Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-09-04
Increasing Production.
From the Phira. North Americana

Gradually the Republic is becom =
ing the leading producer in ore ar
tiele after another of the essential of
civilization. We eclipse all nations
in the production of paper, cotton,
Indian corn, hay, wool, carpets, to-
bacco, cheese, butter and provisions,
and it is morally certain that we
shall ultimately do so in iron, steal,
coal, salt, hides, leather, hardew are,
cotton and woolel goods, watches
clocks and many other things. Pro-
duction is steadily asserting its sup
remency as our leading interest, not
withstanding the unnatural impor-
tance that mas so long been attached
to mere traffic and transportation.
While it reflects credit upon the Re-
public to be SO far ahead of all ma
tiOns in railroads and magnetic tel
egraphs, it is of far more importance
to be ahead of them in the produce
duction of those staples that give
employment to comerce and rail-
roads.
Cotton has fully recovered all its
former prosperity in the south, and
though no crop has yet been pro-
duced equal TO the exceptional one
of 1859 60, which was 5,011 900 bales,
the average runs we'll up, the crop of
1901 having been 4 ,352,317 bales,
and that of 1878 being again at
about 100000. The average acre.
age planted in cotton prior to the
war was 6,662,500 sores, the highest
being in 1890, the great cotton
year., 100, 900 acres During the
past four years the average has been
1914, 250 acres. the highest in 1870
II, when 1855, 900 acres was planted.
In 1872 73 the acreage was 1904 900,
and for 1874 the Bureau returns
foot up 9,843,723. The estimate for
the crop is 1890, 900. But the aver
age product per acre in the last four
years has been only 100 pounds,
against an average of 277 pounds for
the four years proceeding the war.
The highest average ever known
was in the great cotton year 1859 60,
when it was 325 pounds per acre.
But the high averages of the four
years proceeding shows that the
cultivation was better. and that
since the war it has required more
land TO produce less results. 1T the
average per acre of 1859 60 could be
had tor the crop of 1874, the acre.
age would give a crop Z, 287, 900 bales
and to that the Commercial Chroni-
Gle says that we must come eventus
ally if Improvement in the culture
r hall be pursued. In the production
of cotton there is no possibility of any
foreign country overtaking US, and
the steadily increasing acreage plan.
ted shows q determination Ultimate
ly to monOpolize the market.
Our wool clip, like our cotton pro.
duet, has been irregular. Its highest
point, $4,000, 900 pounds, was reach
ed in 1868, since VIII ich time it has
been successfully 1872, 100000 lbs.
100000 lbs, l4O,OOO,OOO lbs:, and
160,000,00O. These figures are ahead
of any others elsewhere. The do
nestle production has not acquired
stability 10 such an extent as to war
rant the expectation of any large in
crease soon. But the domestic man.
ufacture has become very great, snd
the gain made during the war has
been pretty firmly held, The inn
ports OF foreign wool have risen to
enormous proportions, and this will
account for the want of progress in
the domestic production. At the
present rate of progress the receipts
of domestic hides at New York will
in few years exceed the foreign inn
ports, and lead the market. We are
already exporting domestic leather
to Europe in large quantities.
In copper in 1872 the total Amer
lean production was 28,000,000
pounds, and the foreign 100000
pounds. But it is unnecessary to en-
cumber our columns with statistics.
The country is gaining SO rapidly
upon all competitions as to force an
admission of the fact from the
ablest English journals. We stand
now second on the list in iron and
coal, and will in the course OF few
years stand first, as our progress in
both items is immence. The export
of wheat from California to England
has risen to great proportions and
bids fair TO restore the American
ascendency in tie transmarine bread
stuff markets. Petroleum has be-
come the most universal staple in
the worlds commerce, and of this
article we have distinct monopoly.
The Republic has taken complete
command of the trade in cheese, lard
butter, tallow, and provisions, and
has become the leading producer of
locomotives, railroad cars, gas fix
lures, lamps, machinery, and car
wheels. All this has been done by
financial stability, sound national
| aurrapnv and DrOtantiva tariff