The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-09-08
Advantages of Protection.

Advantages Of Protection.
We have received a copy of an adj
dress issued by committee of the free
trade league of America, in which the
need of aggressive action to elect new
congress in sympathy with free-trade
ideas is strongly proclaimed. The adj
dress falsely asserts that majority of
the American people at heart approve
the free-trade policy. 1t is not easy to
see upon what fact they base this as
sertion. In the campaign of 1884 they
felt compelled, in order to get the vote
of several states, to deny that either
protection or free-trade was an issue,
but " administrative reform" To show
how the present tariff system has bene-
flied this country, and the disastrous
effects of free-trade in England, we
publish the following facts presented in
a recent article by Robert p. Porter
During twenty years of protection we
have added 20,O0O,0O0 to our population.
The population of our cities has more than
doubled-5,000,0 900 in 1860 to upwards of
100000 in 1880. The annual product of
our coal mines has increased from IA 600 900
tons in 1860 to 96,0000 900, or nearly seven
fold. Our iron mines in 1860 produced
100000 tons of ore, but the stimulus of pro-
lection has brought up the annual yield to
nearly ten times that amount, or 5000, 900
tons The various metal industries of the
| tr,, in Al nl,o
$4,000 hands, consuming 100000, 900 worth
of material and producing S1S0,OOO,OOO worth
of annual product. To-day these same in
dustries give employment to 100000 hands,
consume $3.50 900, 900 worth of material and
produce every year $500, 900, 900 in value of
manufactured goods. In 1860 about 10000
persons were engaged in industries relating
to wood and its manufactures; to-day SAC, 900
are so engaged, while the value of the
annual product has increased threefold
exceeding now $500, 600 900. In 1860 our
total product of wool aggregated Y, 800 600
pounds; last year it had reached 10000, 900
pounds. A judicious tariff has increased
the number employed in the wooden in
dustry from 10000 to over 100 600, while the
value of the yearly product of our home
mills has risen from SS0,000,000 to $780,
100000. In the cotton industry we have
practically robbed England of 80 100000 GUS
toners, increased the number employed in
our mills to 100000 persons, and, in the last
two decades, doubled the value OF the
product. Imports of cotton goods have
steadily declined from 227 ,OO0, 900 yards in
1860 to 23,OO0.OOO in 1881, while our exports
| ba1 thn
more remarkable progress has been made
in the silk industry, which, before the tariff
of 1864, gave employment to 5000 persons
in 1880 it employed over 10000 skiold
increase. The manufacture of pottery
stoneware and glass employed 1900 in
1860 against 30 900 now. The chemical in
dustry was in its infancy thirty years ago
5000 were engaged in it; to-day there
are five times that number, or 10000. Our
10000 miles of railroads of those times now
exceed 10000 miles-a mileage equal to the
railway mileage of the rest of the world
On the other hand, the effect of free-trade is
plainly seen in England. Golden used t.
prophesy to his audience what the future
historian would write of British agriculture
that after the repeal of the corn laws it de
veloped and prospered as it never had don,
} under protection. Precisely the reverse ha,
happened. British agriculture has beer
practically ruined by free-trade. The de
crease in the total number OF persons EN-
ployed in agriculture, in the decade ending
, 1881, was nearly sixteen per cent, while TIL,
? total decrease between 1861 and 1881 wa
thirty-one per cent. Thus, while there ar,
, nearly one-third less persons cultivating tn,
=, soil than twenty years ago, England is be
coming more and more dependent upoi
foreign countries for its food. In 1861 the
s agricultural population of the kingdom com
: prised 2O.S per cent of the total population
-, In 1871 it amounted to only 1871 per cent
: and in 1881 it had fallen to 12.4 per cent.
g 1t will be seen that free-trade woul,
= at least be dangerous experiment il
\ this country. 1t would reduce values
d bring down the wages of labor neare
d to the European standard and increas
f our army of idlers. Under il the Ameri
s can workman would have less to eat
d less to drink, less to wear, less to bu
V books and newspapers with and less T.
IS educate his children and lay up for
1t "rainy day" With all the facts an
is figures brought to the attention of tn
IS people, it will not be possible for tn
il free-traders to make clean and shar
r issue between protection and free