The Dillon tribune., 1884-07-26

imports Of a country regardless of the ma
tionality Of the vessel that may carry the
| commodities Of exchange. Our carrying
trade has from obvious causes suffered tina.
ny discouragenents since 1850, but our for.
cign commerce has in the same period
steadily and prodigiously increased. In.
creased indeed at rate and to an amount
which absolutely drawfs all previous devel.
Opnents Of our trade bevond the seas.
From 1860 to the present time the foreign
commerce Of the United States divided
with approximate equality between exports
and imports reached the astounding ayyrc.
gate Of S24,OCo,ooo,ooo.
The balance In the vast commerce is in
ciined in our favor. but il would have been
much larger IL our trade with the countries
Of America, else here referred to, had been
more wisely adjusted. 1t is difficult even
to appreciate the magnitude of our export
trade since 1860. and we can gain a correct
conception of it only by comparison with
preceding results in the same field. The
total exports from the United States from
the Declaration Of Independence in 1916
down to the day Of Lincoln's election in
1860, added to all that had previously been
exported, from the American colonies, from
|
than $oooo,ooo,ooo. On the other hand
our exports from 1860 to the close of the
last fiscal year exceeded 81 1000, 100000, the
whole Of it beirg the product of American
labor. Evidently protective tariff has not
injured our exports when under its influ.
| cnce We exported in twenty -four years 40
per cent. more than the total amount that
hal been exported in the entire previous
history Of American commerce. All the
details when analyze correspond with this
gigantic result The commercial cities of
the United States never had such a growth
as they have enjnyed since 1850. Our
chief emporium. the City Of New York,
with its dependencies, has within that pc.
riod doubled her population aud increased
her wealth five fold. During the same pc.
riod the imports and exports which have
entered and left her harbor are more than
doubled in bulk and value the whole.
amount reported b, her between the settle.
ment Of the first Dutch colony ON the
Island Of Manhattan, and the outbreak OF
the civil war in 1860.
) AGRICULTURE AND THE TARIFF.
This interest is by far the largest in the
nation, and is entitled in every adjustment
Of the revenue to the first consideration.
Any policy hostile to the fullest develop.
nent Of ag, iculture in the United States
, must be abandoned. Realizing this fact,
: the opponents Of the present system Of rev.
enue have labored very earnestly to per-
suadc the farmers Of the United States that
they are robbed by protective tariff and
the effort is thus made to consolidate their
vast influence in favor OF free trade. But
happily the farmers Of America are inteli.
gent and can not be n,isled by sophistry
when conclusive facts are before them.
They see plainly that during the past TWEEN.
ty-four years wealth has not been acquired
: in one section or by one interest. They
see that the agricultural States have been
+ even more rapid in their progress than the
manufacturing States. The farmers see
that in 1860 Massachusetts, and Illinois had
, about the same wealth, between $Soo.ooo..
!, 600 and $0oo.ooo,ooo each, and that in 1850
Massachusetts, had advanced to $,,6oo,-
+ oooooo, while Illinois had advanced to
. $3,2oo,ooo,ooo. They see that New Jersey
and Iowa were just equal in population in
1900, and that in twenty years the wealth
, of New Jersey was increased by the sum Of
: $3.50, 200, 900, while the wealth of Iowa was
increased by the sum Of $l,soo,ooo,ooo.
They see that the nine leading agricultural
States Of the west have grown so rapidly in
prosperity that the aggregate addition to
: their wealth since 1860 is almost as great
as the wealth of the entire country in that
, year. They see that the South, which is
almost exclusively agricultural, has shared
in the general prosperity, and that having
. recovered from the loss and devastation Of
: war has gained SO rapidly that its total
wealth is at least double that which it pos.
sessed in 1860 exclusively OF slaves. In
these extraordinary developments the far.
,ners see the helpful influence OF a home
market, and they see that the financial and
revenue system enacted since the Repnbli.
can party came into power has established
and constantly expanded the home market.
They see that even in the case of wheat,
, which is your chief cereal export, they
. have sold an average during the years since
: the close OF the war OF three bushels at
! home to one they have sold abroad, and
that in the increase Of corn, the only other
. cereal which we export to any extent one
hundred bushels have been used at hu,ne
. to three and a half bushels exported. In
some years the disparity has been 20 great
, that for every peck Of corn exported one
hundred bushels have been consumed in
. the home market. The farmers see that
, in the increasing competition from the grain
: fieldh Of Russia and the distant plains
of India, the growth of the home MAJ ket
:, becomes daily OF greater concern to them,
;. and that its impairment would depreciate
+ the value Of every acre Of tilable land in
the United States.
OUR INTERNAL COMMERCE.
, These facts touching the growth and con
), sumption ot cereals at home give us some
slignt conception Of the yastness of
the international commerce of the Uni.
ted States. They suggest also that in
! addition to the advantages which the Amer.
lean people enjoy in protection against tor.
, eign competition they enjoy the advantage
! OF absolute tree trade over u larger area and
with greater population than any other ma.
ton. The internal commerce of our thir.
!. ty.eight States and nine Territories is car.
! ried on without let or hindrance, without
tax or governmental interference OF any
, kind whatever. 1t spreads freely over NJ,
! area ot three and half millions square
: miles, almost equal in extent to the whole
continent of Europe. Its profits are enjoy.
l. II