, 1873-06-04
COTTON, IRON, AND CORN,

One OF tho WiBo mon who mot In " Congress"
at 1ndiAnapolia, last week, Expressed the judg-
mont that the aovoreign romedy for all political
and financial troubles was to establish manu-
faoturoa In the West, so that the people ongaged
therein could consume tho surplus breadstuna
raisod, and savo the transportation. This
brilliant suggestion underlioa tho whole pro-
toction argument. Do tho people who
talk this why ever roaoot TINT the
labor employed in manufacturing pro-
toctod goods and tho capital engaged
therein arc utterly insignificant when compared
with tho labor and capital employed in agricul-
tural production7 In 1870 tho whole number of
personB OF all ages employed in tho manufacture
Of cotton in tho United States WAS o1actly
1s5,s6o, and tho capital. sl4o, FOG, GOO; and of
those engaged in the manufacture OF iron,
1sool1, and tho capital employed, e187, ,62s, 900.
This was in tho whole Of tho United statos and
Territories. Tho aggregate number OF persons
employed in tho manufacture Of iron and cotton
goods ia 265.000, Or but d fraction
ovor ono-half the population of this city.
Il all those people wore pickod up aud
planted In Illinois, low much Of tho aurplus
corn and wheat Of this State would they con-
sumo in excoBs Of what they now consumer In
tho States whore the cotton operatives are on,-
ployed, grain ID not produced in any considerable
amount: It costs twico rs much to raiHe corn
in MasHachusotts aa it doeB to buy it in Illinois
and have 1t haulodto tho towna whore tile cotton
r,11a Uo rnfo q
Pennsylvania raises as much wheat as
she consumes. We mny send her some
corn, but sho exports as much wheat as
sho buys. Now, II tho manufacturers
Of iron and cotton, tho 1000 hands, were all
taken from tho Eaat and put down in Illinois,
how would TINT affect tho prices Of corn and
wheat In this stato7 Theso persona would cat
no moro brcadstuffs than they do now, Tho
New England operators, inBtaad Of eating
Illinois broad in Massachusetts. would cat 1t in
Illinois. Tho wheat Of Pennsylvania, instead Of
being consumed ut lonlo would bo aont to tho
market whore our wheat now goes. THO
amount produced being tho samo and tho
consumers tho aamc, how would tho
gains by tho producora DO Increased by
tho change Of residence of the con-
su1nora, and how would tho consumption
bo increased without any inorenao OF tho con:
aumors7 Granted that the cost Of transporta-
ton for this small amount would bo saved and
divided betvqen producers and consumers. Tho
proteotonists leave It to bc inforrod that II tho
$4,000 cotton operators who pay 90 cents
bunAol for corn In Massachusetts Were removed
to Illinois they would continue to pay 90 oonts
bushel, and pay from $1.8 to e2.00 por buslel
for wheat, when in fact they wou!d not pay one
cont more for either than any other pornouu
would. Wo do not undorrato tho value OF 1nau-
1lfn~turoa In tho Wost; horo Is to DO
their future fold. The existence of iron
and coal in tho Mississippi Valloy,
aud tho doualty Of population, mark
tho West Us q Aoat OF manufacturing industry;
but, regarded III furnishing additional oonsum-
ors Of broadstufrs, their establishment has no
possible Significance. very triaing proportion
of the graln-produclng aootlon would supply nil
the breadatut1s aud provisions wantod by Ill tho
"protectod oporatiyea In tho country. Their
settlement aud colonization hero would mol
mako porceptibls difference In tho "proasnrc"
OF which tho farmers complain. Moreover, tho
proportion OF human labor employed In produo-
Ing manufactured goods Is every day growing
smaller. In many linea OF goods not over Ii per
cent Of the product consists Of manual labor
Tho rest u performed by machinery. which dooa