New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-23
PROTECTION AND PRODCCII0N
EFFECT OF TIE TARIFF UPON HOME AGRICULTURE
AND MANUFACTURES.

EFFECT OF TIE TARIFF UPON HOME AGRICULTU RE-
AND MANUFACTURES.
ITHACA, Feb. 22-"Free Production" was
the title OF Mr. Ellis H. RobeTtss nth lecture this even
ing Political ecOp0my he saidenus begin with studying
production not consumption commerce. In all Land,
the numbers engaged In toll greater than those de-
voted TO trade In this country all persons engaged IN
foreign and domestic considerably less than
onceighth OF the whole. Even in Britain, the most
commercial country in the world the imports only
equal 10 hreeeghths Of the manufacture IN value 50
proposition OF numbers the Government ought
consider most the producers.
The champion OF commerce tells ne we must beware OK
developing home industry because the market will not
take commodities. Yet in country great and -
varied a. ours there no danger OF producing too muo
IN the aggregate. Always somebody be discovered
who has not earned enough to pay for that which be
would like to have. The equation Of commodities 20 each
other may be temporarily amis5. Instead OF curtailng
production what need Is greater variety OF manufact
urc Famine finds welcome IN the lands Of a single crop
not where agriculture Is varied. Indus rial
disasters likewise fail upon districts devoted
10 exclusive industry. In every land the cure for ap
parent overprolucton not 10 stop work and moan
excess of commodities On the contrary the secret n
prosperity Ia 10 manufactures and to afford
occupation TO people and thus provide them with
purchasing means With every new industry individuals
find occupation who Ia played the ider and for capital
which has lain in banks been risked IN speculation
Before the Tariff Commission last year distinguished
professor of political economy declared that 90" It wers
true that all Of our population under free trade would
take TO agriculture mathematcay certain that a0r
culture would support them all directly better than
under the present arrangement" Our agriculture Is
varied and has advanced with giant strides to point
which seemed far OF sight the beginning but it3
products only little more than One-half in
value II they much, the products OF manuac
tuIers. These figures teach marvellous lessons. Our
farms are as numerous and as well cultivated "a they
could be II al OF Ouf people were devoted 10 tho SOL.
Only about so much agriculture can be developed IN any
country win given population. Farmers are not mo
best customers OF each other. When certain
all countries f. to stop breaking ground. What
Is the dream that agriculture grand it is could be
the profits OF manufactures greatly exceed those OF Ike
capital and labor devoted to agriculture lis In part
Sk at 1 the nnb6T Of S rs or ther value we viii
find that agriculture has increased aboat threeiod
since 1880 In the same time our manufacturers nav a
vanced IN annual product about tive ana thlee-tehth,
times Ia 1880 our agriculture produced S3,0OO.OOpVJV
in vauewhe our manufactures pre- lueedSJ,309,0'
The tariff has been one OF the influences whl.n ne
affected production: IN the period OF low IusS, OF
practical free trade on: industries ns s9eu me M
have protective Pig iron Is ono OF the typical ex-
not developed, ana me industries deRe1HSnt upon l'y
the check I'm 1891 the product was l3b2lS tons nut u
remained practically stationary tll 1901, when sIJhgy
protective policy MP 100000 tons In lsGs n
iss2 5I7s,I22 tons we're produced and in ISIS.
furnaces adddd tons to their pfoiacf 81 t6a5
growth is absolutely and N percentage much moro
multiplied Indefinitely. The wealth Of The Nation per
head of population has been carried up by system,
from p}0s IN 1870 to $50 IN 1850.
With such results why should Americans seek 10
disturb a system under which they have Won M
paraleled prosperity Why should such home production
he endangered tor the uncertainties OF the troubous seas
for commerce which no nation has ever yet secured
cept by maritime warfare held except a tue expense
Of costly naNies
The special distinction OF duty imports is that tho
collection made for all. IL limits ITSELF Ia tao
frontier. IL propose To enter the home OF tho
workshOIvOf any citizen. II Is offensive like tax
g3therer The citizen may choose whether OF not he VIII
undergo the charges made by the law, aud determine for
himsef the share OF the revenue which he VIII as
The contrary is tne with every other system
The nation that establishes custom houses
It's frontiers and there collects It's revenue may lbs
criticised erecting wall about ts territory. But
II leyies tax any process Of production II u lee
qulrCS nothing OF Its citizens except az tha POINT pre-
sents complete spectacle OF freedom Ia possible on
earth 1t does not for it, detectives into
homes; does not ask what is ctzcs eat or wear or
what they make raise. how they deal with each
other, what they do with their property at death