New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-26

'The New-Yoyk, Evening POST comments thus
on what If calls ian amusing story in The
Tribune concerning the cessation Of exports OF
tinplate TO Great Britain by the American Tin
Plate Company as a result OF an agreement
with the Welsh manufacturers:
According TO The Tribune the Welsh manu-
lecturers we're fairly frightened into the deal
The American Tin Plate Company secured re-
ducton or 70 per cent In wages on tlnpIate
made for export. This is an Interesting bit of
news; it is probably the first intimation the
world has received or a tendency 70 discriminate
In the wages of labor Of the same Character and
efficiency. according 10 the final destination OF
the product. What IS the mOduS ODcrJRdiP JusU
how do they keep the record on the books Of the
tinplate company? As It takes neither mora
nor less skill to make plate for export than for
home consumption, II is difficult 10 see WIN. the
process of selection must be i'm choosing the
workmen for export orders. When chosen. DO
on proper certihcation that their product has
actually been shipped abroad? As the state
ment on it's face is so absurd we may possibly
assume that some one has been making fun Of
The Trbune's Pittsburg cOrresp ondent.
If our nelghbor Will turn to the newspaper
files and look mp the dispatches published on
October % 1902, II viii learn something about
this absurd" situation. On October -. 1902,
the American Tin Plate Company and the Anal
gamated Association signed formal agreement
intended to allow the company 70 bid on the tin
plate orders for the export department Of the
Standard oil Company, previously placed in
Wales, because when the cans were shipped the
rebate brought the price OF Welsh tin below the
cost OF production at prevailing wages IN the
United States. The workers made the couces-
sion so as TO secure for themselves work and
wages which they would not otherwise have.
1t amounted to p per cent OF the cost Of manu-
facture Of the export product but the reduction
was distributed among all the tin workers 4
per cent cut was made in all wages under the
following arrangement:
That the men shall be PAL The fun rate - y,
present; that the per cent reduction shall 10
set aside by the company and placed I'm the
hands ot the treasurer Of the AUalga mated As
ISOLATION as q special fund, that out OF this fund
the Amalgamated Association shall pay back 20
the American Tin Plate Company sum equal 10
% per cent OF the cost OF the manufacture % all
plates that are sold TO the Standard on Com
pany or any other concern now using the rebate
on Welsh tin when II IS exported in made up
form.
Thus the tlnplate workers and the company
fifteen months ago entered into q partnership 10
secure the Standard OH Companv's orders
which viii now be given back 10 the WelshmeD
IN return for n larger market for steel biljets
and sheet bars. This is tho amusing arrange
ment which is so absurd" that our poicbbor
seems never TO have heard OF it. That however
is perhaps not surprising, for several years ago
It proved the physical impossbity Of ESTABLISH.
Ing the tinplate industry I'm the United Stotes NJ
AL and is doubtless convinced that the manu-
features which other people observe I'm This
country are merely what the Christian Sciantists
call belief of tinplates