Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-17

ron S,uL2lS sGig,57l 2!O55,t@o j2l,oN
| Bar and
| other
| rolled
lr.n, SuItcs t47952i 1875 2,sl7i25
Toth, iS $50 sst Ioi SO 2o4 ISL e! $50 l274o3,09i
| From 1870 to 1873 the amount of imports of
each OF these articles was almost doubled. 10
1873 The importation of spirits aud ines amounted
to 5000 900; tobacco and cigars, sl0 100000,
and silks, $4,000, GOO, making SlO,oOO,OOO for
| elgn valuation 10 gold In these articles alone.
| Add the gold premium, the duties and cOmms-
| SONS. and the cost to the consumer was over
| 100000 600 for wines, spirits, tOnacco, cigar,
and silks imported in 1873. Thc imports of the
manufactures OF .ills alone, foreign valuation in
gold, Tor the three years ISL - -, were sos,
49,, l6j, which to the consumer would amount to
| not less than 500, 0O0,Oo0. The Increase in the
total importation of foreign merchs udise in 1870
over that of lS60-ten year>--was $50 332 2S9, and
tie increase of 1873 over lS10-thiee years-was
S206, l7GS02; the incrta-e for these three wears
being greater than the total importstious in 1862
OVER CONSUMPTION.
SO far as national wealth aud general prosperity
IN business Is concerned, there can be no over
consumption so long as the Consumer pays from
| his earnings for the consumption. But whenever
ne fails to do III It, and INDUCES in wasetul eN-
uavagsnce IN anticipation of fortunes to be made.
and continues any length of time, bankruptcy l.
sure to follow, with its attendant and manifold ills
| to honest industry. Tue ststesmanship which eN
cuses such state of things by caihug 1t uuder-
consumption, Is akin to that which claims that
money worth no,hIAg makes IA country rich.
| There Is remarkable instance of under con
sumption in the cs~e Of the PrOdigal SON, Which,
he ted upon husks, bur 1t wa. the Necessary and
| inevitable result OF exuavag ant aad no,ous Inv
| ing.
As nation, for years we spent more than we
| earned. Aud human ingenuity has never yet
been able 10 devise scheme by which individuals
| or nations, whose EXPENDITURES exceeded Their u-
come, if continued, could be saved from final
bankruptcy and ruin. There is no scheme of leg
! i-laton or device Of cheap or worthless money
that will convert such eNtravsgauce INTO economy.
Daring the whole time of this Unprecedented
expansion in every thing else, there was COMPARE
lively no increase 10 agriculture. From 1919 TO
1860 BY the census returns the increased acreage
of improved lands at the rate OF - per ceut.
for the ten years. From 1860 20 1870 it was at
the rate of ID l2 pei cent. The Increase of acre
age in farms from 1850 TO 1860 al the rate of
IS per cent, while from 1860 to 1870 II only
one half OF ! per cent. Our agriculture was,
therefore, greatly dl,propoltioned ali other
| branches Of industry.
! The suspension In railroad binding, the psralv-
sis all business caused. in part, by that, aud ny
production beyond the capacity OF cOnsumpto u,
| tled the county with unemployed men, aud
forced honest and willing labor TO beg its bread.
The CURE FOR HARD lines.
The wastes OF war and the pIodlgal eXpendi
lures of peace must be lie earned III order 10 re-
store the couutry to its old prosperity and renew
ed growth in wealth and power. How i that TO
be done, and in what way can the governm nj aid
IN ITS accomplishment
The first great requisite is fidelity to public and
private trusts, thus restoring conf ience and
curing faithful collection and honest disbur.e-
ment Of public and private revenues; next less
Indebtedness abroad and greater production al
home and lastly, rigid economy 10 public ex-
pendures, thereby tightening the burdens of in
dustry and enabling labor to enjoy the fruits of its
toll.
1t is not economy, however, in public expendl-
lures, for the lawn tkiug power to withhold APP
prop stons of money indispensable for carr yug
on the necessary operations of the government
that is simply defeating the purpose and destroy
iEg the very object OF government-nor Is II econ
omy to withhold the m 'ney for the payment of
the awards of the court OF claims or for the nee
esssry expenses of the courts of justice. Tue
first is a dshonor to the nation refusing pay its
honest debts; the other great wrong to Its citi-
zens by denial of Justice Nor Is 1t economical
patrsotlc to reduce the army, when it is already
too small TO secure protection against the savage
to the freside of the pioneer settler who goes
forth iuto the wilderness to open = pathway for
science and civilization.
Ii is neither wise statesman.hip nor real econo-
my, in times of great depression ia business for
the government ~ stop all oull.ys for necessary
and indispensable public works. Not that the
government should create necessity for eXpend-
lures, but when that necessity exists, why not
give to unemployed labor the benefits resulting
pecislly As the government would have the ad-
vantsge, in such times, of cheapness in doing its
work
This kind Of craftsmanship was most conspicu-
ously illustrated by the democratic party in the
last congress- and upon such record il appeals 10
the people for a renewed lease Of power.
ADJUSTMENT OF THE TARIFF.
But the most essential aid TO our angushing
industries, within rhe legitimate and proper
ercise Of the powers Of the government, Is in the
adjustment of the taiff. Instead of change, a
ad ocated bv tue democratic majority in the last
congress, and urged by its leading organs, to ia
citate and encourage an increase in the impor-
tatlon of foreign merchandise, If any change is
to be msdeit shou Id be such to lessen instead of
increasing the importation Of such articles
be supplied by our own industry.
With the land flied with unemployed labor,
who would suggest the employment of more Ia
0orers asa remedy for business i'll Yet TO
bring the products of their labor TO supply our
market has the same effect upon unemployed la
boz as would the importation OF the laborers
themselves. The highest statesmanshp known
to government is that which secures to labor, by
wise legislation, so lar as within its power, steady
and constant employment at fair and remunera-
tive wages so that the laborer can make is no ne
comfortable and his fiIeside happy, and rear bis
children to be honored and respected members Of
society. Of all sad sights in this world pilgrimage
the saddest is that of an honest man begging in
va in for employ ment, that he may earn his daily
The government in al listing the tariff. can aid
and foster our industries, or 1t can cripple and de-
stroy them. While collecting the revenue neces-
sary for the support of the government, justice to
the taxpayer requires that the highest scale of
duties should be imposed upon those articles
known a. Injuries, aud the lowest upon the nee
essary and Indispensable articles of life and in
doing this, justice to the laborer requires a dis
elimination in favor of the products of our own
country, especially of those in which we possess
natural advantages, until developed to sup
ply our own market. 1t is in this way only that
we can guard our industry against the unequal
competition of capital and experience, fostered
by foreign nations for ages by counteryaillng du
ties aud ieglsl.tiye restrictions.
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
But it is sand that unless buy Of other a.
ito they cannot buy Of US. This is a delusion
of long standing, that only the facts and figure.
of traie will dissipate. The times of our largest
impoItations not the times OF our largest
ports, except OF specie and bullion, as is shown by
the following table of imports and exports, for
the last thirty years:
Imports OF
Year ending Foreign Specie and Bullion.
June 80. Merchandise. Imports. Exports.
st-t