New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-10
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DIX On MARK e rs.

Dir. John A. Dix delivered the Annual Address
at our State Fair last Friday, and followed the bad
preced ant Of other Democratic politicians In max
ing that Address subserye partisan purpose
Within our recollection, We have had Addresses at
successive State Fairs by Silas Wright, Stephen
A. Douglas, Joseph A. Wright, Horatio Sey.
mour, and now by John A. Dix; and each of
these, except Gov. Wright Of Indi,na, made the
occasion subservient TO political ends. We are not
aware that like abuse has been committed by
men holding opposite vieys-we are sure it has not
been usual on this side IL it is to be continued,
we insist that Protection and Free Trade shall both
be heard, and that each shall have his turn.
Mr.. Dixs leading proposition is set forth BY him
as follows:
During the last CT cen years, the exports Of our
agriculture have made great though not steady
advance and il may be safely assuned by sgrlcultur
ists that there will be constant demand in the Eu.
ropean markets for the products of their industry
demand uniform the varying productiveness OF
different years abroad wJl admit. think il may be
stated proposition from which the farmers OF the
country may draw conclusions, and by which they may
be guided in their practical operations, t9 1 Europe
sumption Of its increasing population, and that even
with the most abundant hsrvests there will be an an-
nus deficiency, which can only be suppned ny the
United States"
Now we do not doubt that Europe will take
some Grain from this country, especially if We con-
tinue to buy and consume largely of her Manufac-
lures So long as we are largely clothed 10 Eu-
ropean fabrics, and eat from European dishes, she
must take some Grain from US or go without her
pay; for all We now send her, including large
amount of Breadstuffs and Provisions, do not pay
for what We buy; and, if these should be refused,
we must sink into hopeless bankruptcy. What We
Pfotectionists hold on this point is briefly this:
l. A distant market for bulky and perishabe
staples like Bresdstuffs must in the average be a
poor market We can only sell Grain in Europe
by offering it at or below the prices of the Grain
produced there. Hence, our farmers must under.
work their European rivals by at least the amount
of the cost of transportation, shipping charges,
&c. Suppose Wheat in the average worth 81
per busbel at Manchester or Birmingham, our
grain-growers in Illinois and Wisconsin must sell
it at sd to IS cents in order TO hold the European
market. We think they can do much better than
this.
? distant market is necessarily a eaprieiouS
market. Europe may one year take from us Ons
Hundred Millions worth of Food, and the next
year but Thirty Millions worth. witness the
contrast shown by Mr. Dix between the European
demand Of l546 and that of lS47; witness the
contrast between the reasonable expectations Of
our farmers last Spring and the present resizs.
tom If our food growers are to be left depend
ent on the European market they can never work
with reasonable presumption that their labor will
be adequately rewarded.
3. Sending Grain to Europe lie emphaticAlly
rdst.fM operation. Nine-tenths OF it goes there to
pay for Wares and Fabrics that might Is cheapy-
that is, with as little labor-be produced on our
own soil. Now, suppose million days work
would produce given amount OF Grain here, and so
many days work produce certain amount of
Cloth, to send that Grain fron our graingro wing
region to Europe and bring the Cloth thence TO the
farmers viii cost another million days work, which
seems to US all clear waste and loss Plant the
manufacturer Gin the words of Gen. JAckson) be-
side the farmer, and this third million is all s,vei
and divided between the farmers and the manufaeta-
rers. II seems to US, as it did to Gen. Jackson,
the palpsbe interest of our farmers to attract the
manufacturers hitler rather than send eur Grain
abroad for their fabrics. II there is any mistake
or falscy in this view OF the matter, why does not
some one sttempt to show it
But Mr. Dix proceeds unconsciousy to adduce
another and very forcible argument for producing
our Fabrics and consuming our Grain on our own
soil Hear him
The gres: wheat growing districts of the Union
consist, for the most part Of prares IN the Western
S.stes ard Territories some Of which have been for
centuries cenuded of trees and have yielded little else
than grasses, by the decsying remains Of which the
soil has been constantly enriched. But whether with
is much the sane Ii is composed of the car sceous
remains of decsyei and decsying vegetation AMI is
usually Of depth, which, TO persons unacqusnted
vith the principles Of vegetation and their influence
on the coll would 10 give It an exhaustless fer
thiy. i: is for this reason that the frs. eulhvsors