The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-10-11

prevented the increase of poverty in our
country, and increased the welfare of the
workingmen. Under protection, the
American laborer enjoys the comforts of
life, while the European labcrer barely
lives. Carlyle portrays the condition Of
the workingmen of England in these
words:
"Somc two millions, it is not counted,
sits in warehouses;, poor law prisons, or
have "outdoor relief flung over the wall
to them; the workhouse bastile being
filled to bursting, and the strong poor law
broken asundcr by Il stronger. Twelve
thousand warehouses in England alone
they sit there peut up, as in kind OF
borrid enchantment, glad TO be imprison-
ed and enchanted, that they may not
perish starved"
Such is the condition Of the working
men 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 laborers
are no better of in Spain. In all Eu-
pean countries where free trade is adopt
ed by the Government, the workers life
is one of slavery the "dull millions that
in the work-shop or furrowfeld grind
freedom at the wheel of labor, like halter
ed gin.horscs-if lame, so mach the
better
In the United States things are differ
ent During the last ten years this Gov
eminent has had 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, and but little less
than in Ireland, Scotland and Prussia,
the number of paupers has become ma
terially less in the last ten years. In
New York city, which is the most griev-
ously tormented with paupers, it is found
that the number Of persons who received
charitable aid did not exceed, in 1869,
10000 in population Of nearly a million;
while in the city of London, with popu-
lation of 100000, there are eight times
as many paupers-or from 10000 to
10000.
England boasts of free trade as the
thing conducive to the happiness of the
poor; still it produces misery whenever
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-house as there are in
school. On the other hand protection
ameliorates tho condition Of the humblest
classes, and precludes the possibility of
forming pauper caste it extends per-
manent benefit of the highest civilization.
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 popu-
lation gained by the United States by
immigration since 1890, is 2S,500,000. |
In other words :-"Immigration has en-
abled this country to anticipate its natural
growth some forty years" During the
last ten years, under protection, the popu-
lation has increased one.fourth, and this
increase has principally been laborers
from European countries where free trade
is adopted, and come where Just tariff
laws are enacted.
German statisticians have recently un.
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 $50. In 1869 the total arrivals at
the port of New York were 100000
persons, who added to the national capital
not much less than s37 100000 in
available wealth.
One German statistician divides the
economic life Of every individual into
three pcriods-two unproductive and one
productive. The first period extends to
the fifteenth year, and 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 him up and educate him. 1t is
estimated that the cost of bringing up
manual laborer in Germany is $50 tha-
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
immigrants are less than fifteen years Of
age, which is balanced by the excess Of
males over females, and by skilled work.
men, it is found that the average value
Of every person, Of either sex, is 81 ,l25.
The number of immigrants who annually
arrive in this country is, in round num-
bers 100000. If to the average cost of
S1,l25 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 100000 or nearly million
of dollars per day.
All this national wealth and popula-
ton is mainly the result of protection
for protection prevents the competition
of the American iaborer with the Euro
pean, thereby elevatng 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-
dition similar to that Of ireland, India
and Australia.
Nearly all or the newspapers Of Ire
land are printed in England, and then
sent to Ireland, stamped and mailed as
Irish newspapers. But sendwork to
England is not confined to the printing