Middletown transcript., 1878-09-07

Il nAA%Ao nasAAGOAA CO A4A4sWA .WAsAi
this very tariff duty that be cannot
compete at all. and dayby day conpe-
ktition Is growing closer aud closer
People learn each others wants by mai
and telegraph and supply them by
steamship and railroad. And every
day we are compelled, if we would be
successful, to study OUT the means by
which we can most cheaply supply
each Others needs.
Another fact. We live in an era Of
labor-saVing inventions in which ma
chinery operated by steam or other
power is taking the place Of simple
manual labor in almost every depart.
ment of productive industry to a great
er or less extent. ] will not dwell up
on the great problem of the effect up
on human happiness of these wonder
ful changes Like almost every other
great movement in the worlds history,
such progressis always accompanied
with loss and suffering to some, altho'
ultimately beneficial to all. In no land
has labor-saving machinery been more
rapidly adopted and perfected than in
the United States. Especially has this
been marked in the domain Of agricul-
ture. in which we scarcely find compe-
tition. 1t was known fact that at
the exposition of Vienna in 1874 the
only competitors for improved agricul-
tural machinery were Americans.
Every steam plow, threshing machine,
mower or reaper that entered the AUG
trian soil in the eye of Europe had
sprung from an American hand guided
by an American brain. It is easy TO
see that with improved agricultural
machinery three men can to-day fully
do the work formerly requiring twelve.
Wehaye, in this way, immensely cheap
ened many articles of common use and
brought within the reach Of the masses
comforts and luxuries a.few years ago
attainable only by the more wealthy
classes. Now it is fact that our man
ufacturing capacity is largely in ex-
cess of our present market and the
home demand. 1t has been stated,
and | believe with approximate aeeu-
racy, that we have a manufacturing
capacity in this country for one hun
dred millions of people, and we know
we have not more than forty or forty
five millions Of people. What is to
become of the extra supply for the six
ty millions (? Where are the sixty
million purchasers for this excessive
production ? We must find new mar
kets or we must reduce our manufac-
turing power. No one, l think, will
be willing to accept the latter aherna-
tive, and pending this state Of things
comes period of distress. 1t is an
interregnum, astandstill, during which
the vast forces of society are seeking
to adjust themselves to the new order
of things. The man dismissed from
agricultural labor, rather the nine
men who find that the three remaining
can do all the work of the former
twelve, must find something to do. l
believe there are sewing machines in
this country that enable skillful man
to sew as many as nine hundred pairs
of shoes in day What is to become
Of the vast number Of men who are
toilfully occupied in making even a
tithe of that number some years agqS
They must haveepplYmsi 10 6aFsH
eaiPih9 afdspeRd1hg the time when
Society is adjusting itself to this new
order of things it seems to me inevita-
BIZ. that etherRi distress some
ae eis Tie Inevitable result. On
ly let those who suffer for the moment
feel that there is silver lining to the
cloud, that the day will break and they
will find in increased comfort and lux
ury means for other occupation that
shall advance them in a th6sartss 81
civilizeaswaal |Hds eorsfd d ga y
DE lBtes - 90 ssaF
= We must set the current Of labor
flowing, and employment must be found
for it. What will do that? That is
one of the questions which you have
asked me to consider to-day. be-
lieve that a judicious reduction of tar
if duties on all raw materials needed
by our manufacturers, and which
would enable them to placetheir goods
in foreign markets at lower rates,
would be an immediate relief. Oh,
friends and neighbors, do not forget
that there are two sides to every bar
gain that in all human dealings and
exchanges there must be a spirit of re-
ciprOcity that if you wish to sell to
man you must buy from that man or
help him to sell that which he has. Do
not look at your own side Of the bar
gain alone whether of yourself as an
individual or in considering the vel
fare Of your country in which you have
your stake, remember that you must
give as well as take. If We would sell
our products to foreign countries we
must take from them materials which
they produce and which we do not.
ITO be cOntinued.)