Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-09-27
PROTECTIVE TARIFF TRUSTS.
Trusts Bred by the Dingley
Law.
NEW YORK POST JERKED UP.
to Recent Tariff l.egislatiOn-The Re
publican Party Responsible.

Mr.. Franklin Pierce, of Homer, N. Y,
has written the following letter to the
New York Evening Post:
In recent editorial on Mr.. Bryan's
speech, you say as to trusts: "Any one
desiring to tell the truth would say that
the responsibility for them does not at
tach to any party-that, however bad
they may be, they are the outgrowth of
modern conditions of trade, and are with
out political bias, except as democrats
have made rather nosier attacks upon
them, and have thus caused them to lean
rather towards the republicans"
DINGLEY BILL AND TRUSTS.
Is this not new doctrine on the part of
the Evening Post? Have you not, for
the last twenty years, until recently,
been assailing the republican party as
the sole author OF protective tariffs, and
do you mean to say to your readers that
the Mckinley bill and the Dingley bill
have not greatly aided in the formation
of trusts? True it is that individual
members of congress, protesting the DEM
ocratic faith, have from time to time
voted for protective tariffs under circum-
stances quite suspicious in their nature,
and strongly indicating that they were
induced by arguments which cannot be
combated. But has the democratic party,
as party, during the last ten years,
favored protective tariffs? Would you
have your readers believe for a moment
that great proportion of the trusts are
not direct result of protective tariffs?
Are you really sincere in saying that
"any one desiring to tell the truth would
say that the responsibility" for these
Trusts attaches to the democratic party
equally with the republican party? Let
US see whether the facts justify your
sweeping statement referred to above.
TARIFF AND TIN PLATE.
The Mckinley tariff imposed duties Of
is cents per pound upon imported tin
plate this duty was reduced by the Will
son bill to l-5 cents per pound, and was
increased by the Dingley bill to ~ cents
per pound. From 1890 up till 1899 our
people paid increased prices for tin plate,
by reason of tariff, of at least 500, 0O0,-
600. If an industry could become estab-
lished by reason of high protective tariffs,
surely tin plate presents fair illustra-
ton. Under the Wilson tariff, great
profits were made by the manufacturers
of tin plate, though some considerable
decrease in the selling price OF tin plate
had been made.
In November, 1898, Il trust was estab-
lished. The trust came into existence
for the purpose of availing itself to the
fullest extent of the Dingley tariff. At
that time 100 pounds of tin plate could
be purchased in the market for $3.50,
but, protected against foreign COMPETE
ton, within one year the trust increased
its price to $4.85. You know, and every
one knows that this could not have been
done but for the Dingley duty of $3.50 a
box upon tin plate.
I PROTECTION AND ExTORTION.
Do you say for one moment that the
democratic party is responsible for these
extortions? Do you believe for one mo-
ment that this trust could have increased
the price from $3.50 a box for tin plate
to $4.S5 without the existence of the
tariff? The duty on tin plate has been
the especial pride OF the republican party.
In all these years the democratic party
has fought in every manner the exist
encc OF duties upon tin plate, and yet
you say to your readers that "any one
desiring to tell the truth" would say that
the responsibility" for this "does not
attach to any party
UP GOES GLASS.
Since 1861 high duties have prevailed
upon glass. The Wilson tariff reduced il
to 80 per cent. The duty under the Nc.
Kinley bill was about two cents per
pound, or between so and 100 per cent.
In October, 1899, the American Window
Glass Company, a trust corporation with
$l7 100000 capital, was formed. 1t owns
factories with a capacity OF about SOC
pots, out of Il possible capacity of 2,60C
pots. This trust, protected by the Ding
lev bill from foreign competition, has
greatly increased the price OF glass. II
is one OF the oldest infant industries nur'
turcd by the republican tariffs, and il
could not continue prevailing prices fol
a day without the aid of the tariff. From
1860 to 1890, under this high tariff, prices
OF glass in this country declined only al