The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-19

West as New York used to be for the whole
country. A few figures will perhaps convey
better idea of the growth of manufactures in
United States than many words. In 1860 the
manufacturing capital of the country was ST.
OO9,OOOOOO. In 1880 it is So, 11S 100000, which
is 100 per cent. increase and $l00,000,000 over.
In 1860 the products of manufacture amount
ed to 81 ,019, 0O0, 900. Nov they amount to 81
232 900. 600 per annum which is an increase of
300 per cent. and $145, 000, 900 ever. Two mil
lion seven hundred and seven thousand four
hundred and tWenty-one men are employed di.
rectly in manufactures and S775, 5S4 ,343 are an
nualy distributed as wages. Among articles
which are protected is the wool product. Thir-
teen years agot was only 60,OO0000 o1nds;
now it is 20S 100000 pounds OF this 80 per
cent. is manufactured here. 1t is the threat
which the Democratic party by its platform
makes against all these industries which
alarmed the country and saved it.
Whether Free Trade or Protection be the
best thing for country probably depends up
on the condition of affairs at the time. Among
the reasnos why it is strongly supported here
are these: What this country has most OF to-
day is land What makes land valuableP
Why the presence of men. What makes
land in New York city worth thirty and forty
dollars foot? The fact that one million two
hundred thousand people have crowded there
worth forty and fifty dollars an acre while you
can buy land in Dacotah for five dollars an
acre? and yet every acre in Dacotah is richer
than any acre in Maine. The crowd before me
makes the difference. When we have two
hundred millions here instead of fifty you can
easily see how much more valuable all land
will be. How can we get people here? Men
like to stay where they were born, surrounded
by old associations and old friends. If we SO
adjust our laws that they can live in France
and Germany and England and have our
markets they will stay there. If we keep our
own markets for our own people they must
come here. The alternative is starvation. Here
they can have better wages, happier homes
better government and education for their
children. Perhaps you will ask what advan
Z age will that be to us farmers? That question
can be answered by another. What is the
business of humanity? 1t is to attend to the
wants of humanity, to clothe men, to
feed men, to minister to their tastes, to their
wants and even to their whims. What
can you make the most profit out Of, the
feeding and clothing of men at your door
or three thousand miles off where you have to
pay for transportation, for freight? Any school
boy could answer that question. Are the far
mers of Biddeford and the towns adjoining
better or worse off because the banks of the
Saco have ceased to be COW pasture and be-
come the home of toiling thousands? What
would land be worth in Cape Elizabeth ii
Portland were blotted out? Every farm in
Sanford is more valuable because the Goodalis
are there and because of the mills at Spring
vale. Perhaps as good an illustration as any
of the effect of a tariff for revenue, can be
given in the situation about Steubenville,
Ohio The figures are not exact but they
show the idea. In that region there are per-
haps three thousand men dependent upon the
mines and manufactures. Each of these rep
resentS on an average four people besides him
SELF which makes IL, 900 people directly de-
pendent on manufactures. All these people
have to'be fed by the farmers and partially
clothed. What would be the effect on that
to- +usIr o,sff
the manufactures must go down or the wages
be lowered With wages lowered from one
hundred and twenty-five cents to sixty-ive
cents it needs but little arithmetic to discover
that the sixty cents which don't get into the
| laborers pocket can't get into the farmers.
Perhaps you will say that the Democratic
free trade plank doesn't mean anything Well
l am aware that the Democratic party is not
in the habit of meaning much of anything by
| what it says Qaughter) and that Hancock has
| just issued dispensatiOn on thu subject
What a useless thing Democratic national
| convention is to be sure! Think of eight hun
| dred pure-minded Democrats filled with indy
| ing love of the Constitution and undying ha-
tired of monopoly perspiring together in the
| swelter of a June day in Cincinnati and labor
+ iously putting into shape the latest wisdom OF
all the ages to have it all knocked into pie by q
Major General who has vague remembrance
| that the tariff is a local question which once
| sprung up in his native village. Laughter.
| But these dear confding brethren do not seen
to realize that what men want to do business
! on is:certainty. Agitation about the tariff
even if it is beaten down, parayzes business
No manufacturer will in uncertainty lay hi
| plans for great business. 1t may be thai
such change will be made that the larger hi:
business the wider will be his ruin. Hence
| business men feel that the true way is to lie
well enough alone To the material bushes
interests of the country its salvation will b.
| due.
| Mr.. Reed then discussed the differences be
tween the two parties at some length.
The meeting was very large and epthus;
astic one and Mr.. Reeds forcibe presentation
of the tariff question was listened to witt
great satisfaction. The New Gloucester ban,
furnished excellent music. Cumberland pro
poses to maintain its position as the banne
town ON the second day of November.