The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-04-06

i've capital. It is, in fact, Just az IN
profitable labor in the long run as
though expended in digging holes in the
ground aud then filing them up again E;
and the loss OF absolute capital and the
waste Of labor as a consequence of this
| policy has more than anything else, in
my opinion, made us poor, and will
powerfully contribute to keep US so as
long as it is continued. In short, the
whole aim of protection as carried on in
the United States since 1S50-and
might include in this statement our
whole fiscal policy-has been to en-
deavor to supplement and circumvent
natural laws by artificial laws; but we
are beginning to fad out that there is
something. that won't pay, OF, as Lowell
| puts it in the mouth Of Hosea Bige]ow,
ga man has got to get up early that ex-
| poets to get around God"
A word or two further in respect the
percentage of our population engaged in
the great leading industries. 1t is a COM
mon idea, fostered by the protectionists,
that it is necessary to build up by pro-
lection certain great industries in order
to secure a market tor domestic agricul-
turaf produce ; but the bulk of our man.
facturers, or the genera! consumers Of
farm products, are not dependent on or
connected with this protective industry.
There are q thousand who use steel.
and whose interest it is that steel should
be cheap, to one who makes steel and
whose interest 1t is that it should be dear.
In 1870 The number of persons in the
IIpitnI Stnfas an,n1proI in pnanvyfanf1
ing and mechanical industries were re-
turned at 2,053,996. Out OF this num-
Der %, Jos were returned as engaged in
the manufacture Of wool, not advanced
beyond cloth; 1884, 31 engaged in the
| manufacture OF cotton, and 6J,75S en-
| gagged in the manufacture of iron. pig
blooms, bar, and rolled. or 200, 1871 at the
aggregate. Ofcourse these industries
required or were supplemented by, 9th
er industries, as mining and transporta-
ton, DC, but allo wing that each iron,
cotton. aud wool manufacturer or work
| er had another supplementary worker to
to help him prepare his product, and the
| workers in the three great industries re-
present less than one-ttth of the total
number OF manufacturers. On the other
hand, there We're $4,000 people en-
ployed in making clothing, or $4,000
more than were employed in making
wooden cloth, and 96,S39 engaged in
making and repairing machinery and
casting stoves and heaters, or 2l,0O
more than were engaged it preparing
! the protected raw materials on which
they worked. There were in addition
1000 wagon-makers, 5000 carpenters,
| $4,000 harness-makers. $4,000 miners
and crist-mill workers, $4,000 brick.
makers, $4,000 makers Of agricultural
implements, and many others, non Of
whom can be to any great extent bene-
flied by profession, but who, on the 9th.
er hand, are the great users OF the raw
materials on with protection leyles
heavy duties not to gain revenue but IN
order that an infinitely smaller number
OF manufacturers in mills and mines may
be benefited.
| have thus sketched briefly the n
suits OF protection as they are at presen
oxemplitied in the United States. Tn,
energy OF our people and our Immense
natural which in turn have
caused u wonderful influx of labor ant
capital from other countries. have thus
far enabled US to prosper and this pros
perity is universally assumed BY tn.
protectionist to have been the direct con
sequence OF the application of his theor
les; but the trath is that the whole sys-
tenn has been such a drag on our pros
perity and development, that were it nc
for these same peculiar advanta ges th'
impoverishment and industrial paralysi
which are now upon US would long hav'
been experienced.