850, 900
to s400, 200 the advance being made by
the tin-plate trust. and made possible
| by the favoring tariff. An estimate
) since received from Fontana & Co, of
San Francisco, makes it probable that
the consumption of tin-plate in fruit
and vegetable canning is less than we
estimated, but that the loss by reason
I of the tariff is greater than we esti-
mated. Fontana & Co. say:
"Our estimate of the consumption of
tin-plate in fruit and vegetable Gamer
les on the Pacific coast is 2l3,0 900 boxes
for the 1898 pack. The average cost of
domestic is S3.40 per box; of foreign,
35 per cent higher; tariff, Sl.50 per 100
| pounds; about 20 per cent total pack
| exported"
If foreign tin-plate is quoted at 35
per cent higher than domestic, at an
average cost for the domestic of $40
a box, the foreign can be sold here for
s4.59, duty paid; and as 100 pounds is
fair average for the weight of box
TO tinplate, the foreign plate must pay
duty of S1.50 box. 1t would be de-
livered, free of duty, therefore, at SO %.
But the trust has now advanced the
price of tin-plate to 1886 box. Here
is "pick.up" for the trust of So cents
box on $4,000 boxes, or Sl19, ,2S0,
raised through the jump of the trust
price, taken from fruit and vegetable
products of the Pacific coast. 1t is
perfectly plain, also, inasmuch as we
already export tin plate, and inasmuch
as we now have cheaper iron and steel
than England has, that tin-plate can
be made and sold here for $1.50 box
less than it now is-that is, cheaper by
the amount of the duty. Our fruit and
vegetable canning industry, therefore
contributes on this coast alone, S319,-
600 more than is fair and just to the
tinplate trust annually.
The salmon pack of the Pacific coast
in 1897 was, according to Taylor,
Young & Co.. 1907 1888 cases. This re-
quires 1884. .644 boxes of tin-plate. The
recent advance to 1856, or Sc cents
above what foreign plate is quoted at,
taxes the salmon industry of the coast |
SlS7 ,344. And if the tin.plate trust |
could sell its product cheaper Than it
does by the amount of the duty, the !
tariff enables them to collect an an
nual tax from our salmon industry of |
$5Ol, ,816. For all the canning indus
tries combined the tax is 1921 ,3l6; and
for the consumption of the whole
country, estimated at 5000. 900 boxes,
the taxes sl2,O00.0OU. This will help
the trust pay it's promised per cent
dividends on $50, ,0OO, 900 worth of stock,
based on plants which could be dupli-
Gated for 81, 100000. There is nothing
more important and necessary to be
done by congress than abolishment of
tariff protection to every one of these
colossal trusts which is now protected.
Here is exactly what the democratic
orators and press have been declaring
for years. They have contended that
a protective tariff built up and fostered
trusts to the detriment of con-
sumers, but never before was clearer
of its effect made than
in the above. Such radical protection
journals as the Oregonian, New York
Tribune and American Economist
have been slow to see the truth of the
argument of the democrats, but ex-
perience teaches them the facts, for
trust after trust is formed in the in
dustries that are affected by a protec-
tive tariff, while trusts are not sue
cessful in industries the products of
which are on the free list, they must
that protection engenders
trusts and makes them not only DOS
sible but certain of organization.