The Portland daily press., 1880-10-06

TACT that neaRly or quite all the hollow-ware
required by the foundries of this city is made
by convicts and brought from a distance, be-
cause he proprietors here cannot afford to
make 1t and put it upon the market in compe-
tition with the cheap convict-made ware which
other tounSries handle Otherwise they could
make it here and furnish employment to a
much larger body of men. Now, if you could
extend this convlct-made production to the 9TH
er parts OF the foundry business, the employees
now at work might quit at once and look for
job at something else; and, finally, the propri-
etors might shut up shop, retire from business
and live upon their capital. But, if you want
to see this system operated upon a magnificent
scale, open our ports, put our American opera
tives and artisans in competition with the poor
er paid labor of Europe Canada even,-
and you will see it, not to your hearts con-
tent, but to your hearts discomfort and your
own confusion.
But you seem to be most solicitous about the
farmers Happily the farmers are so inteli-
gent as readily to understand that what is not
coed for the other industries of the country
cannot long be good for them. An increase in
the number OF farmers is not their greatest
need. and such increase would inevitably fol-
low the adoption of your advice This year
alone they have produced over 100000 bushels
OF wheat more than we need for seed and food,
and great excess in many other products.
The natural choice of men will keep the ranks
of the farmers so full that they will, till long
be able to produce more than all our people
will want But the excess is'not the portion of
their production on which they make their
greatest profit. 1t is upon the mass needed
nearest home and upon the variety and adap-
liability OF products, all of which in their sea-
son bring ready cash in all industrial quarters
within reasonable distance. Hence it is that
no class of men are more deeply and vitality
interested in diversified industry. OF all
men they cannot afford to adopt your advice
Even now. always, indeed, we have needed
more home-consumption in this valley, and a
schoolboy could see that nothing else could SO
admirably supply it as home manufacture.
Again, they need cheaper freights, and manu-
factures, by giving increased freights to rail-
roads, help this on as nothing else can. A sin
gle steel-rail mill in Chicago pays S3.OOO,OOO
in freights annually on ore, coal etc. more
business means lower rates of freights," and
railroad rates are from 80 to so per cent. lower
than ten years ago. the farmer sharing this
benefit; and his home market East, West, and
South, is larger and better than his foreign
market.
No, General! We are your neighbors, and
whatever interests one Of us in these respects
interests us all. But you must excuse us for
believing that system which has promoted
our growth. and carried our productions ON
profitable terms into all the markets of the
world, and system which gives wide scope
and clear field for industry; which encour-
ages ard helps the amplest variety of employ
ment, which enables us to show the best-paid,
best-fed, hest-clothed, best-housed and best
schooled laborers history has told or may tell
about, may be safely legisated out of existence
by solid South. which never had diversi-
fed industry and well paid, fed, clothed,
housed and schooled class OF laborers, and
knows nothing about the blessings of til EN-,
except from hearsay.
Respectfully yours,
BONNET, DUFFY & Co.,
CoMsToCK, CASTLE & Co.,
ROBERT w. GARDNER,
SMITH, HAYNER & Co.,
The QUINCY PAPER COMPANY,
e. NJ. MILLER & Co.,
f. S. MULLNER,
j. LOUIS PEAU,
f. w. JANSEN &c Son,
W. H. COLLINS,
W. T. s. E. A. ROGERS