Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-04-14
Bully 4ennebee- yOnrnaL,
Augusta. Saturday Morning, April a.
Benefits of Protection.


cinct and reliable summing up of the benefits
which the protective policy Of this country
for the last twenty years has conferred upon
it. The facts therein contained are Of the
largest and most special interest to all Amer
lean citizens.
Mr.. Kelley presented near the opening of
his remarks the condition Of the country IN
der the policy Of the SOuth-Nhich was the
democratic policy-during the decade from
1850 to 1850. Ike irrepressible conflict be-
tween free labor and slave labor, between
protection to home industries and the free
trade policy, was then going on, with the lat
ter in the ascendency. The people of the
North honored labor and desired 10 elevate il
in the social scale those OF the South crowded
labor down with the iron heel and scourge of
the slave driver. The decade from 1850 to
1850, under wise revenue laws, should have
been one Of great prosperity, for it was then
that the newly discovered gold fields Of Cali
fornia were pouring ont their rich harvest Of the
precious metal. ''IIad we" says Mr.. Kelley,
''been a manufacturing nation, this enormous
addition to the money metals would have re-
manned with us, and by vivifying and expand
ing all our industries would have given steady
work, increasing wages, and unexampled
prosperity to the whole people. We were,
however, not manufacturers, but were little
more than producers Of raw material for ex-
port, and the gold which should have enriched
u.s. went abroad to purchase conssmable com
moditie. which we could have produced, and
the materials Of which lay IN rich profusion
around US. Thus swelling our exports it
augmented our foreign commerce, but did it
at the cost of all other interests. Though we
had since l8i9 mined s 100 COG 900 of gold,
1860 found US stepped in bankruptcy and de-
pendent for medium Of exchange upon the
irredeemable notes of insolvent banks.
Cheap foreign imports had closed our fur
naces, FORCES, and factories, and thus de
stroyed the farmers home market for his pro-
ductions; labor was without employment,
enterprise without capital, and the govern
ment without revenue or credit"
Such was the condition of the country
when the republican party came into power
in 1861. In few weeks after Lincoln was
inaugurated the country was called upon by
the proclamation of the President for men to
defend the government, and Congress was
obliged to take measures for carrying on the
war which soon began to rage and continued
four years. ''ro increase the revenues of
the government" SAYS Mr.. Kelley, land
Al. I'll, Al.
people, it imposed on foreign imports unpre-
cedented rates of duty, and thus stimulated
the manufacture of every fabric and ware
that might be produced in a tropical
country. Suddenly mines were opened. fac
tories erected, and the tide of immigration,
which had shruuk to less than one hundred
thousand per annum, revived, and people
skilled in every branch of industrial art
poured into the country. Railroads weaving
together remote sections of the country. were
planned and constructed As if by magic. We
ceased to be exclusively producers of raw
material for export, and entered into
competition with the manufacturing countries
of the world for the American market.
this change of policy the world has taken
note. 1t is part of universal history, that the
United States under the system of cosmo-
poitan freedom of trade taught by English
economists and their American disciples, has
been able to make little more than nominal
progress in wealth and diversified industries :;
and that in twenty years of life under the
protective system, more than four of which
were passed in terrible warfare, they had
assumed indisputabe possession of the pos
nation of the world.
Speaking more specifically of the results
of the protective policy, Mr.. Kelley showed
how vastly it increased the productions of
this country. He said
"Between 1850 and Is 60 the production of
pig iron, forged and rolled iron and steel
was practically stationary, and in 1860 en-
plaved but 80 900 hands. After TWENTY wears
of protective duties they gave living wages
to more than 40. 900 hands. The capital in
vested in these branches of manufacture in
1850 was less than $50, 900 900, but twenty
wears of protective duties served to expand
it to $3.50. 900 600. The wages they paid in
1S6O were but ST., ooo,o 900, rs against $50
DOC, 900 in 1850. The materials they con
sumed in 1850 were valued at s34 900 900,
and in 1850 at more than $3.50. 000. 900. At
no time prior to the war had our annual pro-
duction of these essential commodities reach
ed the value of $50 O0O, 200. but having
emancipated ourselves from England's free
trade dogmas, twenty years have sutficed to
expand these less than $50, coo. 900 into more
than S296, 600, 900.
1.-The chemical industry found by the
takers of the last census did not exist in
1860. With the wonderful progress of
analytical science, chemistry is the recognized
handmade of every productive pursuit. Its
progress NAV therefore be accepted as an
indication of general growth and prosperity.
Making no figure in any previous census. it
appears in that of 1850 rs employing more
than SIS, 0o0. 600 of capital. paying SIP ,00o,-
900 of wages. and consuming nearly $780,
o00. 900 of material.
Like unto this statement is that of car
rage building. We could not in 1860 make
q thoroughly American pleasure carriage we
must import the springs and other steel work
and most of the textile trimmings; but as we
now make as good steel import. and
produce our own silks, fringes and tassels,
we build cur own carriages. Yes after twenty
years of highly protective duties, we build in