The New York herald., 1869-01-07

clai prosperity or the country was seriously
anectei by legislation from 1S42 to 1Si3. Bat
investigation shows the contrary.
il Is said, for instance. that the production OF pig
iron was remarkably stimulated under the tarn OF
1872 rising from 2200 099 tons In 1912 TO $40 00) tons
ls4s and that under the tarlfr or 1850 IL was de-
4 pressed. Now, the statistics OF the American Iron
Association show that the greatest annual ncrea o
IN the production OF pig iron took place before ls1
and Tor thirty years It was remarkably untfarin ~
the rate OF ten 70 eleven per cent per annum and
tnat since then, no matter whether the lArlI was
the increase has averaged about eight per cent per
annun or more than twice the increase OF popuii-
A Congressional committee recently spoke OF the
decline OF production, Immigration. prosperity and
revenue under the free trade system of lsi6 as no
torious Mr.. Wells presents the following ngures:-
Increase In the production OF pig iron-in 1910,
$4,000 tons; in ls4s $4,000; In 1850 5si 1856 1855
increase % ia the production OF pennsylvania an
thracite ccal-ls41 1,1os4ls tons; ls45 a34ioo5;
is45 ss2 500; 1s4o a,al7oil 1850 o4se oe7; lsoo,
Increase in the domestic consumption Of cotton
north OF the Posomaczls49 . ss! 600 ID bales d ls45
42s 600; 1St9-5o, '476,0O0 lsSl-62 6ss 900; 1855,
Increase IN lmmisSsiloa~isio $4,000; is4s. l74ooo;
Increase in public reyenue-lslo, $4,000 ooo ls45
s29 ooo, 900; 1850 So ooo,o 600; 1852 So, ooo
per cents from 1850 $780, 12s per cent. In 1854
the six per cent bonds OF the United States issued
In !sis. commanded premium Of q per cent
1s4o q 1000; 1850. S5s5, 900; 1860, 5,s53,Oo0.
Exports and imports-In lsao, s2s9.ooo,o 900; 1s45,
Increase n snipeuna!ng. lssos4 tons; ls4s,
Annual increase OF railroad construction:-lsi2,
4sl miles; lsas 25o; 1s47, e6J; 1sas 1885, ls5s 4S2;
In short he insists that the progress OF the coun-
try through what we may term the strength OF its
elements OF vitality s Independent OF legislation
and even OF the fmp0versllment and waste OF
great war;
EFFECT OF THE WAR IN CHECKING NATIONAL DE-
vELoPMENr.
hav l1aap rho 0ft nufffV
from 1860 t01S70 had not the INTERVIEWED cannot
be definitely determined, but that many branches OF
production would have experienced Q development
miIed only by the amount OF available capital and
skilled labor cannot be doubted. In many depart
raw material in Great Britain and the United states
very closely appr0ximated in 1860; while food OF do
mestic production and certain articles Of import
SUCH sugars, teas and cOIees were much cheaper
here. In 1860 American coarse c0ttOns were obtain
ing the command Of most extra European markets.
built cheaper in the United States than any other
country; although the decline OF the shpbpllding in
teres. In the United States. SO much commented
OF late really began several years before the break
In 1860 copper in the pig was exported from the
mines of Cuba aud OF South America; and in some
instances pig iron was manufactured with profit vt
rates far lower than the average OF Europe, while
| the purchasing power Of the wages paid was con-
siderably greater than at present.
table results whicn now constitute the per contra
upon the national ledger 1t seems contradictory
resources
| ton have, on the whole, continued unimpaired;
while we continue to possess the greatest area OF
s ana ns ana os
products of the soil have continually Increased,
the spindle have also multiplied, there is
nevertheless. hardly single domestic article
OF which the claim, either directly or Indirectly, has
| not been made within the last two years that the
e oss the
increased protection even being demanded for oil
Bibles ana Last sSn g is extent
/ why Is THAI There are three chief agencies,
growing out OF the war, which, Is Mr. Wells believes,
account for itrredeemsble paper currency, unequal
and heavy taxation and limited supply Of skilled
INFLUENCE OF AN iRREDERxABLE PAPER CURRENCY.
Under this head few details are given from the
business Of 2 manufacturer who, before the war,
o % ee mes1 ana
On March ], 1881 81 900, gold then at par bought
III ~ dozen aa Ordinary % square post cane seat
time sd ana ISSsn,
gold, S Oonsat % ias dozen; IN % Fenrnary I''i ssss
dozen; and IN January, 1867, only SsH dozen. This
sbous ioa dozeu for eod or nine dozen pssn ss
than In 1851 The result is that the foreign purchaser
goes to France or Germany gold Is exported instead
OF furniture and the channels Of trade become more
and more settled against us M se
RELATIVE AMOUNT OF CURRENCY IN USE AND RE-
ouIRED IN THE UNITED STATES GREAT BRITAIN
Under slis head Mr.. Wells cites ct length the
Views Of Mr. George Walker. IN letter printed with
the report full abstract Of which was published In
ciusOn IS that the United sisies cannot use, on
| coMRARfsoN or PRICES % LABOR AND C0MNoDI
TIES, 1s6o-5l AED is67-6s
aysno. @ Inc price ws
per cent while that Of Wagea was not IN excess Of
| Another year's experience has shown new facts
and careful inquiry proves that the average increase
In the price OF groceries and provisions In 1867 Al
iaied on sae basis Of q workmsn's family supply
little In excess Of so per cent? OF domestic dry goods
including clothing, ssH per cent; Of fuel, 81 per
/ cent? OF house rent IS per cent. But this includes
i New England, where corporations own the tene-
ments Of their operatives and rents have not been
calculation the average advance in rents for 1867
| compared with lsG0-6l, h much more. Thus In the
tyes pay about 81 per cent more and in New Jersey
Ill per cent. In the cities Of New York. Phiadel-
| phia, Newark and Plttsburg the Increase has been
en- the whole the Increase In cost OF the food cloth
ing and shelter Of family has been about rs per
cent, as compared with 1s60-61.
But the wages OF the laboring man have increased
on tue average for the year 1so7 as compared with
i l55o-Gl-unskled mechanical labor, 50 per cent;
| skill led mechanical labor, 90 per cent.
1 Unmarried men are better or than families. the
Sssss u Deen ss % Is
board In manufacturing towns u per cent; clothing,
IS per cent; ordinary boots and shoes GO per cent
Skilled workmen who unmarried and get
wages from es 70 70 per cent more than IN 1860 are
| about az well on a. before the war.
Mr. Wells has prepared q table showing the actual
earnings, the necessary weekly expenses for house
rent and table, and the surplus for clothing savings,
recreation, &c. for Q large number or families
or various sizes In different parts of the
country. He nnds, upon general average,
that supposing ue requirements for food,
clothing and shelter 70 have been the same
10 ls67 a. in lsco, the operatives who received In
l6T an average Of SIS o6 week obtained In that
year only suncieDt 70 give them the actual neces-
sares and most common comforts OF life: and while
the same men, whose average weekly wages $780,
ls6l were only sl2 10, obtained with such earnings
at that time the articles OF comfort or necessity
and mad In addition surplus OF 81 81 tgoil per
week or SOS IL tgoldl per annum.
lie regards IL ~ fact established by incontro-
vertiDle evidence that the condition OF working
and women In majority OF the manufacturing