Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-07-13

favorable 10 the blatant advocates OF
free trade. These show that our i'm.
ports are continually on the decline.
For the three months ending March
| 81, 1876, the value OF imports were
| sI3G, G,92j,5 ,5Gl against sl4G, .G6l for
the corresponding period Of last year,
making decrease OF s2o,o73, 100 or a
fraction over ~ per cent Tho most
significant falling off Is In the case OF
steel railroad bars. During the first
nine months Of the fiscal year 1875
the imports OF these rails amounted
to s2,320, ,0s5, but during the six
months Of the fiscal year 1876 the
value of rails imported dropped to
s3l4, ,2s2 and then ceased entirely,
none having been purchased for this
country In foreign markets since
| January first. The reason for this is
that under the fostering care Of a
protective tariff our own mills have
! been able To compete with those of
other nations, and the result IL that
we are making, at home, all the nails
the country can use, and are furnish
ing them at prices lower than ever
| before offered. Should the tariff be
materially modified, or repealed EN-
tireIy, this home supply would Of
course be done away by the aggress-
lvencss Of foreign manufacturers and
| by their combinations. What Is true
| Of steel rails bids fair Ia shortly be-
| come certainty In other manufac-
turcs of steel. OF all these we are
slowly, but surely, becoming indie
pendent of our foreign neighbors
who would like to supply us. OF
cutlery and miscellaneous manufac-
lures of steel we imported during
the quarter ending March q, 1876,
goods Ia the value of 81, ,l2i ,l03.
against II al ,G99 for the same period
the year previous, a reduction OF, In
round numbers, - per cent. differ
ence OF no modest pretensiOns which
accrued to our home producers; not
only To our home producers, bat To
our consumers, for whatever benefits
the one IL equally advantageous 10
tho other, and this upon the princi
Pile that the closer together the pro-
Queer and tho consumer can he
brought the better IL will be for both.
Another advantage, and one of no
small moment when we consider
tho financial cloud hanging over our
land ready 90 burst nc moments
warning, Is that the constant drain
of currency from our own to foreign
shores is being checked. Indeed, n
considerable amount is returning 10
us In the form Of payment for
onr manufactured articles shipped
abroad, as will be seen further on.
The time Is not far distant, we hope,
when instead OF being buyers In
foreign markets we will he able To
dictate 10 those before whom we have
heretofore been compelled TO how
the knee.
by looking ut the tables Of exports
found In the same report we find
statistics equally cheering. That the
nation il on the true high road 10
wealth Is evidenced by the fact that
while our imports are declining our
exports have materially advanced.
During the first three months OF the
current year we exported manufac-
tured articles 10 the value Of sIs2,.
go ,s73, against si6i ,520, 80 for the
corresponding period In 1875, an in
crease this year Of $40, ,5jO,a13 Es-
timating for tho entire fiscal year on
the basis Of the reports for nine
months the sum received for exports
promises 10 exceed very largely that
for the fiscal year previous. When
we consider the general depression
In business the showing Ii indeed a
creditable one, aud indicates beyond
the possibility Of a doubt that tho
balance Of trade is in our favor. In
cotton aud leather goods our exports
show the largest increase. or cotton
goods the report shows an export for
the three months Of 81 81, ,022, against
81 ,075,0ls for tho same period OF the
previous year, or fraction over 81
per cent. more, with volume Of ex-
port constantly Increasing In value,
while there has never been "A time
when cotton fabrics have been sold
at such remarkably low figures. We
arc frequently told Of The low prices
before the war. Comparing the cost
of cotton at tie present time with the
| cost then does t!,s buyer ever take
into consideration the premium on
g0ldy DO this md estimate, and !,
will be- seen that the same quality oI
cottons are cheaper now than they
were even In those palmy days
And yet this state Of fncts follows M
adherence To protective tariff as |
natural sequence. One IL impossible
without the other. Can there be an
truth In q party which teaches doc
trine 80 false ~ the one that frs
trade brings cheap goods and cic
rersaY or leather We exported u
1876 20 tis0 vaJuo Of @1Ii m whjls
sur the sSsvea months e8dt0E hsases
| 81, tho exports Of this article footed
| up s2,-Ol ,isS, nh increase of alnios
twenty-five times the f0rne
amount, and gain Of almost II pe
cent. over the corresponding perio'
last year.
These figures, the reports VI sh
, actual business done, prDye that sh
Republican system of pgUtsctlen
home industries by high prot1etiy
tariff is the trne method of promo
. ing prosperity at home, and that th
: system perSeyered In viii bssiid q
/ national and individual wealth. G
q ti.s other hand the suicidal polis