The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-07

No class loses more heavily sustans greater priya-
tons in period of general revulsicn than the agricuu
rss and it asking too much of them to submit to adj
dtona burdens IN order to exempt favored portion of
their fellow citizens from the common calamity
The above list also shows how little the decline in
prices be ascrbed to the change in the tariff made in
1857 1t occurred ndierently, in articles imported in
the trivial quantities and in those largely i'm
ported in articles the duty which unchanged and
in those which it diminished proving that the
outside of all tariff regulations and beyond the
control of legislation
But it be alleged that although the changes made
1857 did not inure the American manufacturer yet that
such has been the result of the tariff of 1916 which
based the principles the is, that does
appear that the manufacturing interest has suffered
from that tariff While particular branches, pre-
maturey improvdently entered into, may have failed
yet the fact Is well known that all the great manulac
turing interests have largely increased since 1896
rapidly than the population and general production of the
country.
An examination of the statistics published under the
authority of various sates among which may be speci-
fed Massachusetts, New York, aud Ohio will abundantly
prove the proposition. One mode of ascertaining the
comparative prosperity of the several industrial interests
of the country Mt different times, is by comparing the
amounts of products exported to foreign countries, it be-
ing obvious that those who can compete ia the common
market with the like products of other countries
tlinly maintain themselves at home
Applying this test to the facts find the following
results
The export of American manufactures for the
year lS47 was ---------------------S $40 ,476, ,345
For the year 1853 &c, ,372, lSO
Increase, $40 1895 1886, equal to 100 per cent.
In the same yeurs the exports of cotton were,
Si7----------------- 53,4l5, ,SaS
In 1858 S------------------- 13l 1856, ,661
Increase ST. 97Osl3, equal to LAG per cent.
Tobacco, 7,242, ,os6
In 1853 ------------------------- 1900, 767
Increase, 50, ,767, ,6Sl equal to 1876 per cent
The exports of agricultural production, except cotton
and tobacco during the period, show actual de
crease which, however, is not fair comparison S47
year of famine In Europe but the increase of those
exports by fair comparison OF the two periods about
from rs TO 100 per cent.
OF the exports of manufactures those of iron and the
manufactures of iron found to be: lS4T, 81 1877
4s4 1858, Sf 729, s7t increase, SO, ,562 $780, equal
305 per cent.
times result from adversely instead Of prosperity, MS
when the holder unable to make sales at home ships
goods abroad, last resort But it is taxing Gre
dulty to be told that exp rts of large class of articles
will 20 on from year year. while the manufacturers are
unable to compete at home with tho importer though
protected by twenty four nineteen per And
If it be said that the year 1853 in which the
state of things referred to especially existed copa
of the exports of the preceding year. conceded to be
of remarkable prosperity will show the result
It will not suffice to say that this prosperity is owing
TO the influx of gold from California That has been
OF general rise in prices and of increased activity
in all industrial departments but perceived
why the agriculture of the country should not be
much stimulated by that the manufactures
Yet while both have increased the manufactures have
increased faster, whereas If they had been seriously
injured by the tariff of 1916, they would, at most
have improved slowly than other interests so
affected
Ipocecd to consider the question Of the best mode of