The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-05-10
America the First Industrial Power i'm
the World.
From the Philadelphia N,rth American

the World.
From the Philadelphia N,rth American
The Boston Daily Advertiser claims
that this republic Is now the first or
nearly the first manufacturing country
in the world. This claim is large one,
and will startIe most persons who
have been in the habit frating England
France, Germany and Austria ahead Of
ms. But the strangest part of the
business is that it is literally true, and
that must of our countrymen have re-
manned ignorant of tile fact. Our pop.
ulation is now as large as that of
Austria, Germany or France, and larger
than that of the British isles. Two
things. we think, must be generally
admitted with regard to it this popula-
ton has greater productive power
than that of any of the countries named,
and also a greater consuming capacity.
The latter proposition is proven by the
fact that this republic Is the great lead
ing market of all Europe. Our people
live better on the average than do the
average people of any other nation.
Hence they require and consume more
OF everything. They earn more money,
and they spend more. As regards the
first propOsit on, it follows that our
productive power must be greater for
various reasons. First, our ares
of land suitable for cultivation is
UNNECESSARILY greater and cheaper,
besides being better drained by naviga
ble waters and covered by good rail
ways. Therefore the crops must be far
tn- h, -. Ia
for the purposes of commerce, as in
fact We find that they are. These crops
are the raw materials of industry, and
their cheapness stimulates manufac-
lures and mining upon q great scale.
Second, our mineral wealth is vastly
beyond all European or other rivalry,
and covers almost all known metals or
minerals used in the arts. Ofthese our
products have become immense, and
although in special lines we are sur
passed by other countries, as in tin by
Wales, in iron by England, ETC., yet in
the aggregate our products are ahead OF
rivalry. Third, the home market being
almost boupdless, there is ready
demand everywhere for anything that
can be produced, so that the induce
ments 10 engage in the productive arts
are universal. Fourth, the average
American, being better paid, better
clothed, better educated, better fed, and
in every way better provided and cared
for than any rival in Europe, can DC
mOIe work and show more actual re-
suits. THIS is seen every where in the
col dition Of the country, our progress
being wholly the work of our own hands
Il Il. y
petition aud opposition.
1t Is truly observed by one o. the
leading English writers On political
economy, HAT very mitch OF what
passes under the head of agricultural
production really belongs TO manu-
turers. THIS is TIE care with flour,
which is gram ground in a mill; with
cotton prepared for market, which has
been subjected to operation Of the cot
t0n-gin; with sugar, which has been
produced from Tue cane 10y a sugar
mill, and with many other articles
which have To be subjected 10 various
processes before they become staples oil
commerce. The canning of fruit, the
preparation OF grapes for distant
markets. the packing of tobacco, the
manufacture of butter, ci!eese, smoked
provisions and hundred other things
are as cleatIy industrial processes as
the making of iron, cordage, linen oI
muslin. Bearing this in mind, let any
one look over the United States, eX-
anime its prOdigiGus crops, the guam
titles sent 20 market, and the processes
they have topass through, and it will be
seen that the clam above made for this
country is not all idle one. The saw
mills alone, if taken in mass, would
make all aggregate mere than equal to
some of the largest lines of BRUSH in
dustry. Nor must We overlook the
rude industries connected with the pro-
duction of such articles as naval stores,
ro>in, tar, pitch and turpenline, the
preparation of sumac, the grinding OF
sorghum for noiasses, etc. The pro.
vision uade is one of The leading items
of both foreign and domestic com
meTce. Yet ordinarily il does not rank
as a manufacture, although the pro-
cesses are clearly industrial, and involve
millions of capital.
But our industrial production does
not attract SO much attention as il
should do, for the reason that its
markets are chiefly at home. The con-
sumption Of the country is enormous.
In carpets, hardware, agricultural inn
plemeuts, railroad engines, iron and
general machinery, We consume i'm.
mensely, but we make the greater
part of what we Use. Now if To this
class we add the primary products that
we export, and that have passed
through some stages of manipulation,
4 n L -. III -. =
really the first, or nearly the first, in
dustrial country in the world. So much
is this recognized in Europe, that man.
ufacturers sometimes migrate hitber,
with all their capital, hands organiza-
lion. Their customers being here, they
get as near to them as possible.