Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1891 — THE TIN COMEDY. [ARTICLE]

THE TIN COMEDY.

Chicago Herald: A few days ago the curtain rose on another act in the stupid farce-comedy entitled “American Tin.” There was disclosed to view an express wagon p; ssing under the portico of the WUite House in Washington. In the wagon was a fiat box. At* tached to the box was a tag. On the tag was an inscription setting forth that the box contained the first samples of American tin plate manufactured in Pittsburgh, and tint experts had pronounced it equal to the best turned out in Wales.

The box is removed from the wagon and opened Tby Captain Diusmore in the presence of a number of interested spectators, who exclaim in unison: “This is really and truly American tin plate, made in Pittsburg, Pa.” Then a grand flourish by the orchestra, the musical notes of the tin oan predominating, and all the actors assume attitudes expre. give of atU miration and triumph. Whv is this box of tin plate sent to tlie White House? Has the President use for a box of tin plate? Yes, he has. He wants the tinner in the government tiu shop to take his punch and make a lot of campaign medals. That is what American tin plate is used for. It is not good for tin pails and pans and cups and cans.— There is too much lead m it, and th President doesn’t want to poison nybody Besides, there is ’t enough American tiu yet for mrf als, and it is more important that the people should have tin medals than that they should have tin dinner pails and tin milk pans. People in Washington- that is, republican people—are already wearing tin medals. The design is said to be an attractive one. “In the center is a reduced photograph of Major McKinley, and stamped in the metal are the words “protection for Americ nlndustries.’ ” The words “the for. igner pc.ys the tax ’ are not there. The omission was accidental. The t n medal is said to be much finer than silver or gold, because it is more costly.— Ihe superintendent of the census goes into raptures over it every morning before breakfast, just as he went into raptures over a photograph of William I). Kelley nine years ago. It is understood that he tliinks of adding a volume to the census on American tin and tin initials, making twenty-six quarto volumes in all of 1,000 pages each. The Now York Tribune is making its little contribution to the silly tin drama. It has borrowed ihiity-three bars of t>n from amnn iu Philadelphia, and it exhibits them with an affidavit solemnly swearing that they were produced at the Teruescal mine in Cahfornia. Proud oE this brilliant achievment the Tribune says: “The wonderful growth of this new American industry, due to the McKinley bill and republican pro tection to Americau industries, is an exceedingly 1 it'er pill for free traders to swallow, and they are choking over it in an amazing fashion.”

How the wonJerful growth of this new American industry can. be due to the McKinley bill when that bill leaves the metal tin on the fre- list until July 1, 1893, just where it has been for many years, the Tribune does not expkin.Ibere seems to be a magic potency in tne bare promise of protection two years and nine months as er date. If the McKinley act had merely premised a duty of 5 cents per dozen on eggs two years and nine months after date, would that have in- need a wonderful growth of the egg industry‘U Perhaps the Tribune thinks so.