Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1892 — Page 1

VOLUMI XVI

POLITICAL NOTES.

It is significant that Thomas C. Platt, the Republican boss of New York, announced his intention of climbing into Harrison’s “ice wagon” the same day he allowed himself to be interviewed as president of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, which operates its ooal mines with convict labor. It is said that the declaration of Platt in favor of the support of the Republican ticket on a day when his convict labor company was embittering the organized labor of the country, has caused the president much uneasiness. “Why,” asked Chairman Carter, “should he have waited so long if he intended to help the president?”

“The campaign and how to conduct it,” was the subject of discussion at a banquet given by Chairman Bliss, of the national Republican committee, a few nights ago at the Union League club to a coterie of millionaires. H. W. Oliver, the millionaire iron manufacturer of Pittsburg, and other tariff barons were present. One hundred thousand dollars was raised that night as the result of the discussion.

The brush makers employed in the brush manufactories in Dennin & Sons, XHaek Brothers, and Flim Brothers, the three largest in Lansingburg, a suburb of Troy, N. Y., have struck for an advance of one-fourth of a cent on a hundred, claiming that inasmuch as the tariff had increased the profit of the manufactories, the employes should receive a part of the tariff bounty. .

Chairman Carter, of the national Republican committee, had the nerve to send to the civil service commissioners at Washington for a list of government employes credited to New York state, together with the names of. the county from whence appointed. The commissioners declined to furnish the information because “it was intended to be used for some political purpose.”

The Democratic state committee of New Jersey has adopted a new plan to raise funds for the distribution of sound literature. The townships, by school districts, are to be organized for the purpose of raising a sum equal to one cent a day for each man who voted the ticket in 1888. This means a fund of $740 a day from now to election day.

The Kentucky election law recently enacted by the Kentucky legislature is thought to be unconstitutional because the bill passed the house without a roll call. In order to remove all doubts as to its unconstitutionality and to insure the electoral vote of the state, the governor has called an extra session of the legislature to repass the bill.

Postmaster Johnson, of Baltimore, has publicly stated that he would pay no attention to the circular used by the civil service commissioners against the assessment of the employes and that he would treat the documents-of the commissioners with utter disrespect. Senator Sawyer, the millionaire lumberman of Wisconsin, declares that the Democrats can not carry Wisconsin so long as he has a bank account and the strength to draw a check. It is estimated that the treasury deficiency will exceed $130,000,000 next June. When Cleveland turned the government over to Harrison the surplus amounted to $300,000,000.

Reciprocity Humbug.

To make such a treaty (of reciprocity) would be to obliterate the precedent afforded by a whole century of progress, and to slide back into that medievalism which Adam Smith condemned, • • • and it is now proposed that the United States shall undertake the propaganda for the revival of this defunct and utterly obsolete system of discrimination; and this, too, in order that we may make the effort to sell packed meats to meat packers and breadstuffs to the exporters of grain!—American Economist, organ of the American Protective Tariff League, 1890. I firmly believe that Section 3 of the McKinley bill, which contains the reciprocity feature, ii the part of the measure which has floated the whole act, and which kept it froiu being swamped by the storm which, Without reason, broke upon it from thfe day of its passage • • • The McKinley bill might have sunk under a sea of obloquy • • if the reciprocity clause had not kept the whole structure from going down.— Senator Eugene Hale, Jan. 27, 1992. If “hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue,” then reciprocity may he called the homage prohibitory protection pays to genuine tarlf reform.—Grover Cleveland.

“Tariff on Tin a Tax.”

