Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-04-15
coNGREss--ad Session.
SPEECH OF Hos. JOHN {. CALHOUN, Of 5. c.

Conciudsd
shall draw my facts PRINCIPALLY from The annua
commercial documen mt from the Treasury Department
which gives full and authentic information OF the com
merce and navigation of the year all their relations
and shall begin with that portion of domestic pro
ducts which ~ shipped abroad, and which constitute:
the basis OF our commerce and CATION shall no
include the imports, not because they would give less
favorable view of our industrial pursuits but because
they would give one that was apparently too iavora
BILE during the last four years. owing the vast exien
of loans contracted abroad by many of the States anc
which principally returned in merchandise Of va
rious descriptions. Nor shall include the carrying
trade; because i, is little affected by the Of duties
they returned in the shape Of drawbacks on re
shipment of the imported articles.
In order 10 have full and satisfactory view Of the
relative effects of increasing and reducing the duties on
export trade have arranged in table A, The aggre
gate of all domestic exports, incuain-
nufaetures, for sixteen years, beginning with fe25, the
first gear under the first Tariff laid proessedsy 'or pro-
lecil0n and ending with 1910, divided into two.g1-i
periods of eight years each; the first ending with lcl
and comprchendn. the period fhe two protective Ia
riffs of ~ and go and The last extending from the ter
mnation Of the first to 1910 inclusive. have not III
cuded A. because it would impede the facility OF cont
pairing the two periods, by making one longer than the
other and moi because il would be less favorable than
the other years since the commencement. of the reduc.
ton. have extended the first 10 1882 not~thstand-
ing the reduction Of the duties on coffee tea and some
other articles began in 1880, aud which, as reference
to the table will Bhow. gave considerable impulse TO
our export trade in 1881 and 81, and corresponding
increase ofthc experts 10 the period Of high protective
duties, which fairly belongs TO that of reduction. The
great reduction took place March, 1888, under the
Compromise act ard with that year accordingly com.
mence the period of reduction, TO the effects Of which
The Senator attributes such disastrous results, to the in
dustry of the country With these remarks shal! now
proceed compare the two periods in order to ascer
matnry assertions.
The aggregate amount Of the value of the exports in
the fist series Of years, from 1874 to 1888 the period
when the protective policy was in lis greatest yigor,
was Si69, l9S56l making an average OF $780, 45
per annum Throughout the period; while the aggregate
amount of value in the last, the period Of reduction
under the Compromise, S16S, 352, 365 giving an
average Of 500 442 49, and making aggregate GAIN
the period Of reduction over that OF protection, OF
5000 ia 79l, and average annual gain of S3s6i6
500 being rather more than 81 per cent the average
of the former pprodan increase, without example, III
any former period Of the history OF our commerce.
This vast increase has had corresponding fleet on
our tonnage in the foreign and coasng trade, will
appear by reference tnbe b. which contains state
ment Of our tonnage for the two periods The aggre
amount of the foreign tonnage at The close OF the
first period was in the oEegn CSC $685. and the coast.
inr 1852 i36 TONS making the aggregate ,494oD tons,
gainst the last, in the foreign trade of s9666d aud
the coaslins, 1,220999; making, IN the aggregate, y
S0 76 and increase during the period ut reduction
of duties over that Of protection Of 74l 3G3 tons
while during the first, there was an actual falling OH
in the tonnage, the table will show.
But it will no doubt be objected, that this mighty
impulse from reduction, which has vastly increased
xpor;s and tonnage was confined to Tie gTeatogr
cultural staples and that the effects VIII be found To
be the reverse on the manufacturing industry Of the
country The very opposite is the fact; far from
falling off the very branch Of exports that has
received the greatest impulse will be apparent by
reference to table c. in which the exports, in value
of domestic manufactures arranged tabular iorn
divided into The periods IL ~" appear by refer
ence TO il that the whole value Of the exports Of do
nestle manufactures during the period of high pEo;cc
tive duties was but So ,155 SO far from ircrcas-
ing there was an actual filling Off, comparing the las,
with the first year Of The series OF So0o6 OBJ Now turn
to the period of reduction Of duties, and mark the
contrast Instead of falling of, the exports increased
10 S65, 0S during the period; and, comparing the
last wear of The series with the last Of that of high pro-
tectyc duties, the increase will be found to be 81,
2O7 greater than The former year by nearly three
millions OF dollars. This vast increase of the exports
of domestic manufactures, even beyond the other
branches ofexports, attributable manly TO the iact
that large portion Of tho articles for which they were
exchanned were made duty free during the period un-
der the COMPROMISE while the greater part OF those for
which The great agricultural staples were exchanged,
were sill subject TO high dnties.
But il has been sad that this vast increase has re-
which forced the manufacturers TO go abroad TO find
purchasers and that it is rather evidence of their
depression than their prosperity To test the truth OF
this objection, propose 10 select the manufacture OF
cotton which furnishes the largest item IN The exports
Of domestic actures, and shall show concusivcly
that the increase of exports under the reduction OF tn
ties far from being produced by the cause assigned,
is but the natural result Of tho healthy and furnishing
condition of that important branch of our industry
shall 20 its head quarters Lowell and Boston, for
nv proof as afordng the best possible evidence OF It's
actual condition throughout the manufacturing region.
shall BERN at the former place, and in the absence OF
all official documents, shall draw from highly respect
able source the writer of the money articles IN the New
ork Herald, who appears to have drawn from some
authentic source, If may judge from the nnueness
of his statement.
According 20 his statement the entire amount Of
cotton goods made al Lowell, in 1889, was 5S,253-
eco Yards, and in 1910, 400 yards, making al
increase IN single year, l5,J90G00 more than % per
cent on the entire growth in that branch IN that ou-
rishing town, from its foundation 10 the beginning OF
the wear lSi0 But, great as that IS, 1t IS not equal,
in proportion to the quantity Of the raw article con
sume5 which in tho nr,ner year 1888 Sea pounds,
and the latter q 7GI goo increase 9504 500; more
Than 80 per cent in year, the entire increase OF
The consumption, 10 the commencement ot The year,
- hat makes it the striking, is the tact that tins
great increase took place under very great fall o!
prcc nverarinr fllly - per cent bot notwithstanding
price of the raw material and extension of the opera
ions exceeded that of 1899 by s95,22 ai"rding con
;lu>,ve prnnf that low prices and increased gain may
.e reccnc,led in manufacturing industry.
;,n, i. may be sli that Tie gain is not in proportion
10 he extension Of the operation, esd that 80 far from
indicating prosperous condition, !, IS indicative oihe
reverse To Tins reply, that if the fac, be supposed
IL the year 1870 really bad, INSTEAD Of good
wear, for the manufacture oil cotton in Massachusetts
and the adjacent resion-the proof will be found in the
falling eff of their operations the next year. But, So
far from that being the case, shall show, by conclusive
violence that their increase in 1911 exceeded all pre-
cedng years, five may Judge from the quantity Of the
ra ma erial required than which there can be nothing
safer hy which 10 Judge.
hold in my hand statement Of the amount Of co..
ton imported into Boston from 1885 to lsi3 in coac!u-
s;vr and from the Isl January, l5I to the 23th May,
nf the same year. being rather less than FIVE months
lake f.c the Boston Atlas, which mny be regarded as
good authority IN tie subject Now, assuming, as
safely may, that the cotton imported into Boston oil
exclusively for domestic use, and Is consumed by
that large portion of Gotten manufacturers, which
draw their supply from there Will have III the guam