Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-05-16

hall u century ago when Henry ClaI
made his famous defense of the Amer
lean system, and there has been sine
that time An unceasing warfare he
tween the two schools ia this country
and thase who are now engaged II
manufacturing are notified that tn,
warfare has been again commenced.
This question, as / have already re
marked, is one that affects labor. Tht
gentleman from Texas when he speak
of "mereilesS and grinding mOnOpo
lies" seems to regard those who are en-
gagedin the mining, manufacturing
and kindred industries of the country
as being at enInity to those who ar,
engaged in agriculture and kindred
pursuits. We would gather from hi
remarks that those who have seen ii
to nIbark their capital in these enter
prises have been successful, that they
have accumulated large fortunes, tha
they are living off the life blood Of tht
people. Iappeal to the condition o
the country for the truth of what
here assert; that OF all investments o
capital that have been made in the
last sixteen years, none have brOugh
ruin to so many as those Investing ii
the very industries he attacked in hi
speech.
/ represent district composed large
ly Uf agriculturists, (farmerS,) but hav
ing IA border OH the Ohio River Of town;
and cities engaged in iron, glass, pot
terry, terra-cOtta, AMI other pursuits o
a kindred nature. And, sir, il L have
any syin npathy TOR one class of people
Af hG.r n O N
other, il is Tor those who till the soil
L was raised upon a larin among farm
ers; lthave not more than one relative
of my name on the face of the earth
who is not farmer, and L believe
know that the farming interests have
suffered less In the last live years than
any other producing interest in the
country. | know that in the district
represent the farmers have suffered but
little in comparison to those engaged
in mining and manufacturing, and
here they have suffered the greatest
is in the loss to some extent of mar
ket for heavy produce in the towns af
fected by the pro1trdtion OF the pdst
few years. They have been receiving
fair prices for their produce and have
found market for all the grain, stock
wool and such commodities that they
can raise; while, upon the other hand,
thuSe who have been engaged in the
pursuits the gentleman characterizes
as 'nerciless and grinding mUnOpolies'
have been compelled TO close up theiI
mills and furnaces III many Instances
Their capital has been making then
little or no return in Others, and the
labor engaged in these pursuits has
been thrown out of employment Ol
poorly paid.
We cannot afford at this time to try
experiments with any of the great i'll
dustrieS ui the land. BY the census oI
1870 it is shown that the manufacturing
ninins, and mechanical produces
amounted to 81 220, 245, ,442, while the
agricultural products amounted to but
81, ,447 ,53S, sos, an excess of the manu-
featuring over agricultural Of Sl,772,'
1856, ,7S4 Aud, Mr.. Speaker, it is these
Industries that produced this large ex-
cess Of wealth lew years ago that are
to- day Frustrated, suffering in theil
capital, their labor disOrganize d, aud
awaiting the result OF this measure.
repeat, we cannot afford at this time
10 try any experiments with such i'll
dustries.
From 1862 to 1873, period of eleven
years, we developed very largely the
eslth of the country, and developed
it to very large extent by gong in
debt. We built from the close of the
till the crisis of 1873, period of about
eight years, 900 miles Of railroads
in the United States, doubling our rail
road mileage, and We went large in
debt for the means to accomplish this
great result.
We opened mines; We built up fur
naces and mills; we laid out towns and
cities; we built and embellishcd towns
and cities; we improved the country;
we beautified our homes; we erected
school houses and institutions of learn
ing, and In almost every possible way
we expended large sums of money that
we borrowed; and it is estimated that
the Indebtedness OF the people of the
United States, aside from the national
debt, comprising Stale debts, city
debts, county debts, and debts of cor
porations and firms and of private in
reaches the enormous sum
OF 81, ,000, 600, 900; AMI lhi5 vast indebG-
cdnesS rests to d great extent upon
those industries tn4t we're so largely
developed from 1862 ~ 1873. l repeat,
then, that this is H., time to try eXpe-
in legislation that affects the
class of people that produced this great
wealth only few years ago. We need
the help OF every hand that is willing
to work in this country in paying of
this terrible mortsge that rests upon
our people; and cannot see the wis
dom of taking hundred bushels OF
wheat from the prairies of Illinois,
shipping it to Liverpool, and there ex'
changing it for three tons Of railroad
iron, when the same exchange may be
made in st. Louis or Pittsburgh; and
when | remember the cost of the iron
is mainly the labor employed upon it,
do not see why any one looking to
the best interests of the American la
borer can advocate any policy that
will bring about such change in our
system. | know the chairman of the
Committee, the honorable gentleman
from Mississippi, as we'll as the gentle
man from Texas, makes an appeal in
behalf of the oppressed and heavily
ldAeu ldiuIcif tucy ohJ bbuI iiO pays a
tax of 80 per cent on the paint with
which his house is painted; 80 per cent
on bis window glass; 30 per cent on his
nails; 53 per cent on the screws, 30 per
cent ON the door locks" and so on.
Now, when it is remem bered that
these articles are from 80 to 30 per cent
cheaper than they ever were under
what is denoIhinated ''revenue tariff, "
it will be difficult to see that the farm
er pays this enormous tax as the result
of protection. 3.
l shall not stop h re to discuss for
any length of time the claim III idc hall
"A century-ago, that by home cornpeti-
tion we could produce in this country
from our indigenous raw material, 50
cheap and SO abundant, cheaper wares
than we could purchase from abroad,
further than to say that the last few
years have vindicated the policy oi
protection. Great Britain and other Eu'
ropean countries are waiting to-day for
u Chance at the American market, wait
ing for nm opportunity to break down
At,r in That fhQu NAV again