The United Stated report i for the nine months ending Mardi 31,1392, show that 5,240,830 pounds of t ined and teme plate have been produced in that-time in this country. The sam i report gives the United States averi je yearly consumption at 678,000,006j*tmds. / The report from the ways and means committee on the jfcEinley bill promised that this county eventually inhke all the tin contained, with a tariff of two cents a pount McKinley, in his Report, says: It has been demotetrated that we can manufacture tin plati as successfully as it can be done in En| and. Its production here, suitable for all ises, is no longer experimental. The b 1 provides that increased duty shall n : go into effect until July 1,1301, and it i believed that man a-

The Democratic sentinel.

facturers encouraged by this proposed legislation in the meantime will adapt their plants to the new production and that in the end the advanced duty will not enhance the cost to consumers. “In the meantime,” how many manufacturers have adapted their plants to the new production of tin ? How many tin plate works were in operation July 1, 1891 ? It is over one year since the tariff on tin plate has gone into effect, and did not McKinley promise the people that “in the end” the advanced duty would not enhance the cost to consumers ?

The Republicans have always claimed that the tariff is not a tax and does not enhance the cost of an article produced in sufficient quantity in this country to supply the entire home consumption, and that it is a tax only when the consumption exceeds the home supply as in the case of sugar, which the Republicans claim is much cheaper since the tariff has been reduced. In their last platform Republicans declared, “we believe that all articles which can uat oe produced in the United States shouV' be admitted free of duty,” emphasizing their doctrine that the tariff is a tax on articles not produced in this country. The Indianapolis Journal on Aug. 24, said: “The house which put tin plates upon the free list to prevent their manufacture in this country would not repeal the half cent duty on granulated sugar because that half cent gives the sugar trust a limited power to control the price as it has by advancing it a half cent per pound. Here the organ of the protected monopolists admits that the half-cent tariff on sugar is a half-cent tax to consumers; that the price of sugar has been advanced to the extent of the tariff. Does not the two-cent tariff affect the price of tin in the same way ? No one will deny that there is more sugar produced in this country than there is tin. The last statistical abstract gives the production of sugar in the southern states for the year 1891, 508,630,000 pounds, and the quantity imported during the same year amounted to 8,483,477,222 pounds. According to The Journal the American production, even with a two-cent bounty, failed to prevent the tariff of one-half cent from being a “tax.”

Now, can any one tell what effect on the price of tin, 5,240,830 pounds manufactured in this country, had when 67 8,000,000 pounds were consumed ? According to the latest treasury report only 1 per cent, of the tin and terne plate consumed in this country was manufactured in the United States. Ninety-nine per cent, of the consumption was imported. The question now is who paid the tariff of two cents a pound on the millions of pounds imported? Is it true as claimed by the Republican papers that the price of tin is cheaper notwithstanding the tariff of two cents a pound imposed by the McKinley bill ? If it is true, then the price would be still two cents a pound cheaper without the tariff. The Indianapolis Journal frequently publishes interviews with packers to show that packers pay no more for tin cans since the enactment of the McKinley tariff. A few weeks ago it published an interview purporting to be with a man whose canning product is largely exported, to the effect that his tin cans cost him no more than they did before the passage of the McKinley bill. If this is true, then the exporters of canned goods are robbing the treasury through the aid of the McKiuley tariff. Recognizing that “tariff is a tax,” the McKinley bill contains a drawback clause which provides “there shall be allowed on the imported tin plate used in the manufacture of cans, boxes, packages, and all articles of tinware exported, either empty or filled with domestic products, a drawback equal to the duty paid on such tin plate less 1 per cent, of such duty.” Under this clause Of the McKinley tariff, if it is true that the price of tin has not advanced, it is possible for an American packer to sell his canned goods in foreign countries cheaper than in the home market.

, A ton of tomatoes will fill 500 cans, and the tariff on 500 cans is $4.50. But according to the Republican platform the packer does not pay this tariff of $4.50. The foreigner pays it and it goes into the treasury, and the American packer obtains his 500 cans as cheap as heretofore. He fills them up with tomatoes and ships them to Mexico, England, France or Germany. The government allows him a drawback equal to the duty paid on such tin cans less* 1 per cent., that is 99 per cent, or $4.45.5. If it is true that the packer did not pay more for his imported tin on account of the tariff, why should the government make him* a present of $4 .45.5 on every 500 tin cans exported with tomatoes, com, beef, fruit, etc. One of the largest exporters of tin canned goods is Phil Armour, the greatest beef packer in the world. Ever since the tin plate clause of the tariff went into effect, this great beef monopolist has been receiving from the government thousands of dollars of the people’s money in drawbacks on canned beef exported to all parts of the world. The salmon canners of the Columbia river and Alaska supply the markets of the World with salmon fish. Of all cans Bold outside of the United States they get a drawback of $1.98 on every one hundred pounds of cans exported. Why should the farmers of Indiana be taxed in order that a few imported Welch tin plate men be given employment

