The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-05-04

1t is the want of appreciation or this
fact today constitutes our greatest obsta
Gle in the way of a higher progress and
development With our resources, there
should be abundant remunerative en-
ployment for all who want to work, aud
yet we see ships rotting, manufactures
silent, merchants complaining, and our
cities crowded with men, women and
children who say they cannot find remun-
erative employment.
With all our great resources and mer-
charitable products, there are but three
things we can produce on equally advan-
tageous terms with other nations, namely:
Gold, cotton and petroleum. And yet at
the conventions of the representatives of
the manufacturing interests of the 2oun-
try we are told that there is an over pro-
duction of pig-iron, cloth, cotton and
lumber, but the producers of paper, nails,
hardware, glass, ETC., resolve that there
is an over-production as if there could
be such thing az long as there arc the
naked to be clothed, the cold to be warm
ed, and the houseless to be sheltered, as
if an abundance of the things Of this
life could be under any circumstances
anything but blessing.
1t is not enough for President Grant to
say that there is wealth enough in the
Rocky Mountains to pay the national
debt, and opportunities enough in San
Domingo to make US all rich. Laughter
Let me tell you that there was less coffee
and sugar consumed per capita last year
than in 1850; we used fewer hats, boots,
shoes, and cotton cloth last year, with TO-.
100000, than In 1860 with 100000.
What does all this mean? Are not the
necessities of the people as great now aas
then? The mercantile agency Of last
year reports failures twenty-five per cent.
in excess Of 1869, and thirty three per
cent in excess Of 1868; md the statistics
of She New York Clearing House show
that the business of New York city was
barely greater per week in 1870 than in
1868; and yet If we take fhe increase of
wealth and the businessiof the country, it
ought to increase at the rate of ten per
cent per annum. But we are told that
things are improving, that commerce is
returning to its normal channel.
After referring TO the condition Of our
commercial relations with foreign coun-
tries, the speaker said that if the bust
ness account was that of private firm
they would not feel very jolly aboutit.
As regarded our imports aid exports,
we last year obtained 1851, 100000 of
merchandise in exchange for which we
give $387,000,000 f our domestics man
ufactures, and $16,OOO,O0O additional for
eign merchandise left owe + from the year
before leaving a balanceot trade against
US of $58,000.000. We also found that
while we increased our exports of DC
troleum, cotton, and the munitions (cs
casioned by the war in France), foreign
nations did not want so much of our
bread stutfs as in the year before by about
$10,000,000, and the tobacco by $S,00O,-
600; naval stores $3,000,O0O, and, though
We are All agricultural people, many of
our hotel-keepers in New York find it
more profitable to import their vegetables
from Europe, paying 10 to 30 per cent.
duty, than to buy them in our own mar
ket. And while in 1869, 70 per cent. of
all that came into the country, or went
out, was in foreign bottoms, during last
year that amount had increased to 80 per
cent. and according to present appear
ances this year it will be IS per cent.-a
very striking illustration of what our
commerce is coming to by an i'll advised
policy. 45es $50
After referring to the amount of in
debtedness held abroad, adding say $685.
100000 spent by Americans abroad last
year, and dcducting $35 900, 900 estimated
to have been brought to this country by
there was required neverthe-
less for the settlement of our foreign bus
mess last year, over and above all the
merchandise sent out, about $158, 100000;
which we settle by sending Que $56,000,-
900 to $58,000,000 in specie (beng $685.
100000 more than we sent the year be-
fore), and giving our notes for the
balance q s.jsst .ssss.ee.. t+e
AS an illustration of the suidal and un-
business like mode of conducting our
;oreign commerce, Mr.. Wells cited our
,rade with the Argentine Rpubiic, Fifty
,lght per cent of the hides and skins
,ece ssary for our leather business we re-
,eige from that country estimated in
yalue at $70000,000, and which, when
into leather, harness, boots and
hoes, belts, &c., was worth 1925, 100000.
low do we conduct our business with
hem? We need their hides, and they
iced our manufactured articles, which we
produce in abundance, and which we
Wish to sell, and which the conventions
Ieclare we are producing, SO that the
market is glutted. ist bfs al a53 tft
Bot instead of taking our manufactured
rtleles they take our gold, not that they
o not want our productions, but because
they take our gold they can purchase
lore of these productions elsewhere.
While Great Britain, France and Ger.
lany every year increase their sales, and
xport to that republic without materially
Increasing their purchases, the United
rates increase their purchases without
increasing their sales. I do