New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-02
No. Of hand and me-
chanical looms

An elaborate article in the Paris Journal des
Economists, on the Mining Industry of Prussia,
states that her coal mines which produced in 1874
only OO0 900 tuns of brown and other coal yielded
in 1854 no less than 46 500 900 tuns that the total
value of her mining products COAL iron, lead, cop
per, ETC., which was about 100000 francs IN
1924, amounted to l59, eos go francs in l-5i The
number of mines, smeltDg-works, boundaries and
rolling. mills was 81; the value of their produce
30l, 66l francs the number of workmen EN-.
ployed in them was l44, 696 and including their
families was 437, 1876 persons. That is, nearly u
per cent of the entire population was subsisted by
this industry. This, the Journal declares, means
"nothing less than that Prussia has actually eur
passed all other countries of Europe, with the
single exception of England" In fine, Prussia
has efectuay developed all the various branches of
manufacturing industry in the short period of 8
quarter of century, under the favorable auspices
Of Protectise Tariff.
If such Tariff really constituted, as is main.
tanned with US, an inequitsble tax and burden upon
agriculture, the agriculture Of Prussia, which, as
we have seen, was in most lamentabe state Of
weakness at the outset, ought TO have been ruined
completely by the process. Considering that it
gained no additional terrtories-that it was deeply
in debt to the feudal interest, aud that industrial
pur,uits absorbed no less than onethird Of the Ia
Dor formerly employed in it, il ought, If the views
of our free traders are correct, to have remained at
least stationary, since 1870, under the tax imposed
upon it by the Protective system. Should We, how
ever. find that in spite of all these drawbacks agr
culture has advanced then il must be admitted that
IFS progress was owing to the beneficial reaction of
rising industry and tina. the Protective Tariff is not
an inequtable and injurious, but an advantageous
arrangement To examine this subject We shall quote
the admissions and figures of Prussian free trader
or rather low-tarf advocate, Mr.. Kotelman who,
though be does not deny that Protective Tariff
is the only means TO deyeope the industrial arts,
maintains that they hsEe reached in Prussia the
perfection they capable Of under existing con.
ditiops, and that the expectation OF agricultural
produce ought TO be encouraged BY a reduction Of
| the duties upon foreign imports. This authority
can at least not be suspected Of exaggeration or
! partially OF the side Of Protection. From $50 to
IS49 when the last complete census was taken, the
population Of Prussia increased from TO- 9S2 900 to
Ii, 600 900; 90 that the task imposed upon sgricu
ture of supplying food for the people became con.
stantly greater, and was in the latter year third
more than n l520. Nevertheless, Mr. Kotelman's
calculations show Ii II the production of grains and
pOta.oe. KEEP. pace with the increase Of population;
tia. the consumption Of these articles per head,
AID even tn exports Of surplus Of them, did not
dminitk-thst the latter, tie contrary, has even
sEshtly increased. This however, is only an incl
dental effect Of the Prussisn Protective system.
To ascertain the progress Of 4 very important
branch of rural economy, the breeding Of cattle,
orr author bases his calculations for the period
from ls2O 70 1857, Of wai:h he had 10 accurate
data, upon the oHicisl returns from l:57 10 l349;
frankly admitting however, that this method could
oaly give minimum result, since tie latter period
was marked by uninterrupted calanites-the chol.
era in 1885, failure Of crops in lci6 and AZ, the
revolution in lS4s and 40 and the cholera again in
the latter year; al of which had most ipjurioaIy
affected rural industry. IF" says he, "the pro
duction Of meat kept abreast or gained upon the
increase Of population in this period, it certainly