New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-05

great wheagrovipg countries Of Europe. especially into
Russia and Hungary. winch enables those countries not
only 10 send forward their produce after harvest
but TO uudcrsell us largely whenever IN cOmpo-
tion with them We have thus not only Loot sdyan
tasos which our railroads and canal8-wOrks IN the con
structOn OF which we were. for time, far advance
OF all other Internationally secured 20 IA, hut
we have now. with 20 better means ~ trans
pOrtatoh than our rivals the dsidy Antagc OF being com
PEELED 20 brng our grains from districts situated some
100 miles from the seaboard ard from distances inland
lar greater than those with when our rivals have 20 con.
tend These Disadvantages by no means neutralynd
by the fertility OF our virgin soil The only way. there
fore. IN which can recover the ground have lost
and maintain the position enjoyed. Is by I'm.
pOrtant reduction the cost Of production transport
alton. The pauper labor Of Europe. freed from Al
burdens but rent 700 much for that Of fariner.
loaded and hampered by charges which excessively IN
crease the coat OF these products without securngs
them any comueusatng advantage IN return"
Comments b. The Tribune.
We submit that tho disadvantages under
which our wheat growers labor are nsurmount-
able and certain to increase, on The 7intes's
own showing. We may reduce the cost OF
production and transportation by reducing
the earnings of our laborers; but the fact will
remain that our Wheat must be sold in tho
North West for far less than is paid for that
grown in the ric! valleys of the Danube. tho
Vistula, and the YOiga. because our wheat
fields are 50 much further from their common
market than are those Of Europe. Our true
course, then, we submit. is TO Withdraw from
such unequal competition with the pauper
labor of Europe by creating markets Of our
own.
But let us consider The Time,s specific.
Here it is
Under our present tariff the farmer tbs country
pays for al the implements Of agriculture sum nearly
twice greater than their cost The OF tue grades Of
steel which largely into tho manufacture Of pow
reapers. mowers, and similar implements, averages ~
per un gold 30 cents per pound The present duty
cents gold. per pound or 80 10 per tun The other
charges Of importation equal 81 i0 gold tun making
the excess of price US cost s1 80 or &c per cent
similar comparison of The cost OF iron IN this country
aud in England would show equally to our disadvantage
10 other words the implements Of oar agriculture cost
us nearly twice what they should and nearly twice what
they 10 our foreign competitor"
Comments by the Tribune
We heartily wish The farmers of this country
could sec "the implements of agriculture used
! by their Hungarian and Russian rivals. with
price-tlcket affixed TO each. We venture TO
| assert that they would not accept them ~
| gift, much less buy them at any price. Our
! Plows, Axes, Shovels, Reapers, Scythes, &c.
| &c, are ncomparably superior, and they are
cheaper than any other but the British, and
cheaper in the average than those, when due
allowance is made for quality and efficiency.
| The first ambassador sent to Great
Britain by Texas informed us that be
sent thence large stock of British Edge Took,
| but could find no one in Texas to use them.
| their Yankee rivals being so much superior
| The Oldest and most extensive manutactDry
| Of Spades and Shovels in this country sells
them in large quantities in Australia and other
| British colonies, where they are preferred to
| their British competitors. Iron and Steel are
dearer here than in England; but 1t Is not
| true that our implements of Agriculture are
| twice as dear as others of as good qualty
made in any part of the world.
! Time was when even the Brick whereof this
! City was built were imported from Europe.
That time passed yet We still bought of her
nearly every implement made of metal. every
fabric woven of Flax or Wool, We now
make almost every implement Of husbandry,
and make them better than We ever imported
or could now import. We still import Iron
and Steel but we smeted nearly or quite Two
Million tuns of Pig Iron in 1862 which
moro than any other nation ever made IN
year Great Britain only excepted. We have
doubled our annual product OF this staple
since Protection was restored by the Tariff OF
1861. We are making largely Of Steel to-
day. and are rapidly improving our processes
az well as the quantity and quality OF our pro-
duct. We have taught the world how to make
cheap Nails, and have made inventions ana
| discoveries in the various industrial arts Wllch
| Europe could better pay Billion OF Dollars
for than do without. We can make tun OF
Iron or Steel with as little labor as any people
on earth; but our labor is dearer than that OF
Europe: hence land hence only a tun
of Iron or Steel costs more here than
abroad. Give us time, and we viii
invent process that will cheaper these
products as we have cheapened Cot
ton, Nails, Watches, Tin-Ware, and
hundred articles that attract no attention. sim,
ply because no one longer thinks OF importing
them, since they are made better and cheaper
at home. We are steadily marching on toward
universal CheapneSs through universal home
roducton-through the purchase abroad ouly
of raw materials to which our soil or climate
| is not cOngenial, and the fabrication at home
of whatever We need. This policy will give US
sure and remunerative markets for our Wheat
and no other ever can.
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