RENSSELAER JASPER COUNTY. INDIANA FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 1892

TIN PLATE RALLY. How the People Are Taxed to Advertise Conger’s Town Lots. Elwood, Ind., Aug. 29.—There is to be a “tin plate rally” here on Sept. 18. This is one of the mamy Bchemes to boom the town lots of the Elwood Land company of which Millionaire Conger, of Akron, 0., is the principal stockholder. But the Republican state committee will have to bear most of the expenses. Of course the business men and real estate agents will be called upon to subscribe liberally to make the rally a great success upon the plea that thousands of dollars will be left in the town. Ostensibly this is to be a “tin plate” celebration. Governor McKinley will be exhibited and excursion trains will be run into Elwood from all points in the natural gas belt. The Elwood Plate Glass company which is controlled by Conger, will be closed and the employes given a chance to hear McKinley and “allowed” to take part in the parade. The excuse for holding a “tin plate” rally is a small tin plate plant which has been making campaign fin for two months. It is called the “American Tin Plate company” and is capitalized at $300,000. The plant does not cost more than $50,000, however. That is the opinion of experts who have examined it. Of the $300,000 capital stock $32,000 was subscribed by business men and real estate agents, who put in their money for the purpose of advertising the town, solely. They do not expect to ever get a dollar out of their investments except in way of advertisements. These local stockholders paid their assessment in full, but as the promoters have absolute control they do not know how much Conger and- his associates paid. Some of the local sto-’-’-olders believe that very little capit:’ . actually paid in outside of the $32,c.-, and that those who have the controlling interest obtained the watered portion of the stocks free. The plant is a very small one and only two mills are operated, yet the letter heads of the company announce that it is the largest in America. A mill constitutes a pair of rollers through which Steel billets are rolled into thin sheets' Called black plates. It requires four men and a boy to operate each mill. The billets are heated in a small furnace and put through the mill with tongs. The sheets are then sheared, pickled, cold rolled, annealed (tempered in an oven) and then dipped. In all there are forty-seven abled bodied men employed, the rest being boys and girls. The skilled men are imported from Wales. The works are over a mile from town and about them a small village has Bprung up, known as “New South Wales,” on account of the imported Welshmen composing it. The works are surrounded with a high board fence and several watchmen are employed to keep curious Americans from viewing the mills There are no secrets ip tin making, but the company does not want the public to find out what a fraud the “largest tin plate works in America’’ are.

The company claims a capacity of 1,200 boxes per week. That is said to' be the capacity of two mills, But the fact is that the total output of genuine bright tin from the time the factory started does not exceed 1,300 boxes. So far the company has been unable to turn ont a good quality of tin. It is “scaly” and unfit for cans or'buckets. Some of the workmen claim that the steel billet which comes from Pennayl-

“A FIRM ADHERENCE TO CORRECT PRINCIPLES.”

