The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-05-13

against an average OF -looa tue pre-
vious seven years. In short, those
five years were the worst that Amer
lean commerce had ever exerieneed.
Yet during ali that time the farmers
were yearly disbursing S340 600, 900
to support the manufacturers. So far
however from enriching them, this
large sum was engnlfed Ia their losses
aud was squandered in vain. It Is
abundan,ly clear that, as we have
already said, s'the profits of the
Eastern manufacturers are precarious,
flue,uating and by no means above
the average of other occupations, -
Just now (1Ss0), the iron manu-.
faeturers are enjoying another tenn
porary spurs, owing to the wealth
created by the farmers and the con-
aequent necessity for more railways;
and this leads TO another question of
vast Importance 10 the farmers. At
what cost are these new railways to
be constructed ? Is tho farmers pro-
tluee TO be conveyed to the sea-board
ON cheap rails at 4 fair rate, or on
dear rails at an exorbitant rate? Are
the railway makers 10 pay Pennsyl-
vania prices for their rails ? IL the
former, the cost Of the required iron
and steel will be nearly twice as
much rs II the latter. Now, as the
rates Of freight must be in proportion
every one who may use the railways
about To be constructed will have to
pay high fares aud freights forever,
because the legislature interdlcts
cheap iron and arlillcially makes 1t
dear! Surely this would be an enor-
mous evil, and ail the less excusable,
rs it could - easily be avoided
1t first glance it appears almost
impossible that 50 vast a sum as
$40, 900 600 should DO lost in the
mere diversigyo Of value between what
two different sets of men in two diff
ferent countries can produce by the
application of the same amount of
capital and labor. And yet, the ex.
PLANTATION, when sought FOR, is soon
found. To take man away from
what he can do we'll, aud set him To
do what he can only do badly makes
an immense difference in the result
of his labor. 4 baker would earn
poor wages indeed rs Il tailor; aud n
clever carpenter would 'S,arve ON his
performances as Il matchmaker. a
Western farmer produces excellent
ard cheap crops, but il he were To- set
| up rs ! wooden manufacturer he
would soon come 20 grief (unless IN
deed his Eeighbors subscribed hand.
someiy 10 make good his losses and
bolster him up. The difference be-
tween what men produce who are ex.
pert and what men produce who are
inexpert constitute very large per.
centage on their production, aud a
large percentage on the total produc-
tion of the world means sum to
which S340,000, 900 is triile. A.
things are, to take the world at large.
the human race do not produce per
haps the hundredth part of what they
might produce If their labor were
properly aud inielligently applied.
The greatest creator OF wealth at the
smallest cost IS division of labor, and
whatever iuterferes with il is an OBJ
siruetion to human productiyeness.
Every man ought t. be allowed to do
the work which early education, long
experience, natural aptitude, peculiar
/ ity Of position, or other circumstances
allow him 10 do best; and that legis-
! iature is sadly mischievons which
shuats him Off from the right on 10
the wrong line, and eonpels him to
.ay aside the work which he can DC
we'll and take to that which others
can do better.
1t may perhaps be asked, GLOW
are the Eastern manufacturers, and
the wcrkmen they employ, 10 line il
the farmers Withdraw the year Y sub
sidy which Is their only support =
The answer IS easy. The increased
imports which the abolition Of Gus
toms duties would bring about wou!c
necessitate increased exports ID thS
same amoint to pay for them fo
/ there can be no additional impor
| without a corresponding additiena
lexpsrt. There would arise a brisi
/ demand for fresh capital and labor t
produce those increased exports, ane
that demand would absorb whaieve
capital and labor might be set free b,
the diminished consumption of tt'
Eastern States manufacturers. It j
quite an exploded notion that If yoi
import what you made before, work
men are thrown out Of work. It j
not so; they are merely thrown on t,
other work to supply the articles tina
viii be exported to pay for the ncg
imports. The same amount Of Amer
Jean capital and labor would be era
ployed before, with this differences
that then their operations would b
. remunerative, whereas before, the.
were not. No doubt this transfer
ence of capital and iabo- from on
kind Of business TO another is attend
ed with temporary an
E delay TO the parties interfered with
but not more than was the introduC
+, lion Of steamboats,, railways, electri
seiegraphs, and oti.cr improvement
which largely benefited the many
while they were, f)r time, displeal
. ing TO few. JUDGED it would nc
I be long before.the owners both of lib
6 displaced capital and Of the displace
labor would feel and recognize tn
advantage of being engaged In ii
5 dnstries which were sell-sapporsint
instead Of industries which were d,
T pendent for their existence on a ii;
I tional subvention revocable at an
moment at the will Of the people.
= To BE coHTrsUED.
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