The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-09
FACTS VERSUS ASSUMPTIONS.

The editor Of Gunton's Magazine. who is
one of the best informed men in the country
when It comes TO the details of the cost Of
production and prices. has critically re-
viewed the statements Of Byron w. Holt,
of the New York Reform Club. before the
Industrial Commission, an abstract Of
which was published in many papers when
he appeared before that body. Mr.. Holt
did not present statistics. but declared that
the present traiff tiles the hands of the
American consumer while the trusts pick
his pockets" Professor Gunton turns to
statistics TO prove that Mr.. Holt is not
dealing with facts but with the usual as
SYMPTOMS of the free-trader.
One of the commodities in the purchase
of which the consumer is being robbed. ac-
cording TO Mr.. Holt, is steel rails. Gun
tons Magazine compares the American
price with the British price from 1861 until
last year. In 1867 the American price in
gold was S12O12 per ton. and the British
$S. 70. a duty of 45 per cent. ad valorem
was imposed at first. and then SIS per ton,
followed by 1914 per ton until 1895. when
the duty was reduced TO S7.S4 a ton and
has remained at that figure ever since. At
first practically all the steel rails used in
this country were made in England. but
under the protective duty American mills
sprang up. so that the price in this coun-
try in 1876 was S52.S7 a ton and s41.36 in
England. At that time the duty was sS a
ton. In 1890 the American price was s31.7 10.
and the British s24G2. the duty being si3.H
a ton. In 1895 the American price was
S24.33 a ton. the British S2S.12. and the duty
1874. In 1897 the American price was SIS. 70
and the British s21.9 80, or S3.15 a ton more
than the American price. During 1895 the
American price was s4.9S less than the
British, and in 1899 $685. less; in 1900 the
American price was $3.O5 a ton more than
the British, and in May, 1901, Sl.22 less.
Thus 1t appears that under the protective
tariff and the later combinations the prices
of steel rails have been reduced s92 a ton
in the United States since 1867. while in
England the price has been reduced $50. As
a ton.
Tin plates furnished the free-trader an
III SuDJtCl lOI dSSulupllCHS HlC Il
swept way ,by the prices or facts pre-
sented by Gunton's Magazine. When the
Mckinley tariff of 1889 was passed not a
pound of tin plate was made in the United
States. From 1880 TO 1889. both included.
the price of tin plates per box of los pounds
ranged from s5.25 to IS. Taking the ten
years the average price abroad was s2.16i.
per box less than in this country. When
plates began to be made in this country in
1890. the price. with the duty added, was
$50 for a box of 100 pounds. The Ameri-
can price fell to s3.52 in 1896. With the adj
vance OF materials in 1899 the price rose
to 50 during a part Of that year and the
first months of 1900. In April, 1901, the
price had fallen to $40 a box. while the
price in London was $3.50. or 90 cents a
box less than in New York. When the tariff
under which the tin plate industry grew up
in this country was adopted, the price of
tin plates was $50 a box here and So in
London. In April, 1901. the price here was
under the protective tariff the price has
fallen $40 a box here and advanced 90
cents a box in England. The further fact
that the price of tin plates has fallen so
cents a box i'm a year and that the Ameri-
can price was never so near the British
price as at the present time cannot be used
to sustain the charge of the free-trade
orator that the tariff ties the hands of the
consumer while the trust picks his pocket"