The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-11-01
agricultural department.
,NDucrRp BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
Results of Protection.

Protection to American industry has
prevented the increase Of poverty in our
country, aud increased the welfare of the
workingmen Under protection, the A.
merican laborer enjoys the comforts of
life, while the European laborer barely
lives Carlyle portrays the condition OF
the workingmen Of England in these
words:
"Some two millions, il is not counted,
sit in warehouses;, poor law prisons, or
have outdoor relief flung over the wall
to them the workhouse bastile being
filed to bursting, and the strong poor
law broken asunder by stronger.
Twelve thousand warehouses in England
alone they sit there pent up, as in
kind of horrid enchantmeut, glad to be
imprisoned and enchanted, that they may
not perish starved"
Such is the condition of workingmen
under free trade The condition of the
poor laborers in France is such that it is
constant source of apprehension to the
French Government. The laborcrs are
no better off in Spain. In all European
countries where free trade is adopted by
the Government, the workers lie is one
of slavery; the "dull millions that in the
workshop or furrow.6eld grind freedom
ut the wheel Of labor, like battered
gin.horses-if lame, so much the better"
In the United States things are differ
ent. During the last ten years this Gov
eminent has had a just system Of tariff,
and during that time pauperism has de-
creased. In Massachusetts,, where the
density of population is greater than in
Spain and Portugal, aud but little less
than in Ireland, Scotland and Prussia,
the number of paupers has become mate
rally less in the last ten years. In New
York city, which is the most grievously
tormented with paupers, it is found that
the number oil persons who received char
table aid did not exceed, in 1868, 90
900 in population Of nearly million
while in the city of London. with pop
ulation OF 100000, there are eigt times
as many paupers--or from 10000 to
10000.
England boasts of the free trade as the
thing conducive to the happiness of the
poor; still it produces misery wherever
it is adopted by nation, as the city OF
London shows. Under the workings Of
free trade, in England, there are as many
children in the poor-housc as there are in
school, On the other hand protection
ameliorates the condition of the humblest
classes, aud precludes the possibility
Of forming pauper caste; it extends
permanent benefits OF the highest civili-
zation.
Another important result of protection
is that it brings to this country great
numbers of laborers, increasing the popu-
lation and the wealth. In the absence OF
immigration, the gain of population would
be represented by the increase Of births
over deaths, which is at the rate Of LBS
per cent This would give us in 1870, a
population of about 100000 instead
of Al 100000 This shows that the pop
uloton gained by the United States by
immigration since 1890, is 28,500, 900.
In other words :-"Immigration has en-
abled this country to anticipate its natu.
raj growth some forty years" During
the last ten years, under protection, the
population has increased one-fourth, and
this increase has principally been aborers
from European countries, who have left
countries where free trade is adopted,
and como whore just tariff laws onoo-
ted.
German statisticians have recently I'M
dertaken to establish the capital value OF
immigration to this country. From their
estimates, it is calculated that, with the
immigrants clothing, books and tools, to-
gether with his average cash capital, the
total value of each immigrants property
is $3.50. In 1860 the total arrivals at
the port Of New York were $4,000 per-
sons, who added to the national capital
not much less than s37 800, 900 in avail.
able wealth.
One German statistician divides the
economic life Of every individual into
three periods-two unproductivo and one
productive The first period extends to
the fifteenth year, end includes the bring.
ing up and education. The second,
which is the fruitful period, extends from
the fifteenth to the sixty.ffth. The third
period is the decline of life. Compared
with this standard, an immigrant is worth
to this country as much as it costs to
bring bin up and educate him. 1t is es-
timated that the cost of bringing up Il
manual laborer in Germany is $50 tina.
lers, and of an American farmer 81 800.
An American girl costs $3.50 only, as her
services are made available at an earlier
period in the household. Taking into
consideration that one-fifth Of the immi-
grants are less than fifteen years Of age,
which is balanced by the excess of males
over females, and by skilled workmen, it
is found that the average value Of every
person, Of either sex, is 81 ,l25. The
number Of immigrants who annually ar
rive in this country is, in round numbers,
100000. If to the average cost Of ST..
1875 be added the average value of per-
sonal property owned by each immigrant,
$3.50 per capita, the national wealth for
1869 has been increased by immigration
nearly s400,000,000. or nearly million
Of dollars per day
All Of this national wealth and popu-
lation is mainly the result of protection (;
for protection prevents the competition of
the American laborer with the European
pauper, thereby eleyating the working
men Of this country and all who come
here.
Free trade adopted by this government
would destroy our prosperity and wealth
and make the United States dependent
upon England, and bring them to con-