vania is unfit for tinning while others say that the sheets (known as blaok sheets before being dipped into tin) are not properly annealed in the tempering ovens, while others put it on the mills which they say are not constructed like those in Wales. A stockholder says that the machinery is constructed for a rolling mill. That after the election it will not pay to run the concern as a tin factory and the plant will be turned into a rolling mill for which it was constructed. An employe, who, by the way, does not make as much as he did in Wales, states that several thousand boxes of imported tin has been shipped in and stored away for the purpose of reboxing it and selling it for campaign purposes as American tin made by the Elwood plant. This is one of the reasons why the works are protected with a high wall and guarded by armed watchmen. Every pound of the pig tin is imported. It comes from the Mines of Straits Settlement, in the peninsula of Malay, and dug out by natives who work for nine cents a day. The acids and palm oil are also imported. The managers apologize for the small ! plant by saying, “We will double our ' capacity if Harrison is re-elected.” The 1 old story. Yet there are men here willing to wager money that no more tin will be dipped after the election no matter who is elected. According to the official report on tin plate made by the treasury department; March 81, 1892, the annual consumption ' of tin in the United States is 678,000,000 ] pounds. It is admitted that the Elwood plant is the largest in the United States. Assuming that the Edwood workß can turn out 1,200 boxes of tin a day, the total output would be -less than 6,000,000 pounds. Meantime the American consumers of tin would continue to pay two cents tax a pound on 670,000,000 which must be imported, because according to the latest treasury report only 1 per cent, of the tin used is made in this country. But the Elwood tin plate plant will answer the purpose for which it was es-. tablished—to boom Conger’s real estate. The Elwood Land company bought 1,000 acres of land at $125 per acre. This is laid out in town lots. It also secured gas leases on 100,000 acres. By offering free gas and free sites the land company induced a number pf glass works to locate here. The employes of these new works have purchased a large number of lots from the Elwood Land company of which Conger is the; principal stockholder.. Conger himself established a branch of the Kokomo Diamond plate glass works here. But the land company has over 5,000 lots left on hand which are held at an average price of $250 per lot. Conger being a shrewd schemer knew that a tin plate, milh no matter how small, would attract attention in all the Republican papers of the country. He has openly boasted that he induced McKinley to put a tariff on tin for the purpose of booming the town of Elwood. Without a bounty he could not have induced capitalists to invest in a tin 1 mill. Conger seldom uses his own capital when carrying out b big scheme. He is a promoter. He wanted a tariff so ho cpuld induce capitalists to invert in tin works and he desired a tin plate factory to advertise his corner, lots. And the rally in, September is simply an advertising scheme for Conger, but it will be a great day for the “tin plate liars.” The consumers “will pay the freight.

Th* Fight for tha American Market. All that the people of the United States eat, wear and use must bo provided by their own labor. It is distributed by an exchange of products through trade. All that the people eat can be provided by our farmers; Imt all that they wear and use is not now provided by the millowners. A part of It is provided by our fanners, in exchange for their surplus farm products. In 1880 the farmers numbered 7,670,498. Of these 5,773,008 worked in 1879 to supply the American market with what it wanted to eat, and 1,897,485 to supply the American market with a part of what was needed for wear and useclothing, iron, and the like. Of the $2,213,402,564 worth of farm products raised in 1879 only $1,666,925,861 could be profitably disposed of, or were needed here, leaving a surplus of $546,476,708, which had to be exported. When their surplus farm products are sent abroad they have to import the payment. When their payment passes through the custom house, all of it which would interfere with the mills and factories is taxed 48 per cent, on the average; which amounts to a tax op the whole of about 30 per cent. This tax is levied to protect the American mill owner from the competition of the American farmer. The 14,500 protected mill owners and the 1,897,485 farmors are fighting one another for the “home market” for manufactured goods—the mill owners to get it all; the fanner for a share of It. If the mill owners gain it at all, the 1,897,485 farmers must abandon their land and find other work. The tax is not levied to keep out the foreigner. He can not come here, except as an immigrant, and then he is welcomed. The tariff tax is levied to keep out payment for our farm products. The business question is: “Shall our 1,897,485 farmers be permitted to supply their countrymen yearly with mill products worth $415,000,000 (abroad), by an exchange of our surplus farm products for thorn, or shall they be taxed out OF THE BUSINESS TO PROTECT THE 14,500 MILL OWNERS FROM THEIR COMPETITION ?” ' y

A Depleted Treasury.

