Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-28
TIE rEED OF roaE1es MARKETS.
Nothing is more certain than that this


SNSLiOA- Ia Nis5h SNOha Aetf DSSA AL HSAhNH /
in larger quantities continually. The only |
marked growth in any foreign market hiss
occurred in connection with agricultural
products, and the circumstances of that
case are such as to make it a cause for
uneasiness instead Of cougratulation. We
have. during the past four or five years,
been enabled to dispose of an immense
agricultural surplus abroad bat this has
been possible because of series Of bad
harvests in Europe, and it is plain that
when, as is certain to happen, series of
good karvests in Europe recurs, the con-
tinually increasing tendency to invest in
agriculture here viii precipitate collapse
of our foreign produce markets. Less
than one-sixth of the total area of arabic
land in the United States has been brought
under the plow, but every year larger areas
are developed, while great capital, i'm
proved methods of culture, and enlarged
means of transportation, tempt perpet-
ually towards still broader efforts OF this
kind. 1t is evident that it will at no late
day become necessary to divert capital
from agriculture and apply it to safer in.
vessments, for it is plain that the food
producing machinery of the country is
rapidly outstripping the worlds demand.
But when we inquire how such diver
sion of capital is to be effected we are
brought face to face with the paralyzing
influences OF our fiscal system, and are
made to comprehend that for a nation
which neither has nor can expect to have
foreign markets, manufacturing cannot be
regarded as hopeful or profitable line OF
industry. At present we are living in
sort of Fools Paradise. Oar manufactur-
era have been stimulated by the sudden
and unexpected increase in the European
demand for our food. products. The Amer
lean farmer, supported for the time by an
abnormal European market, is in turn sup
porting the American manufacturers. But
when the European crops are once more
coed this apparent prosperity will disap-
pear, and because cur manufacturers are
dependent entirely upon the domestic
market, thsy viii share in the decline of
agricultural prosperity, and win once
more begin TO feel The pressure of over
production. Free Trade gives the country
shat adopts it the whole world for mar
ket, and thus it cannot be seriously in
jured by any merely local depression. But
Protection, by cutting the countries which
follow it off from all foreign markets,
confines them to their domestic oonsump-
ton, and makes each class among them go
dependent on the other classes that the
misfortune of one is the calamity of all.
Some statistics given by David A. Wells
in a recent lecture before the Brooklyn
Revenue Reform Club are very pertinent
in this connection. To show what Protec-
ton has failed to do for the country he
stated that Gin 1880 cur export of manu-
+" featured cotton, although we hold a
monopoly of the raw material, and not
withssanding the efforts Of our manufact-
furers, was lessin quantity and value thanit
"was in 1850, or twenty years previous.
: sc Our exports of all kinds of woollens for
1850 amounted to only 1891. 600; but
"our imports of foreign fabrics of wool for
1.-THE same year were returned at $39, 000,-
5000, in addition to 5000, 0G0 pounds
"of foreign woods, valued at S23,-
1900, 000" Here we see how vain
are the efforts Of our manufact-
urers to keep out foreign rivals; in other
words, we see clearly that Protection does
not protect. Mr.. Wells points further to
the carpet trade, about which there has
been q good deal Of boasting of late. The
figure for that trade for 1880 were Ex-
ports, S,54l; imports, l,443000 yards.
Mr.. Wells states that American woollen
manufacturers actually go over to Eng
land, buy up discarded machinery
which has been flung aside as obsc.
lete, and bring it over to this country and
work it at prof5. OF course in all such
cases they are charging their American
customers an exceptionally high price fol
an inferior article, and in fact are swindling
by the help of the tariff.
Protection protects so little that ever
iron ore has come to be regular article o
importation, and it is to be noted particu
larly that this kind of trade has grown with
the growth of the tariff. Thus in 1861
we imported but 1900 tons of foreign
pig iron; in 1880, with much higher tariff
we imported 7S4, 900 tons. AS to our mer
, camille marine, everyone knows how tina
, has declined under the blighting infuenc,
J of the tariff; but it may still be interest
ing to note the next figures. In 1860 W,
7 transported 66 Per cent. of our imports il
) American vessels in 1870 it had fallen t,
So per cent. in 1880 it was II per cent.
. and in 1881 but l6 per cent. Thus 80 pc
cent. of loss has been registered in TWEEN
, ty years, and if the same policy is pur
: sued it is certain that before 1890 Their
, will be no record of our mercantile marin'
remaining. Bat the question is, to what i
all this restriction of American commerc
; tending? 1t is tending to a periot
of general overproduction, when tn
} principles of Protection will Of neces
sity force the country into the mos
serious difficulties. There is only
one means of relief, and that is b,
D extending our markets but the Penn
e sylvania school of economists set thei
! faces against that enlightened method, ant
t SO far as can be seen they have the contro
e of the Government. It is true that
q change may take place in 1884, but W
e have ceased to put much faith in the Ere
: Trade convictions of the Democrats. 70
: they too have truckled in the most servil
r and cowardly way 10 the Pennsylvani
; men when the question was put to the test
Ii, however, the people of the Unite
States can be made to realize the urgenc
of the danger which threatens them, Il
| dnnbt thew ara able 70 suDnort vvhateve