The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-02


marine, who has a large army TO sup
port, who has d large number of men OF wealth fol-
loving no industrial pursuIt-"Hah cOnSunsrs tuT-
gs"-eVen IN England we find that consumption OF
agricultural produce has far oulstrlpped produc-
uon' Sir II you were to build 4 Chinese wall
around this nation, allow nothing to be imported,
ana manufacture everything for yourself you
would not find consumers for your agrcultu-
raj produce. This can be established by a
very short calculation. In 1910 the aggTe-
gate value of manufactured articles produced
IN this country was 1896 1872 els. The number oil
persons employed was 79l ,749. lnround numbers
about $500 per head. Our import of manufactures
Of all sorts Is about fifty millions annually. Sap.
pose we should exclude Importauons altogether and
manufacture these articles ourselves how many per-
sons would II take 10 do lt-and how much of sgricu
tural produce would they consumer The average is
$500 per hand; but this includes mechanics who do
not produce much in value per head operatives
employed in factories, and our imports are princi.
pally of articles produced by this latter class. 1t
will therefore be that, in taking $500 as the
average production, make a concession very much
in favor of the manufacturers. Bat al that It would
take 900 persons TO manufacture $50 600, 900
the entire amount of our import Of manufactured ar
ucles. Suppose you allow an equal number for
children too young to go into the factories land they
go in very young,) an for those too old to be EN-
ployed, (aRd they remain nearly as long as they
Ve,) and you have 100000. We have seen, IN
England, that the average consumption IL about
seventeen bushels OF grain per head. The gen
teman from Massachusetts, Mr.. HUpsosl shows
that the consumption Of wheat in this country
is less than four bushels per head which is less
than is included IN the English estimate. Still
will put down, for the consumption of this country.
twenty bushels per head; and the consumption Of
200, 900 operatives would be 1000, 900 Of bushels
much less than our present export. And To raise
up this number of consumers, you have destroyed
others more valuable. You have destroyed your
fo egn commerce, and lost the consumers which 1t
gives you. And do not hesitate to say, they are
much moro extensive consumers Of our agncutu-
raj produce than all your manufacturers, benefited
by tariff Of protection. q.
The persons connected with the commerce Of the
country afford us very large market for our pro-
Visions; and It is also known that the effect Of the
tariff policy is greatly to injure that pursuit. In
the city Of New York alone, there 5000 carmen,
with nearly twice that number Of horses, principal
ly dependent upon the foreign commerce of the
country. In proportion TO the size Of the cities,
there are as many in Boston, Philadelphia, Baltl-
more, and the other towns. II may safely be said,
that in the raising and subsisng OF the horses
gagged in this one branch, much Of the produce
Of the farmer is used as is consumed by all the
sIckly inmates OF every mandatory in the country
which is benefited by a tarif-to say nothing about
the $1,000 seamen, the large number Of ship
penters, stevedores, sail-makers, and persons en-.
gagged in the production ofhemp and the manufac-
ture Of cOTdage. But this is a calculation which
every one make for himself and will not go
minutely into II.
But the conclusive answer to the argument under
consideration is, that do not propose to destroy
the manufactures On the contrary, we think that
such as the country is ripe for will flourish under
revenue tarih.
do not desire (said Mr.. B. to be considered as
the enemy Of manufactures. | am friendly to them,
and will be glad to them established, whenever
the country is ripe for them Whenever that is the
case they will be introduced. Until then they ought
not 10 be introduced. My only fear is, that
the protection which tariff for alone will af
ford, will many be introduced prematurely.
That protection is much greater than is generally
supposed. The memorial of the New York mer-
chants, presented to Congress the extra session,
says: Twenty per cent. duty is a protection Of no
less than forty per cent to domestic manufactures,
because, IN addition to the duty, the expense of i'm
portation are about u per cent, and the pro.
fit to the importer is probably about twelve and
half per cent" Will not this afford protection
enough Are there any manufactures for which
the country is ripe, that cannot prosper under pro-
lection Of 40 per cent? They fourished and
made larger dividends even during the latter Pc
Rod of the compromise act, than any other
interest in the country. In making this state
ment | do not draw my differences from unau-
uhentc sources. | hold in my hand letter written
by Thomaa G. Cary, treasurer Of the Hamilton
Manufacturing Company, addressed on the lst Of
December, 1874 to my honorable colleague [Mr.
PESDLErrs Il was designed, as it Purports on its
face, TO disahuse the public mind to the extent
Of manufacturing profits and it is published by the
manu- fdeturers themselves. for that purpose. 1t
tains the folio table, giving the average dividends
of the Lowell factories, "tuken," he says, "from
their own books"
Name Of Time of eom- Term of Average of diri'
Merimsck 1875 % years l2i per cent