The Portland daily press., 1869-09-11

D0tu tHeSe, has grown up INC Sredt dSflcul-
tural industry not only of New England, but
of the meat and grain producing States OF our
Republic. .........
Notwithstanding the sound and statesman
like views presented by Hamilton, Jefferson,
Madison and nearly all the leading minds of
our early constitutional period, the country
struggled on for years, through the financial
trials which attended what was called a
tariff OF revenue, as distinguished from pro-
tecton. The prostration of business which
followed the close of the war in 1915 was
appalling. The restrictions upon the impor-
tation Of manufactured goods, for a few
years prior to and during that struggle with
Great Britain, had reused the agricultural and
manufacturing enterprise of the United
States to a most encouraging activity. Mills
began to spring up in all the older states. The
farmer had but to get his produce to market,
TO ma an eager purchaser. And it was only
when these restrictions were removed by
peace, and our country was flooded with Brit
lsh manufactures, "to stifle," as Mr.. Brougham
sad III 1916, in the cradle those infant man
ufactures in the United States which the war
had forced into existence" that the American
people began to learn by sad experience, the
distresses which would attend unrestricted
commerce with foreign countries. Mills were
closed, money disappeared, the laborer like
mourner went about the streets, fortunes van
lshed, agriculture was a mockery, and COM
merce failed. In looking for a remedy for
these evils, the doctrines of the fathers reyiv-
ed in the American mind; and after years of
experiment and Investigation. in which pre-
conceived notions were abandoned, and a gem
eral desire for the public good filled every
great prtrotic heart and inspired everv
great patriotic intellect, the protective tariff of
1928, became for time the settled policy of
the country. In an instant business revived.
The product of iron increased 100 per cent
in four years, and in eight years was trebled
reaching the annual yield of 100000 tons and
the consumption of cotton in the Northern
manufacturing States rose steadily from no.
900 bales. annually, to 216,000 during the
same period. Meanwhile markets for agri-
cultural produce multiplied everywhere. -.
In 1892, under the influence of the violent
and revolutionary counsels of Mr.. Calhoun
and his followers, the tariff was reduced to a
simple revenue standard; and the distresses
of the years previous to 1923, broke out
anew. Credit was destroyed in the nation,
the State, and ON the exchange. To be
laborer was to be an idler; to be manufac-
turer was to be a bankrupt; to be a farmer
was to lead life of aboriginal economy and
simplicity. The iron interest which had been
stimulated into great activity IN 1853, began
to languish the instant that the compromise
tariff of 1882 went into operation and al
though the population of these States in
creased thirty per cent. while this tariff ex-
listed, in the production of iron there had
been scarcely any increase what ever.' And
che consumption of cotton, the value of which
for purposes of clothing, ETC., began to be
fully appreciated, did not keep pace with the
population-the latter increasing
twenty-five per cent. and the former only
twenty three per cent
In 1912 the scene changed again. The
protective tariff of that year, 'the bill of
as Mr.. Calhoun and the slave
holders of the South called it, brought with it
once more the smiling faces of prosperity.
most lain idle, and of the new ones which
were brought into existence, rose in 1874 to
$4,000 tons; and the two following years
brought it up to 1890 tons. The consump-
ton Of cotton in 1S47-S, the closing years of
the protection under this tariff was 531O
bales, shaving almost doubled in five wears.
and the growth being six times more rapid
than that of population" Then were opened
the great Southern markets for Western
grain and provisions; and then the local
markets gave new energy to the agriculture of
the Eastern and Middle States. '-.r ..,s
But this period of prosperity was not al
newly infamed sectional animosity, rallied
against the free labor of the North; and
again the evils of unchecked foreign competi-
tion began to be felt. The production of iron
from American furnaces fell from 100000
tons in 1918 to 564, 900 tons in 1850, and
there remained, until the excessive demand
in the market gave temporary stimulous to
the enterprise, and the amount produced in
1854, ran up to 10000 tons; the importa-
ton however of the two previous years hav-
ing been 100000 tons. In 1859 the furnaces
yielded $4,000 tons-a slight increase over
1S54-but being ten per cent. less than the
amount produced in 1913, while the popula-
ton had increased twenty per cent. and the
demand for iron for machinery, rails, ETC., had
increased faster than the population. The
increase in the demand for cotton had been
kept in check during this period in the same
and by the same cause; and the
si,,1 s6oSST71m ,o1SST71mption of this raw material, which
pace with the growing s'iS popslefgptt slept to keep
only twenty-five per cent. under the oppress-
ion of market filled with foreign goods.
OF the disasters of 1857 it is unnecessary
to give an elaborate account. Even the flood
of gold from the newly discovered mines of
California, the demand for our breadstuffs
created by short crops abroad, and the quick
markets for iron, growing out of the immense
consumption here and in Europe, could not
save us from the calamities of that and the
two following years. The capitalists of
this country will not soon forget them,
the laborers of the country will long re-
member them, and the agriculturist looks
back with indignation to that time when
the vslue of his cattle and his crops melted
away before market paralyZed by legisla-
ton, which seemed to have forgotten all the
domestic interests of our country. OF the
credit of the country at the close of this pc
riod, an American would blush to speak.
In 1861, however, a new era commenced.
Left alone in the possession of the govern
ment, with discouraging weight of war on
its hands, the North proceeded to establish a
system of protection to American industry,
which, Joined with the marvellous and sue
cessful financial policy of Mr.. Chase, enabled
the untiring energy of our people to defy not
only the spirit of foreign powers, but to pre-
vent them from possessing our markets. The
heroism of the war will challenge the admi-
ration of all coming generations the indus
trial policy which sustained it should be a
lesson for all coming time. 1t was devotion
to our own resources which enabled us to
manifest with vigor and effect our devotion
to. our country. The wisdom which pointed
out the means by which we could bear the
burthens Of the war, may now point out the
peace. Bearing with patience the weight of
debt and taxation which the war has impos-
ed upon us, we have only to believe in the
power of our industrial resources and to wait
for the time when the system of free and in
telligent labor victorious in the contest shall
be applied to all our soil, shall open oul
mines, and shall plant mills on all oul
streams. The prosperity of our country to
day is unparalleled. Not an idle dollar is tC
be found anywhere, and scarcely an idle
hand. The great manufacturing and mininG
interests are inspired with constantly renew
ed vigor. A million and a half tons of iror
are poured forth by our furnaces; and moth
ing is now needed but domestic competition
encouraged by protection, to develop oul
slumbering ores, and to give us the cheapeS
iron in the world. Let it be understood tina
the present policy of the country is to be per
manent, and to be modified, if at all, in the
interests of protection, and not long viii
PENNSYLVANIA be allowed to produce nearly
60 per cent. of all the pig iron in the coun
try. The rich veins of iron ore in East Ten
nessee, the mines in West Virginia, in Nortf
Carolina, at Iron Mountain and Pilot Knoll
in Missouri, in Michigan, in Kentucky, de
veloped by skilled labor, will sustain a uni
form and profitable business, and settle,
trust, the iron war forever Meanwhile Oul
manufactures are extending in every direc
tion. The wool tariff of 1867, followed as i
was by a glut in the market of wool ant
woolens, is beginning to work out its legiti
mate results The fine woods of Californi;
and Texas, and all those regions where mill
climate and broad pastures bring wool almos
within the list of spontaneous productions
are constantly increasing, and the breeder 0
the best fine-wooled sheep on our New Eng
land hills, will ere long find an opening mai
ket for those animals, whose blood is requir