At the -clone of President administration the surplus in the treas-! ury, exclusive of the jfold reserve, waa $h:1,837,19<i.29. On the tat of July, 181 K), 1 the appropriations of tho “billion-dol-Iw” congress became available, and the treasury surplus lyegan to dissipate and disappear. Then the surplus in the treasury, exclusive of the $100,000,000, gold reserve, was $89,993,104.20, On July 1,1892, that surplus had been reduce-! to $20,892,377.03, of which $14,-eB-J,207'.54 was unavailable for the reduc-' tion of the public debt, consisting as it did of uncurrent subsidiary and minor coin; whilst $13,148,188.73 was stjU deposited in “pet” national banks. . The surplus, meager as it is, which appeals ia the treasury statement for the first of the present month, is ap, parent rather than real; for it will be remembered that the Republican party at the first session of the last congress, in order to avoid a treasury deficiency, covered into the general treasury $54,- \ 207,095.75 belonging to the holders of : national bank taotee, and of this forced loan $26,763,509.25 was still due and unpaid at the beginning of this fiscal year. If, therefore, the obligations of this trust fund were entirely liquidated and the sinking fund had been fully met up to

July 1 last, there would have been an actual treasury deficiency of $11,257,702.24. Not only this, but in addition to the covering into the treasury, by the act of July 14, 1890, of this trust fund, the secretary of the treasury extended $35,884,500 of four and one-half per cent, bonds which matured on the Ist of September last. The Republican party have, therefore, not only sought to bridge the chasm between dwindling revenues und increasing expenditures by defaulting in the sinking fund, by extending the maturing bonded indebtedness, and by the use of the national bank trust fund, Wit the secretary of the treasury now asserts his right to use, to meet the ordinary expenses of the government, $38,195,991 of the gold reserve heretofore held for the redemption of greenbacks. It mnst be, indeed, to quote the language of Secretary Foster, that the treasury is in a “pinch.”

Tariff Trusts.

Brethren, we say to yon that if the protective system is to be employed for such purposes as this the game is up. No CHAMPION OF THAT SYSTEM CAN SUCCEED, EVEN IF HE WERE WILLING TO TRY, IN COMMENDING TO THE PEOPLE AT ONE AND THE SAMI’, TIME THE PROTECTIVE SYSTEM AND THE SUGAR TRUST, It is quite impossible to expect the nation to regard with enthusiasm, because it proposed to reduce the price of sugar, a law which enables the sugar trust to defeat that intention. What the purpose of the act is consumers do not so much care.—Philadelphia Press, High Tariff Organ of the Manufacturers’ Club. The primary object of a protective, tariff U to invite the fullest competition Vy individuals and corporations in do. mestic production. If such individuals or corporations combine to advance the price of the domestic product, and to prevent the free result of open and fair competition, I would, without a moment’s hesitation, reduce the duties on foreign goods competing with them in order to break down the combination. • • • Whenever this free competition IS EVADED OR AVOIDED BY COMBIN A-. TION OF INDIVIDUALS OR CORPORATIONS, j THE DUTY BHOUIJI BE REDUCED AND FOR- I EION COMPETITION PROMPTLY INVITED.— ! Scoretary John Sherman, Oct. IS, 1889. i The public may regard trusts and , CORPORATIONH WITH SERENE CONFIDENCE. | —Andrew Carnegie, Nov. 8, 1888. The Indianapolis Labor Signal last week exposed one Charles Martin, of “Blue Book” fame, who has been passing as the representative of the railroad men in, the interest of the Republican The Signal says that Martin expelled June —, 1892, from the local lodge of Brotherhood of Firemen for fraud. He had hem* slated for the legislature b y the Republicans of Marion county, bur since the exposure they have dropped him. The Indianapolis Labor Signal, the organ of the labor unions, asks: “C.m any one point to a single act favorable to labor placed on the statute book by a Republican legislature ?” This question Will remain unanswered. The railroads paid $987,203.20 more taxes under the new law than under the old. Of course the tax law was enacted by a legislature composed mostly of fanners in the interest of corporations.

The Republican county commissioners and Republican township trustees increased the local taxes last year $1,358,- 1

NUMBER 3-.

QTo vote a straight Demooratio ti< t stamp within the square enclosing t 3 rooster at the top of the ballot, andu... where else. If any other sqnare is stain •- ed in addition to the large square fit ballot will be thrown out. After stamp, ing fold the ballot so as to tears the initials of the poll-clerk on the outside an l hand to the election offieets.

