St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-08-30


without significance, that his approval
was given 70 it on a day memorable in
American history, July 4, 1889. 1t had the
approval OF James Madison, Rufus King,
Roger Sherman, Trumbull, Lee, and part
Of other leading men from all parts of the
Union.
ADDITIONAL TARIFF LEGISLATION
was had in 1890. Some duties were in
creased. The journal of the House of Rep
resentatives discloses the fact that of 80
votes given in favor of the bill, 81 were
from the Southern States. Is from the
Middle States, and five from the New Eng
land States. OF the Is votes against it,
nine were from the New England States,
three from the Southern States, and one
from the Middle States. Tt will thus be
seen that we are largely indebted to the
South Tor the inauguration and establish
ment OF the protective system in the
United States, which has for the most part
governed our legislation since the forma-
ton of the government For nearly go
years OF our national life this principle in
its fullness has been recognized in our
laws, and whenever recognized il has been
accompanied by commercial and indus
trial development, stimulating new enter
prises, and securing prosperity to the
masses without parallel in the worlds an
nails.
The revenue tariff periods of our history
have been periods of greatest financial
revulsions and industrial decadence, want
and poverty among the people, private en-
terprlseS checked and public works re-
tarded. From 1888 to 1S42, under the low
tariff legislation then prevailing, business
was at q StaudStill and our merchants and
traders were bankrupted; our Industries
were paralyzed, our labor remained idle
and our capital was unemployed. Foreign
products crowded our markets, destroyed
domestic competition, and, as invariably
ft,n xaf1
consumers was appreciably raised. 1t is
an instructive fact that every panic this
country has ever experienced has been
preceded by enormous importetions.
From 1916 to 1861 similar situation was
presented under the low tariff of that per-
led.
Contrast this period with the period
from 1860 to 1880, the former under rev.
enue tariff. the latter under a protective
tariff In 1860 we had 163, OOO 600 acres of
improved land, while in 1850 we had 2s7,-
,O0O, an increase of as per cent. In 1860
our farms were valued at $4,000, 600. coo.
In 1880 the value had leaped to sl0,197,-
QOO, 600 an increase of over 800 per cent.
wheat: in 1880 49S,O00,000 In 1860 we
raised 6SS, 100000 bushels of corn; in 1880,
l, III, 00O,0 600 bushels. In 1860 we produc-
ed 5, OOO,O 0O bales OF cotton; in 1880, 7,OOO,-
GOO bales. an increase of 40 per cent. In
1860 we manufactured cotton goods to the
value of Sis 6S1, ia in 1880 the value
reached S211 ,000, 900, an increase of upward
Of so per cent. In 1860 we manufactured
of woollen goods Sol, 600, 900; in 1880, $685.
600, 600, an Increase of 1913 per cent. In
1860
WE PRODUCED 60, DOC, 900 POUNDS OF WOOL :;
in 1880, 240, 600, 900 pounds, an increase of
nearly 800 per cent. In 1860 we mined 49,
900, 900 tons of coal; in 1880, 10000, 600
tons, an increase OF over 400 per cent. In
1860 we made 9S7, 900 tons of pig iron; in
1880, 1886, 900 tons. In 1860 we mann
featured 1885, 900 tons of railroad iron, and
in 1880, 1,208. GOO tons. In 1860 our aggre-
gate OF national wealth was SIC, 159, O0O,-
600; in 1880, it was s43. 0OO. O0O, 900.
From 1S4S to 1860, during the low tariff
period, there was but single year in
which we exported in excess of what we
imported: The balance of trade during
the IL OF the Ii years was against us. Our
people were drained Of their money to paw
for foreign purchases. We sent abroad
over and above our sales 1896, 2i6, 161. Chis
vast sum was drawn from the United
States, from its business, from the chan
nels of trade, which would have been bet
ter employed in productive enterprises
and thus supplied our wants for which
we were compelled to go abroad. During
the last Is years, under protective tariff,
there was but one year that the balance of
trade was against us. For 12 years we
sold to our foreign customers in excess of
what we bought from them the sum of
81, 6l2, $50 755.
This contrast makes an interesting ex-
hlblt OF the work under the two systems.
You need not be told that the government
and the people are most prosperous whose
balance of trade is in their favor. The
government is like the citizen; indeed, it
is but an aggregation of citizens; and
when the citizen buys more than he sells
he is soon conscious that his years bust
ness has not been success. Our wealth
increases 1875. 1000, 900 every year, while the
increase OF France is 1875. 900, 900, Great
Britain 1926, 000,O 900 and Germany 5000
900. The total carrying capacity ofail
the vessels entered and cleared from
American ports during the year 1861 in
the foreign trade was IS 600, 600 tons. The
amount of freight transported by the
railroads of the United States was alone
482 000, 900 tons during the same period.
The sum of our industries exceeds that of
any other people or tribe or nationality.
Mulhall, the English statistician, places
the industries of the United States at
81, 400, 000, 600 annually, which is s., 2O5-,
100000 more than those of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain, nearly twice
that of France or Germany, nearly three
times that OF Russia and almost equal to
the aggregated industries of Austria,
Italy, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Australia.
Canada and Sweden and Norway. This
advancement is the worlds wonder. The
nations of the earth cannot furnish such a
SPLENDID EXHIBITION OF PROGRESS.
in any age or period. We defy a revenue
tariff policy to present such an exhibition
of material prosperity and Industrial de-
velopement. Arts, sciences, and literature
have held their own in this wonderful
march. We are prosperous to-day beyond
any other people. The masses are better
cared for, better provided for, more self