The Rock Island Argus., 1883-03-30


were being manufactured and all well
established as early as 1870 and many
before that date. He estimates the man
ufactures of the three articles of wool,
fax and cotton alone at $40. 900, 600;
computes iron at 81, 900, 900: leather at
$rs,0o0 900; wood at $5, 500, 900; cables
and cordage at 81, 100000. Wool, he
says, was in the most rapid state OF inn
provement next after cotton. In that
year 1S1U the manufactures in the states
now most clamorous for protection were
estimated by Mr.. Coke as follows: In
Massachusetts, $21, ,S95, 600; New Hamp-
shire, $5, $50, 900; Vermont, $500, 600;
Rhode Island, at 81 900, 600. mentioning
that the cotton manufacture in Rhode
Island was then increasing at the rate of
333 per cent Connecticut, $7,750, Coz,
and states that there were constant adtli-
tions TO the number of manufactures in
Connecticut and is the capital employed
in them; New York at 1926, 600, 600. with
the belief that it should be $33, 900 000
New Jersey, $7.000000; Maryland, H.
500. 900; Pennsylvania eelipsed all-$44,
900, 900 was his estimate of which $16,-
600 600 were in the city and county of
Philadelphia His whole estimate for
1S10is nearly $500, ,000,OO
More than century ago New England
manufactured fine, if not superfine
broadcloth. Ninety-three years ago he
we who was first in war, first in peace
and first in the hearts of his -countrymen
was inaugurated our first president. On
that august occasion the hero, patriot
and finished gentleman appeared before
the two houses of congress. in the city of
New York, April Both, 1889, dressed in
cloth woven at Jeremiah Wadsworth's
factory, in Connecticut. 1t was then good
enough for Washington to wear. Now
we are to be deluded with the deceptive
argument that the manufacture of such
cloth, with innumerable other tariff taxed
articles, is an infant industry not yet able
to walk nor even to stand alone.
Though oceans, wide, stormy and deep,
rivers difficult of navigation and rail-
roads, long, expensive and costly, in
freights. custom house charges, etc, etc,
have been kindly Interposed by God and
man and serves as so much protection to
our infant, still it squalls from fright at
the ghost of an '.Old English pauper, .
and clings as for life, to it's mother,
Congress, and begs for mere pap.
The feeling heart of the Hon. VIM. M.
Evarts has been pierced by the pathetic
cries of our bantling. AT a meeting of
the disciples of Blackstone, (not farmers)
held few days since in the city of New
York, he pleaded with words interminable,
for our Infant manufacturers" and ]
propose that he shall answer his own
speech. May nth, 1879, when trans
mitting to congress the report of our con.
suls, on the state of labor in Europe. act
ing under the solemnity of his. oath as
secretary of state. Mr. Evarts saws.
'"The average American workman per-
forms from one and half to twice as
much work as the average European
workman. This is so important a point
in connection with our ability to compete
with the cheap manufactures of Europe,
and it seems. on first thought, so strange
that will trouble you with somewhat
lengthy quotations from the reports in
support thereof.
Within the last fifteen years we have
demonstrated our ability by the brilliant
development of our own resurces to ex-
clude, by honest competition, foreign
manufactures to- "a large extent. from our
shores. The question which now
peremptorily challenges all thinking
minds is, how to create a. foreign demand
for those which are left after supplying
our home demands? We cannot stand
sum- AOA tut oI ItlCIcdSt VIII
soon become so great that it will push il
outward anyway. To push us safely and
prof1tably is of so much importance as to
almost overtop all other public question
of the hour. This question appeals
equally to the selfishness and patriotism
of all our citizens But to the laborcr il
appeals with ten fold force, for without
work he cannot live, and unless we can
extend the markets for our manufactures
cannot expect steady work. and unless our
manufacturers can undersell foreign munu-
facturers we cannot enlarge our foreign
market
The first great truth to be learned by
our manufacturers and workingmen is.
that the days of sudden fortunes and
double wages are gone. We must realize
the fact that ocean steam communication
has annihilated distance and brought the
nations face to face This drawing to-
gether of the nations means equalization
in trade, profits, wages, etc. the advan-
tage being with those who soonest accept
the situation and show the most sensible
continuity in the new paths of success
His more distinguished successor, the
Hon. James G. Blaine. always high pro-
tee ionist, in like report, made to CON
gress June 25th, 1881:
'OndOuDteufy IHe inequalities IN the
wages of English and American opera
ttves arc more than equalized by the
greater efficiency of the latter and their
longer hours of labor. IF this should
prove to be fact in practice, it would be
a very important element in the establish
ment of our ability to compete with Eng
land for our share of the cotton-goods
trade of the world
In the two prime factors which maybe
said to form the basis of the cotton manu-
featuring industsy, namely. raw. material
and labor, we hold the advantage over
England in the first, and stand upon an
equality with her in the second
Having the raw material at our. doors
1t follows that we should be able to con-
vert itinto manufacturers, all things else
being equal. with more economy and
facility than can be done by England,
which imports our cotton and then manu-
factures it in her own mills. The ex-
pense of handling. transportation and
commission must be an important item in
this regard as compared with our turning
in the fiber from the cotton fields to our
mills and shipping it in.the advanced
from of manufactured goods. Add to
this secondary fact that it costs us no
more to handle and manufacture the
same than it costs in England and we
stand on an undoubted equality this far
in the race of competition.
The inequality of wager between Eng
lish and American operatives is amore
Than oonaIt1aIv l,xy t1,o