The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-07-31

been such progress IN the moral and
philanthropic field. Religious and
charitable institutions, schools, SEM
inaries and colleges have been founded
and endowed far more generously
than at any previous time in our his
tory. Greater and more varied relief
has been extended to human suffering,
and the entire progress Of the country
in wealth. has been accompanied and
dignifed by broadening and eleva-
ton Of our national character as a
people.
Our opponents find fault that our
revenue system produces a surplus.
But they should not forget that the
law has given specific purpose to
which all Of the surplus is proftably
and honorably applied-the reduction
of the public debt and the consequent
relief of the burden Of taxation. No
dollar has been wasted, and the
selly extravaganza with which
the party stands charged is the
generous pensioning of soldiers,
sailors and their families-an extrava-
gance which embodies the highest
form Of justice in the recognition and
payment Of a sacred debt. When re-
duction Of taxation is to be made, the
Republican party can be trusted to
accomplish it in such form as will
most effectively aid the industries Of
the Nation.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
A FREQUENT accusation by our oppo-
nents is that the foreign commerce Of
the country has steadily decayed un-
der the influence Of the protective
tariff In this way they seek to array
the importing interest against the
party. 1t Is a common
and yet radical error to confound the
commerce OF the country with its car
rying trade-an error often commit
ted innocently and sometimes design
edly, but an error so gross that it does
not distinguish between the ship and
the cargo. Foreign commerce repre-
sents the exports and imports Of a
country regardless Of the nationality
of the vessel that may carry the COM
modities of exchange. Our carrying
trade has from obvious causes suffered
many discourrgements since 1860, but
our foreign commerce has in the same
period steadily and prodigiouslysin-
creased-increased. indeed, at a rate
and to an amount which absolutely
dwarf all previous developments Of
our trade beyond the sea. From 1860
to the present time the foreign COM
merce Of the United States divided
with approximate equality between
exports and imports) reached the as
founding aggregate Of twenty-four
thousand millions of dollars 1924, 4,000,-
000) The balance in this vast COM
merce inclined in our favor, but it
would have been much larger if our
trade with the countries of America,
elsewhere referred to, had been more
wisely adjusted.
It is difficult even to appreciate the
Of cur export trade since
1850, and we can gain correct con-
ception Of it only by comparison with
results in the same field.
The total exports from the United
States from the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence in 1776 down the day of
Lincoln's election in 1860, added to
ali that had previously been exported
from the American Colonies from
their original settlement, amounted
to less than nine thousand millions of
dollars ($9,OO0,O00,O0O). On the other
hand, our exports from 1860 to the
close of the last fiscal year exceeded
twelve thousand millions of dollars
$12, 600, ,000,0 0,00O)-the whole Of it be-
ing the product of American labor.
Evidently a protective tariff has not
injured our export trade when, under
its influence, we exported in twenty
four years 40 per cent. more than the
total amount that had been exported
in the entire previous history Of
American commerce. All the details,
when analyzed, correspond with this
gigantic result. The commercial cit
les of the Union never had such
growth as they have enjoyed since
1850. Our chief emporium, the city
of New York, with its dependencies,
has within that period doubled her
and increased her wealth
fve-fold. During the same period the
imports and exports which have en-
tered and left her harbor are more
than double in bulk and value the
whole amount imported and exported
by her between the settlement of the
first Dutch colony on the Island Of
Manhattan and the outbreak of the
civil war in 1860.
AGRICULTURE AND THE TARIEF.
The agricultural interest is by far
the largest in the Nation, and is enti-
tied in every adjustment of revenue
laws to the first consideration. Any
policy hostile to the fullest Develop
ment of agriculture in the United
States must be abandoned. Realiz-
ing this fact, the opponents of the
present system of revenue have labor
ed very earnestly to persuade the
farmers of the United States that
they are robbed by protective tariff,
and the effort is thus made to con-
solidate their vast influence in favor
of free trade. But, happily, the
farmers of America are intelligent,
and can not be misled by sophistry
when conclusive facts are before them.
They see plainly that during the past
twenty-four years, wealth has not
been acquired in one section or by one
interest at the expense of another
section or another interest. They see
that the agricultural States have
made even more rapid progress than
the manufacturing States.
The farmers see that in 1860 Massa=
chusetts and Illinois had about the
same wealth-between eight and nine
hundred million dollars each-and
that in 1880 Massachusetts, had ad-
vanced to twenty-six hundred millions,
while Illinois had advanced to thirty
two hundred millions. They see that
New Jersey and Iowa were just equal
in Danulation in 1890 and that in