Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-10-06

COhhanu Ino requisite oVaIlsbiCS WnlCH
would enable him to prove conclusively
the correctness of his views-a fact
which he frankly admitted; but, by
the intuitions of his transcendent genius
as a statesman, he clearly foresaw and
ably maintained that which has since
become a matter of demonstration,
namely, that labor in manufactures is
equal, if, indeed, not superior in its
productiveness of individual and ma
tional wealth, to labor in agriculture,
and that manufacturing industries are
not only in the highest degree promo
tive of the interests of agriculture, of
mining and of commerce, but that they
are absolutely essential to the prosperi-
ty of those interests.
Hamilton also urged the Importance
of aiding manufactures, upon the
ground that the division of labor and
the use of machinery in manufactures
involve great variety of employ
ments, Thereby furnishing a greater
scope of usefulness for the diversity of
talents and disposition which discrimi
nate men from each other, and more
ample field for enterprise" Besides,
he maintained that the home market
for the surplus products of the soil
which would be created by the promo.
ton of manufactures would be far more
steady and reliable than foreign mar
4 kets.
Notwithstanding the earnest utter
ances of Washington and the cogent
resonings Of Hamilton, the principles
which they enunciated regarding
American manufactures have ever
since been holly contested. During
the last fifty years there has been
taught, in large portion of the schools
and colleges of this country, political
economy as cold toward American
manufactures as though they were a
fungoid parasite upon American enter
prise, instead Of being, as they are, the
best product of its vital forces. 1t is
proposed here to consider how far the
postulates and predictions of Hamilton
has been sustained by clearly ascer.
tanned and recorded facts expressive Of
} the commercial and industrial expe.
riences of the country. Attention will
also be invited to the relations now ex,
isting between the manufacturing in
dustries and the other great business
interests Of the country.
The conditions under which manu-
features are carried on haye, since the
days of Hamilton, undergone radical
changes, as the result of the increase
and expansion of population, the intro
duction and extension of railroads, and
, the greatly increased facilities for trans
portation which we now enjoy, and as
, the result also Of important discoveries
r inventions, and adaptations. The va
: riety of manufactured articles has beer
almost infinitely increased, and theil
: ministration to the needs, tastes, anC
D habits of the people has been multi
S piled thousand fold. For more thar
! half century after Hamilton wrote hi
!, grand essay, the highest guarantee o
f the quality of any articles of merchan
S dies was to say that they were impor
n ted but during the last twenty-fv,
! years the best assurance OF the super
j. ority of similar articles is to say tina
+ they are of American manufacture
f When John Randolph felt like goinI
s out of his way to kicka sheep, h
!. had to send his pamphlets across tn
g Atlantic ocean, in slow sailing vessel
= in order to get them neatly bound, an,
t he was happy if they came back to hin
a. within year. But all that is changed
a. Hundreds of manufactured articles
formerly imported, are now SUPPLE
in our own markets exclusively b
American artisans. With respect t
certain other articles, the America
Z manufacturer is able to compete i
foreign markets with the manufacturer
- of other countries. The value OF tn
g exports of products of manufactur
!, from the United States increased fror
$45, 65S, S73 in 1860 to SOB, 132, As
- in 1882, exceeding in the latter yea