Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-08-21

The late war seemed to develop the
inventive genius, not only in imple-
ments Of destruction, but in all de-
p1rtments of mechanical forces, and
the laws of nature were applied and
made obedient to men beyond all
former presidents. In a few years
there was such wonderful improve
ment in mechanic arts in all branches
of business, and indeed in some de-
partments so great were they as to
save from one-third to half the
number of employees. The army
draft was so great from the agricultu-
raj classes of the North as pros
pectively to have rendered the rebel
lion successful, if it had not been for
the wonderful development of invent
i've genius in the manu- facture of all
kinds of agricultural implements, so
that men could 60 and defend their
homes and government, and horses
raise the bread. ..r
The improvement in machinery for
the production of manufactured goods
was still greater. Our government
has been very liberal in protecting
and patenting brain work so much
so that the patent-rigAt fever ran SO
high in some portions of the Yves t
that "man was not considered hardly
respectable, that didn't own one." 1t
is believed that improvements are so
great that the full capacity of the
country to manufacture is four times
as great as fifteen years ago.
AT the close of the war the North was
"dush"; money was plenty, the peo-
pie awake and hopeful, and seemed to
spring into new life. The South was
poor, destitute Of everything-com-
paratively empty. The demand gave
tremendous impetus to all kinds of
manufactures. Cotton and wooden
mills, for the manufacture Of all kinds
of goods; foundries, rolling mills, ma
chine shops for the manufacture and
manipulation of all kinds of iron and
steel boot and shoe manufactures,
carriage shops, piano and organ man
ufactories, and shops for the manu-
facture Of everything needful, as we'll
az many things that are needless and
hurtful, sprung into existence as by
magic. And for few years good
wages were paid employees, quick
sales, no accommodating stock, large
semi-annual dividends were the har-
vests, which OILY intensified and in
creased the manufacturing interest.
Just one article for illustration, as
a sample for all: The Official report
of the amount of foreign and domes-
tic wool used or manufactured in the
United States in 1860 was S3,608,46S
lbs, and in 1870, 172,O7S,919 lbs,
valued IN 1860 at SCI 1874, 1856, and In
1870 at $155,405,358; more than
double. Has the rate of consump-
ton more than doubled in the same
time? Nearly the same ratio in the
manufacture of cotton goods, and to
this sum must be added the large i'm
portation of the finer fabrics, which
we do not manufacture. The country
became filled up,. and in 1872, and
even before, goods began to accumu
late, manufacturers having a surplus
began to carry their stock rather than
sell at reduced price began to cut
down the wages of employees. Then
came complaints, and finally combina-
tions and strikes. Mills ran on short
time, then closed, and why? Because
the country IS su,Jeited aohh goods.
Our gold went over the ocean to pay
for ge,o-ga,cs to make our men and
women extravagant, silly, and ridicu-
lous, and our manufacturers, as far as
they could, catered to the same fash
ion. The people have become silly,
wasteful, and extravagant, till the
nation has become dizzy and head
sick till the just retribution of vio-
lated law is visited upon as. But the
great sorrow is that these hard times
mill-stones grind the innocent poor.
Annihilate to-day all the surplus
manufactured material in the country,
and hard times would die, and not
enough idle men could be found to
give him decent burial. The busy
hum of machinery would begin to be
heard, reinvigorated by rest. Labor
would be in demand, and Uncle Sam
would again wear smiling, happy
face.
But the nation is getting we'll. We
export more than we import. The