The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-28
For the National Era.
WHY ARE WE NOT A MANUFACTURING
PEOPLE?

The question of national pursuits is an i'm.
portant one. There are certain laws which
govern the direction of productive power. How
far any people conform in their circumstances
to the conditions of Success in any particular
pursuit, can only be determined by the expert
ment of interested capitalists, under the test of
competition. This is the essential principle
mon which the doctrine nf narfeot fraaanp= in
commercial transactions is founded. In Amer.
lea, great branches of manufacturing interest
have been submitted to this test, and have been
found wanting in the power of selfsupport.
Even under the protection of partial restrc.
tons, 1t has been impossible to make invest
ments Ct capital, and expenditures of labor. in
these pursuits, safe and profitable. Others.
without encouragement from Government or
foreign support, have remunerated all outlaws:
and, firmly established in their power to sun.
ply want of the consumer to his adrantaoe.
(for the consumer pays the bonus in all cases
of protectien,) they have grown to proportions
we'll worthy OF our industry and ekill. In ex.
aiming such cases, We find, as a matter of
course, that they are peculiarly adapted to the
physical circumstances or mental capacities of
our people. 1t is wise to conclude that such ia
not the case in those branches whose failure
has reflected so little honor on the policy of
legislation which encourages the direction Of
capital to Improbable employments. While
there has been much general discussion con.
corning the respective advantages of differen.
branches OF industry among economists-which
discussion is frutless, as all are equally neces.
sary, all under favorable circumstances and
healthy legislation profitable, and as the inter-
ests Of each people will vary with, and be de.
termined by, its relative adaptation to them
there has not been much inquiry as to the De-
culiar physical circumstances of the United
States, and the cause of our inefiiciency in i'm.
portant branches of production. We will at.
tempt to point out the simple law which gov.
erns the direction of national labor-ihe object
of national industry. A very much greater
part of the labor of the world must be expend
ed in agriculture than in manufacturing. for
the reason that much of the product of aericul
ture is never submitted to the labor of the man.
ufacturer; and in the case of those which are.
the operations by which they are adapted to the
wants OF the consumer, give more opportunity for
mechanical invention and skill of hand. There.
fore, much more of the productive power of the
world Is required IN producing the raw mate
rial than In preparing and presenting it. Such
being the case, agriculture becomes the general
rule; manufacturing the exception. Those
nations will manufacture, which are forced to
it by the wants of their people; flor a crowded
population inevitably leads to manufacturing.
inasmuch as, when all lands are occupied. and
the power of the soil is fully employed, their
numbers press upon the means of support
which their limited sgrioultura! Capacities af
ford.) Those nations also will manufacture,
which have peculiar facilities for it, over those
which they have for agriculture and commerce,
and over the manufacturing power of other
countries. In the first case, the necessities of
labor reduce its price to the lowest point con.
mt u,fh ITO hive hoe &c
fording quail 6cation for that species of indus
try, which renders success almost certain. In
the second case, natural advantages of terrific
~ and pre- duction inevitably direct capital and
labor into that channel. Those nations, then,
will constitute the exception, and supply the
demand for manufacturing industry. There
fore, there will never be any tendency in ma.
tons industrial power to leave agriculture
the first condition Of mans existence, and the
first means of national support-until it's capa.
cities for production in that branch are fully
improved, and its powers fully developed. Those
nations will attend to agriculture which have
any adaptation to (which approach, in any
great measure, the conditions of its success.
Such we believe to be the law which governs
the direction of national industry. 1t is sim.
pie and plain. Let US see how the rule applies
to the physical condition of the United States.
we nave no PauPer iaoo. 70 compel US 10
manufacture, and thus enable US to manufac.
ture as cheaply as nations whose people are
bound to the wheel and loom. Our territory
is not yet occupied, our power of agricultural
production not yet developed. This country
can produce; therefore, it will not greatly pre-
pare for consumption. 1t is true, that this
country has got facilities for manufacturing
perhaps greater than any other country. Take,
for example, the iron manufacture. The ore is
found almost on the surface; in close juxtapo.
sition are limestone and coal, which are neces.
sary to the processes of preparation; our navi.
gable waters convey the products to the best
markets in the world. All this is true. Yet
We have still greater facilities for agriculture.