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC TICKET

For President, GROVER CLEVELAND, of New Yoik. For Vice-President, ADLAI STEVENSON, of Illinois. DEMOCRATIC STATE TICKET. Governor, CLAUDE MATTHEWS, Vermillion. Hen tenant Oovernor, MORTIMER NVE, LsPorM. Secretary of Slate, WILLIAM R. MYERS, Madison. Auditor of State, JOHN O. IIENDERONM Howard. Treasurer of State, ALBERT GALL, Marlon. Attorney General, ALONZA O. SMITH, Jennings. Reporter of Supreme Court, SIDNEY R, MOON, Pulton. Superintendent of Public Instruction, HEIIVKY 1). VOKIKB, Jobneou. State Stattetlclan, WILL/AM A. I>EELK, Jm, MaHon. Supreme J udgo, Second District, .JKPTHA.D. NEW, Jeunlnss. Supreme Judge, Third District, JAM CS MoOAUE, Warreu. Supremo Judge, Pi.th District,, TIMOTHY E. HOWARD, St, Joseph. Appellate Judge, First District, GEORGE L. REINHARDT, Spences. Appellate J odgo, Socond Dts'ilct, PRANK E. GAVHN, Decatur. Appellate Judge, Third District, THEODORE P. DAVIS, Hamilton. Appellate Judge, Fourth District, ORDANDO J. LOTZ, Delaware. Appellate Judge, Fifth District, * GEORUE K. ROBS, Cass. For Congress, THOMAS HAMMOND. For Next United States Senator, DAVID TURPIE.

lie not deceived! Eaoh demooratia voteoast for Weaver counts one for Harrison Me Kinley has been cballen -ed to joint discussion with Bynum, atElwood, but ignominiously backs down. One might readily conoede the propriety of a I’ottid cancelling an agreement for examination of the records, but to “forbid further access tothom" is what has given rise to the query—Why?

The Democratic House, recently adjourned, saved many millions of dollars to the oountry, and ,/oul l hsve saved many millions moie but for the requirement of appropriations for subsidies and bonntisa to monopolies ereat:d by ths Tom Used congress.

1. ce republican lnoeting last Saturday was a mighty thin affair. It looked as though privute Cheadle was holding a private discussion. A large number of people were in town, as usual on Saturdays, but the Eepublioan meeting was not, as in years past, the drawing oard,— Priv..te Cheadle offered an excuse for the empty seats, and the Republican adopts and reiterates it.

The tax law of to-day is the salme as in many years past, with this simple addition—after copying the requirements of the old law that property bo assessed at its fair rash value—notjat what it wo’d bring [at a forced or sheriff’s eile [ The six words in brackets marks the sole difference between the old and new laws. Cheadle assumed to make a point which is grasped by the Republican! aa the drowning j,wan grasps at straws, hat if, it. is the law now, it has been the law R the. past.

I’.ivate cheadle insiated upon his republican friends to ring the changes on the new tax law-show the tax payers Low th«lr taxon had been increased by it„ But that’s, the last thing the republicans in this locality want to do. They started out to make the law odious, but finally charged|theJtownahip trustees with the responsibility foi tho increase of $26,000 in local taxation-and then, as if to relieve them as far as possible add, that “every dollar is needed and will be honestly expeded.’' They much prefer to say noth . | Ulg more about the tax law. j Last week our neighbor of the Republican was considerably worked up over the publication in the Sentinel of tho price lists and cuts of manufactured articles of protected manufacturers for expoit, and assumes to back up his denial of the truthfulness of the list by the assurances of imaginary democrats. But the lists were taken from snob, export 1 journals as the Amerioan Mail and Export Journal-Supplement, Australasian and South American, Engineering and. 1 Mi ing Journal, and therefore his denial! ! must go or naught. The N«w York Press, which, originates the “tariff pj 0u tores” for the republican papers, in palliation says. “D is sometimes looked upon as wise to chip goods of the conn try ai cost, rath r than break the regular price for which such ar tries sell ia the country in which they are produced.*