Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-04-18

/ population toward agriculture, already
excessive, must have been immensely IN.
creased il other channels for industry had
not been opened We have at presen,
$50 800, 900 of cspiisl, and 72,000 per-
sons employed in our cotton manufactures.
We have s2s, 500, 900 OF capital invested
in iron mining and its rough manufacture;
S04 furnaces and 795 bloomeries FORCES
and rolling mills are worked and give
employment TO an immense amount OF the
strongest labor. We have SIS, 765, l24
Of capital, and 81 ,s4a hands employed ir
wooden manufactures; and work 300G
fulling mills and woollen factories, which
convert into fabrics nearly 35,09G. 900
lbs. OF wool. Coal, salt, glass, paper, silk,
the mechanics trades, &C., employ a
vast and increasing amour. Of capital and
labor. Coal and salt Nv themselves en-
ploy sl4,5o0, 900 cf capital. and we may
form an idea OF the whole quantity of la.
Dor employed when we learn thu, 10 three
counties oil Virginia alone, Chesterfield,
Henrico, and Goochland, 5000 per
annum is ''paid for labor IN The business
Of coal mining and transporting coal. !"
Tie manufacture of paper employs Sl6,-
800, 900 of capital and nearly 5000
hands. Ofthe mechanic trades, the "shoe
and leather business" gives employment to
100 900 persons and produces commodities
to the amount of more than SOC, 000, 600
annually. Massachusetts alone makes an
nuslly S liz, 900, 900 worth of boots, shoes,
and leather, and employs no less than
10000 persons. Many other branches
of our domestic industry may be added to
these, employing substantial part of our
general capital and labor. Now what
would have been the effect if all this cap.
ital and labor, so diverted by protection
into these various branches Of industry.
had been LEFT to obey the natural tenden.
cy and find employment IN agriculture -?
Would we not have been 10 day patton
of farmers exclusively Would not our
wheat crop have been instead OF 100, 000,-
900 bushels, nearer $50, 900, 900 bushels.
or perhaps beyond that amount And II
the present excess of 40 600 900 bushels
over our estimated consumption for food
and our foreign sales has reduced the
price Of wheat SO much and so seriously
to our farmers would not an excess Of
90, 0O0, 900 or 100 900, 600, bushels have
made wheat by this time production Of
scarcely q market value at all And by
nataral consequence, would not the lands
which are not fitted, ss is the case in this
particular region, for any substitute staple,
have become fatally depressed in value
and price,
Bot it may be said that our popul alton,
like every other rational people, would
not have continued to produce commo-
dlty in such excess as to render it unmar-
ketable; that the thing would have cured
itself. Let us admit this to be true lie,
US admit that the wheat production Of the
U. S. could have been checked perma
nently somewhere, that is at some point
which would secure fair return for cap.
ltal in lands and for labor. This point
Of safety neuer could hare been the point
Of safety 10 our 1eheai. growers here in the
old States. One dollar per busheI will
scarcely give fair return where lands
have cost $40 or $50 per acre; whilst
80 cents per bushe will give an immense
return from rich lands bought a, govern
ment prices. and within reach OF market,
as is The case with most of the vast wheat
country of the west. A mark Il not TOO
full, and cons quently with fair sound pri
ces, is necessary to the whett grower of
the old States; whilst glutted market
with wheat down to so cents is abundant.
~ good for the whoat grower OF the west.
1t IS evident therefore that the general
production could never stop at the point
necessary TO The safety of the wheat in.
terest OF The old States; and it is equally
evident taat before it had got down TO
The port below which the western farmer
could not safely produce, the value OF
wLeat lands in the old States must have
been brought down ruinously.
| think it clear TO demonstration that
our protective Tariffs have prevented a
runous Increase Of the present excess in
the general wheat crop of the country
above the certain market demand; but ii
they we're not needed to prevent such an
increase If the principle of political econ.
omy which makes tho demand for an ar.
tcle regulate its production would have
been alone enough 10 prevent it-stlll even
under the operation Of this principle, the
wheat interest OF The old States must
first have gone by the board
| will continue this subject in my next
number, which will be my last, and
will show how our Tariffs have increased
the consumption ofwheat and built up
large and important home market 70, it.
p. P. C..
Col. Hunter In the frst number Of
my articles on the Tariff, &C., gave
table Of our exports of wheat to England
for series of years. gave sc as the
whole amount Of the export to England
in 1887. | have been charged, near,
with concealing or being ignorant Of
material fact in connection it'll this small
export to England in lS37--viz: that ,ce
exported no -four at alto any country in
1887, but were obliged by failure of crops
even to import it. If this were true my
omission 10 mention the fact would Ger.
family be objectionable. But ii is not
true. The report Of the Sec. of Treasu.
ry of Dec. lllh, 1913, shews that we did
export flour in 1887 to the amount Of 81
957 ,269. will say in passing that