National Republican., 1884-12-02

with q statement of the finances Of the
government which the President has en-
bodied in his message. The secretary
then gives his views upon foreign trade
and taxation, referring TO tho growth and
prosperity of tho west by tho system of
internal improvements, which gave an out
let to the crops produced, the great extent
of manufacturer and the distress which
now exists from plethora of man ufactured
goods. He continues:
The all-important question, therefore,
that J esses itself upon the public atten-
tion is, How shall the country be relieved
from the plethora of manufactured goods,
and how shall plethora hereafter be pre-
vented? 1t is obvious that our power to
produce is much in excess of the present
or any probable future demand for home
consumption. The existing iron, cotton,
and woollen mills, II employed at their
full capacity, could meet in six months
perhaps in a shorter time-the home de-
mand for q year. 1t is certain, therefore,
that, unless markets now practically
closed against us are opened; unless We
can share in the trade which Is monopo-
lizcd by European nations, tho depression
now 80 severely felt will continue and
may become more disastrous.
The question how shall our foreign trade
be increased is the question which now
comes to the front and demands prompt
and careful consideration. Manu- ciufers
are primarily interested, but the whole
country has stake in its solution. In its
IN Ion he 60 IL, III "a.
involved, inasmuch as tho relations be-
tween 1t and our foreign trade are so close
that they cannot be considered separately,
but 1t need not be involved except so far
ts 1t stands in the way of international
trade. If the duties upon raw materials
are an obstruction, those duties should be
removed. If the duties upon other arti-
cles are an obstruction, they should be
modified. Whatever may be required to
increase our foreign trade, whether it be
repeal or modification of existing duties,
should be demanded by the manu- iactu-
rers themselves. How, then, shall the
information required for full under
standing of what stands in the way of an
Increased expectation of our manu- fac
tured goods to be obtained? 1t may not
be proper for me to offer advice on this
point, but l cannot forbcar to say that |
pointment of n commission, composed of
men not welded to tho doctrines of free
trade or tection-fair- minded men,
who would prosecute the inquiry thor
oughly, comprehensibly, and impartially.
III such commission should be created, it
should be done without unnecessary de-
lay.
1t is very clear that what is needed
cannot be accomplished through the
agency of the committee on ways and
means, and some other agency than the
committee on ways and means must be
Iesorted to in order that the house may
have the information absolutely needed
Tor correct conclusions in regard to the
nature of the distractions in tho way of
an extension of our foreign trade, and
the best means of removing them. The
labors OF q commission, If properly per-
formed. would be very great Ample
time, therefore, should be allowed for
their performance.
The business of the whole world has
been revolutionized by steam power and
dhe substitution Of machinery for hand
work. If not tho inventor of the steam
engine Great Britain took the lead in
utilizing 1t in manufacturing, and she
thus became the great workshop of the
world. For many years she had u mo-
nopoly Of manufacturing The raw ma
terials from nearly all nations was taken
IN her own ships to her ports and re-
turned in manufactured goods. 1t has
been the profit Of this combination of
manufactures and commerce which has
made her the richest and most powerful
oil nations. Now, however, all western
nations are endeavoring to use their raw
materials at home and to encourage and
sustain their manufactures by protective
duties the effect of which has been gem
eral overproduction.
Reference is made to the fact that all
leading nations are now engaged in man
ufncturing, and that all but Great
Britain are fencing themselves in by
protective duties, and quotations arc
made from Golden TO the effect that the
United States will become competitor
with Great Britain in the South Alneri-
can markets. The report continues: The
present condition Of our foreign trade Is
not as fully understood by the public as
it ought to be, or there would be greater
uneasiness in regard to what may be the
result. Look, for instance, at our trade
relations with Brazil. We sold to Brazil
last year various articles to the amount
of Ss,645,2G We bought of her various
kinds OF her own productions to the
amount OF S5O,265, $50. leaving A1 ,62O, ,G2s
ms the balance against us. Now, how is
this large balance liquidated Not by
gold, but by the sale of our farm prod :
ucts, for which there is q largo demand
in Europe. 1t is our cotton, our wheat,
our petroleum, our beef and pork, which
can be produced moro cheaply in the
United States than anywhere else, which
create the sterling exchange that enables
us to carry on this one-SIded trade with
hNr tl.Af FIJI 49,
or worry favorable seasons on the other side
OF the Atlaut C, or, what Is more prob
able, by retaliation, our exports of these
articles should materially decline, what
then would be the condition oi our Bra
Eilian trade? Instead of depending upon
the exports to Europe for the means to
cover the balance in favor Of Brazil, ought
not an effort be made to equalize that
trade by our manufactured goods? Ought
we not to endeavor TO verify the predic-
tion Of Golden by becoming q competitor
with Great Britain in tho Brizillan mar
ketsP Ought not this to be attempted in
the interest OF our own manu- tnctnrers?
Reference is made TO our trade with
Brazil because II is much larger than that
with other South American states, but
our trade with all of them is of tho same
one.sided and unsatisfactory charact. r..
Ought it SO to continue2 Tho South
American states are our rneighbjrs. With
the exception of BIazli, their institution,
are moulded upon ours. They would be
glad to establish close trade relations
with us, which could not fail to be of
mutual advantage; aud yet SO little inter.
course have We with them that supplies
for our ships-ofwar in South Am, ricaa
ports must be paid for in sterling ex-
change. Drafts on Japan could be as
easily negotiated IN their ports as drafts
ON the treasurer Of the United States.
When the real condition Of our foreign
trade aud thv character OF the C0mpoti-
tion in which we must sooner or later
engage are fully understood, il will be
found that our inability to make that
trade as free rs our best interests require
lies in tho neeeasilY MhiGM eNists for