National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-09-28
NATIONAL PROSPERITY.
Wonderful ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Solu-
tIon OF the Enlarged Market" Ques-
tIon-The Navy Question is the Market
Question,

Wonderful Transformation-The Solu-
tIon of the Enlarged Market" Ques-
tIon-The Navy Question is the Market
Question.
"Above all the cants that are canted In
this canting world" said the fool.hating
Laurence Stern, "Good Lord, deliver me
from the cant of art" HID he lived q
century later he would have prayed for
deliverance from the cant OF the amateur
political economist. ave need,n says the
amateur OF to day, on whose bright lexicon
Of unalterable conceit there is no such word
as reason, ''we need larger markets for our
manufactures" Who says that we don't.
The question for solution Is how and where
are we going to find themp The admins
tration OF affairs In this country for the past
quarter OF q century has resulted In such
prosperity that money became for while a
drug on the market Interest fell to as low
o point In New York as In London, and
consequently capital sought any and every
avenue Of Investment. The number of miles
OF railroad was increased from 30,625 In
1860 to 1875, $40 In 1884. The increase In the
value OF wheat exported from tho United
States was from $,2S49, l62 In 1860 to $ll9,-
$40, 341 In 1884. The cotton, corn, and hay
crops showed corresponding augmentations.
In all branches Of manufactures like de-
velopmeDt was notable the production OF
American pig iron, which was hardly
worthy OF note In the worlds commerce in
1860, had risen to 1,009,6 tons In 1870, and
to 1895 tons in 1884. The increase in
the American manufactures OF cotton and
wool is hardly less wonderful. In plain
language the increase Of the wealth OF the
country under Republican management was
far In excess OF the increase OF population,
though that rose from 3l.000.0OO to 90, OO0,-
600.
But this showing, however credltable, is
far short OF full Indication OF the meas
ure Of national prosperity during the quar-
ter Of a century of Republican rule. While
the price OF nearly all that the salarled work.
man bought was lowered the price OF the
labor or the skill that he sold was increased.
The highest price of anthracite coal In New
York was SO per ton In 1860, and $3.50 In
1884. Coffee, tea, manufactured cOttons,
and wooden goods fell in like ratio, while
the price OF labor Is to day at the least 80
per cent, In advance Of 1860. Carpets, lace
curtains, pianos, organs, pictures are to be
found In the homes Of three-fourths of the
prudent workmen and farmers OF the whole
country. The change in the surroundings
OF the laborers, farmers, clerks, and middle
class people between 1860 aud 1884 has been
as wonderful as the transformation scene In
a pantomime.
The country is suffering from plethora
OF capital, which seems to have temporarily
exhausted the means OF profitable invest
ment. 1t would be a strange and fatuous
policy that would seek to remedy the tenn
porary evil by deluglug an already over
burdened market with the products OF Eng
lands cheap labor. We are, indeed, IN need
OF larger markets, as our free traders assert,
but not in need OF furnishing nm American
market for English goods. The South and
Central American states ought to furnish us
with an outlet for many OF our manufac-
lures, Every pillow, table knife, hoe, or
sickle, every yard of cotton or linen mate
rial; In fact, almost everything that is made
from the products OF the field or forest Is
imported by these neighboring provinces.
In exchange they give coffee, hides, sugar,
and woods which the United States do not
produce. Our exports TO these states In
1884 were; To Brazil, SI3l7,203 AGAINST
which we imported from her $i5, 2G3, goo; TO
Chill, exports, 50, 1852, 58l, against imports OF
i6,4OD,0l5. And in like manner with
Uruguay, Venezuela, aud Nicaragua,