Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-05

consumers lower prices. First they
promised to be satisfied with q protect
i've tariff that would sustain their in
fancy, but they have demanded riches
for their middle age and now some Of
them are insisting on sustenance in the
form OF direct aims, In their decrepi-
tude. Then they promised the farmer
a home market; but the farmers crops
increased at greater rate than the
population; as the years went on he had
larger and larger surplus which he
was forced to sell in London, the prices
of all his crops being fixed in the open
markets of the world; year by year his
taxes increased; and there never has
been a moment when the promise of a
home market for all our crops has
seemed likely to fbe realized. Then the
protectionists promised lower prices
as result of the holding up of domes-
tie industries. That promise has not
been kept.
During our experiment In protection,
there have been times of over produc-
ton, when prices of manufactured
goods fell to bankruptcy rates. Occa-
sionally hereto competition has brought
down prices for a short time. But as
a rule the only reduction of prices for
our protected manufactured articles has
been to the foreign buyer. Our manu-
facturers have sought foreign market
for their surplus products. Unlike the
farmers, the tariff tax on whose bread
stuffs is a mere pretence, the manufac-
turer's price at home is not fixed by
the price abroad. His price here is reg
trenched behind the tariff wall which
he has constructed through his Con-
gressional agency. 1t is possible, how
ever, that in time nature would treat
the manufacturer as she had treated the
farmer and the price of his surplus
would govern. Nature takes time for
her tasks. But we are not concerned
with that subject. If the price of any
protected domestic products has fallen
in this country it has been against the
wish and despite the efforts OF the pro-
tected interests. They have done all in
their power to prevent the realization
of the promise of lower prices, especial
ly by the formation OF trusts and by
the continuation of all or most of the
corporations carrying on the business
of manufacturing protected articles.
In the series of letters Of which this
is one, various writer's have shown
how the trusts have taxed their fellow
countrymen. Some trusts or combina-
tons do not profit by tariff taxes; but
Others do, and from the burdens inn
posed 10y these, there is a ready method
of relief. 1t is only necessary to put
and end to the existing protectionist
control of Congress. Let US re-ex-
anime, in a brief and general way,
some of the facts which have already
BSeU SET IOftH III THESE acIlcIo.
The Tin Plate Trust.
The tin-plate trust is one in whose
operations nearly everyone is interest
ed. The prices of the plates affect the
prices of a large number of necessary
domestic articles, pans, pals, etc., OF
the cans in which articles OF food are
preserved, of roofing tin, and large
number of other useful and essential
things. Several years ago tariff was
imposed upon this article for the pur-
pose of building up the industry" The
tax was heavy. The industry was Gre
ated. It is now controlled by trust.
Its mill property-40 plants-can be
duplicated for Sc 900 900. The total as
sets of the trust, on Mr.. Byron w.
Hollis calculation, at its foundation
aggregated between 100000 and $12,-
100000 The trust paid $36,000,900 in
comon and preferred stock for the
plants-at least three times their value.
The promoter" retained $10,000,0 900 of
the common stock for his services. The
capital of the trust is $50,00o000. It's
outstanding stock is worth $26,000,000.
1t controls the whole business of man
ufacturing tin plates, and it has closed
80 mills. Its profits are very large. 1t
has increased the New York scale price
of box of American tin-plate OF 100
pounds, from $3.50, the price in No
vember, 1898, when the trust was form
ed, to $4S5-the price in September,
1899. 1t is enabled to do this by the
tariff tax of $3.50 per box. In Sep
TENDER, 1899, English tin plate would
have been landed in New York at 1855
per box. Adding the duty to the price
would be $515. The trust put its price
On ooptc ho1ou thic foe biph a III could