The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-07-26
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE..

y frequent accusation by our oppo-
nents is that the foreign commerce OF
the country has steadily decaycd under
the influence Of the protective tariff.
In this way they seek to array the i'm
porting interest against the Republican
party. 1t is 4 common and vet radical
error to Confourd the commerce Of the
country with its carrying trade-an CT
ror often committed innocentlv and
sometimes designedIy-but an error so
gross that it does not distinguish be-
tween the ship and tbs cargo. Foreign
commerce represents the exports and
imports OF Il country, regardless of the
nationality of the vessel that may carry
the commodities of exchange. Our
carrying trade has from obvious causes
suffered many discouragements since
1900, but our foreign commerce has in
the same period steadily and prodig-
iously increased increased, indeed, at
a rate and to an amount which abso-
lutely dwarfs all previous developments
of our trade beyond the sea. From
1860 20 the present the foreign COM
merce Of the United States divided
with approximate equality between eN-
ports and imports), reached the as
founding aggregate of twentytour
thousand millions of dollars (S24 ,ooo,-
900, ooo). The balance in this vast
commerce inclined in our favor, but it
would have been much larger if or
trade with the countries of America.
elsewhere referred to, had been more
wisely adjusted.
II is difficult even to appreciate the
magnitude of our export trade since
1860, and we can gain correct con-
ception 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 VIC, down to the day of Lncoln's
election, in 1860, added to ell that had
previously been exported from the
American colonies from their original
settlement, amounted to less than nine
thousand millions of dollars $50 ,ooo,-
900, ooo). On the other han |, our
exports from 1860 to the close of the
last fiscal year exceeded twelve thous-
and millions of dollars (SI2,ooo ooO,-
ooo)-the whole of it being the pro-
duct of American labor. Evidently a
protective tariff has not injured our en-
port trade when, under its influence,
we exported in twcnty-four years forty
per cent more than the total amount
that had been exported i'll the entire
previous history of the American COM
mcrce. MI the details, when analvzed,
correspond with this gigantic result
The commercial cities of the Union
never had such growth as they have
enjoyed since 1900. Our chief cmpo
rum, the city of New York, with its
dependencies, has within that period
doubled her population and increased
her wealth five fold. During the same
period the imports and exports which
have entered and left her harbor are
more than double in bulk and value the
whole amount exported by her between
the settlement of the first Dutch colony
on the Island of Manhattan and the
outbreak of TIL civil war in 1900.
AGRICULTURE AND THE TARIFF.
The agricultural interest Is by far the
largest in the nation, and is entitled in
every adjustment of revenue laws to the
frs! consideration. Any policy hostile
to the fullest development of agricul-