New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-04-11

The future of Manufactures and the Mechanic
Arts in this country is subject Of the grayest lne
rest TO all who desire the growth the greatness, the
true glory of the American Republic. If these arts
are destined to flourish and expand, then will our
People increase in intelligence, industrial Efficiency,
wealth and every element of progress; Apt if manu-
features are to rerograde and this cOusT revert 10
the condition of q planting or purely agricultural
community, such ar the South American nations
and mort Slave States now are, it is evident that
our Republic hss seen i's best days. Agriculture
is one of the nOblest departments of industry; but
no department hourishes in isolation from the
others. II is by the intimate and well-propOrtoned
blending of Agriculture, Manufactures and Com
merce that Labor is assured constant employment
and liberal reward for thus only is it rendered in
the highest degree efficient. Hence Wealth rapidly
accumulates, enterprise is fostered, Inventive
Genius is stimulated and rewarded, and every pro-
duct of the elements or of human effort adapted tos
benetcent use. The prosperity and progress of a
nation is usually measured BY the due or undue pro-
portion which its great departments of industry
besr to each other.
There are those in our country who regard the
future Of Manufactures with forebOdiDgs melted
by the obvious tendency Of our legislation. They
see the Protective Policy, which the two great par
ties We'd with each other in 1923 in claiming as their
own, now condemned by one of them and prac.i
cally ignored BY the other; they see the rates of
duty levied by our successive tariffs since AZ tend
steadily to horizontal line, until the tariff levied
in 46 syowedly as Free Trade measure is sub.
jected to reductions in 81 mainly anti Protective in
their character; they hear limitations on all sides
of return to the uniform twenty per cent ad va.
loren which broke down so dsas.rousy 10 lS4l-2;
they see that few extensive water. powers have
been improved, few factories erected, while many
have been stopped, since 1896 and they mentally
say, "This work Of obstruction and destruction
will 20 On until every furnace and spinning frame in
America are driven out of use" As We take
more hopeful view Of the prospect, We desire at.
tention to some Of the leading considerations on
which il i, based. They are as follows:
l. The positive hostility and bitterness with which
American Manufactures were in their infancy re-
etrded have no longer a substantive existence.
The spirit which impelled John Randolph to de-
clare that be would Ego ten rods out of his way to
kick sheep" is now cherished by very few. Turn
back to Alexander Hamiltons Report TO Congress
| in favor Of the encouragement of Home Manufac-
lures, and you will be surprised by the fact tina.
three-fourhs Of the objections to this policy which
he earnestly ccmbated are no longer urged or
upheld.
ii. American Manufactures are no longer de-
sideratum-they are an established fact Important
departments Of them are utterly beyond the reach
or the dread Of foreign competition. Thus In Edge
Tools (nOt including Cutlery no other nation CON-
pares with US. The saus is the case with regard
to Cut Nails, and we believe ~ to Pins also. In