Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-10-13
American Manufacturing 1nterestu.
BY JOSEPH NrAIMo, JR.
North American Review.

trace the history OF the struggle De-
tween the advocates and the opponents
Of governmental protection of manu-
features from the time of Hamilton to
the present day. Suffice it to say,
that while neither policy has ever been
adopted, the preponderance of public
sentiment has been sometimes on one
side and sometimes on the other. At
tention will here be confined to the
growth of the manufacturing industries
Of the United States since the year
1850, but especially since the year
1860.
According to the census, the value
of the products of manufactures in the
United States was, in. 1850, $1,019,-
106,616; in 1860, $1,SS5,S61 $40; in
1870, $3,432, 4l5,933; and in 1880,
$3.50, 579,l91. During the period
from 1860 to 1880 the manufact.
uring industries of the United States
were more highly protected than du-
ring any previous period in the history
ofthe country. The average ad valOrem
rate on imported merchandise was in.
creased from fourteen per cent. in 1861
to forty-two per cent. in 1865. 1t is
an historical fact, however, that this
largeincrease Of duties was promptedby
needs of national defense and not by
any prevailing sentiment in favor of
American enterprise. As the result of
the large increase of duties on imports,
the customs revenues increased from
500, 03S,26 in 1861 to $177,056, 523
in 1866. Although the duties on tea
and coffee were reduced in 1870 and
abolished in 1872, and other reductions
of duties were subsequently made, the
aggregate duties on imports during the
year ending June 80, 1882, had in>
creased to $216, 1896.
At the same time the foreign COM
merce of the United States grew more
rapidly than ever before. The total
value of exports increased from $685.
576,057 in 1860 to $685., 638,658 in
1880, and the value Of imports increas-
ed from 1858, 616, 119 in 1860 to $667,.
954,746 in 1880. During the same
period agriculture, mining, internal
commerce, and all other great business
interests of the country advanced more
rapidly than ever before. The rail
road mileage of the country increased
from 30,635 miles in 1860 to 1851
miles 1880. Inventive genius, also,
was stimulated as never before in the
history of the country, the number Of
patents issued having increased from
1919 in 1860 to 1891 in $780,
We have next to consider the con-
current development and present con-
dition Of the manufacturing, commercial,
transportation, and banking interests of
the United States from 1860 to 1880,
and, in so far as may be practicable, to
trace the influence exerted by the
growth of our manufacturing industries
upon the development of the other
great business interests of the country.
AGRICULTURE.
The relative value of products of
manufactures and of agriculture can
only be stated approximately. 1t is
estimated that the total value of the
products of agriculture during the CEN
sus year, 1880, amounted to $780,
100000.
This is an estimate made by Mr., j.
r. Dodge, Statistician of the Depart.
ment of Agriculture, and Special
Agent of the Census for the collection
of statistics in regard to Agriculture.
The census gives 81, 213, 4O2,564 rs the
estimated value of farm products. This,
however, does not include the increased
value of live stock, nor the value of the
products of pasturage on the public
lands. 1t also omits to very large
extent products of horticulture.
The value of the products of manu-
features is stated by the census a
s., ,579,191. II from this we sub
tract the value of materials used in the
process of manufacture, viz, 1896,
S23,549, it leaves in round numbers
S2,OOO,0O0,00O. The census however
takes no account of any establishment