The Washington times., 1902-07-28
Defends Democratic Pos
ton on Trust Made
Goods.
ANSWERS A NEWSPAPER
Former Postmaster General Smith
Questions Statement Of Difference in
Price OF Manufactured Articles for
Export and Domestic Consumption.

The recent statement Issued by Chair
man Griggs, Of the Democratic Congress
sional committee. in regard to the diff
ference in TIE price of articles manu-
featured for export and those for do
nestle consumption has brought forth
criticism from the Philadelphia news
pages.
In reply. Chairman Griggs yesterday
made the following statement:
1T is somewhat remarkable that out
OF all the comments on the differences
in prices given in my recent interview
on trust-made goods IN America and in
foreign countries. the prices quoted on
only two articles have been in any dc
gree attacked, viz, tinpiate and lead.
a Philadelphia paper. whose editor
is a most excellent gentleman, who
made a good Postmaster General under
President Mckinley. says: As the
United States exported only q few dol
lars worth Of tinpIate in the last fiscal
year. while it imported nearly S6.o00.0oo
worth. it ruay be seen what 4 wonderful
argument Chairman GriEgs has brought.
therefore, against the tariff Oh this
question Of the price Of tinplate.'
Goods Cheaper Abroad.
"Let us-see whatthcre is in this. IS
it true that for ten months ending
april. 1882, the ezports.in domestic tin
plate amounted to only l.535,977 pounds,
valued at S62, $50: but, if the tinplate
E trust makes standing offer Of tir,
plate at $3l9 per 100 pounds to ~
porters. and charges $4.19 per 100 pounds
to American consumers, the statement
nevertheless holds true that unplate
is sold at 81 per 100 pounds cheaper in
foreign. countries by our manufacturers,
whether We export directly ten or To-
600, 900 pounds?
1t is exceedingly refreshing TO have
this paper appear to believe that it can
find all of the tinplate exported report
ed in the Treasury statistics under the
head OF 'tinplate' The trust sells to
exporters of canned goods tinplate to
be used only for export purposes at
S3.19 per 100 pounds. While the tin
plate is not shipped as plate. the tin is
supplied to these exporters of oils. etc.
for cans. boxes, and the like at the
prices named, and all of the tin used
for this purpose is certainly exported
tin, just as If it went out in the shape
of 'tinplate'
81 understand that cottonseed oil and
nearly all of our other goods exported
in tin vessels, except the Standard Oil
Company's products, are sent out in
packages made Of American tinplate.
which is sold to them as I have stated
above at s3.19 per 100 pounds while for
other purposes si19 is charged. The
Standard Oil Company is practically the
single exception.
Exports of Lead.
'The paper also wakes sarcastic
about our comparatively small exports
of lead and wishes TO know how it is that
our lead producers can afford to sell
lead abroad at one-half OF the price
they ask at home. when foreigners can
export over 20O,0OO,0O pounds to the
United States, pay the duty On it, and
then sell it at a profit.
This is easy. The duty on lead is
21s cents per pound. The Shelters
Trust keeps the price of lead here up to
the tariff level OF imported lead, hence,
II is not strange that importers bring
in great quantities of lead and sell ii at
a profit. The fact that we exported
about 100000 worth of lead last year
shows what exorbitant profits the trust
must be making on lead sold in our
markets at cents per pound.
MANY Of our exporting trusts are
charging such high prices at home that
foreign goods are competing freely here,
as well as abroad. The Wire Rope
Trust, which is said to have given the
Republican committee 800, 600 IN 1896.
and got the tariff schedule fixed TO suit
itself, is exporting wire rope TO all parts
OF the world while selling in our mar
kets at prices FROM 100 to 800 per cent
above its foreign prices. Thus are the
foreign trusts milking the American
consumers.
But what say our friends about wire
nails, wire rope, shovels, axle grease.
washboards. meat choppers. barbed wire.
clocks. lawn mowers, fruit jars. type
writers, sewing machines and pianos,
which are made IN America and sold IN
America at from 40 TO 100 per cent more
than they are sold for in foreign coun-
tries? Let uG talk about all oi these
things.
Let the Philadelphia paper Try it
again. II may fare better the next time
II challenges our figures.