Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-22

pointed out. his product never bears Il
burden. Whatever we put upon il is born
BY our own people, and in no wise shared b
him. The principal of caring for our ow
is founded upon the highest authority. h,
human and divine. 1t commences with tn
family. extends up through the communii
to the State and at last to the nation.
Our fathers recognized this principle.
was emphasized in the second act ever pass
ed by the Congress of the United Statet
The ringing words of that declaration for il
dustrial independence | wish might find
Judgement in every American heart:
Whereas it is necessary for the support Q
the government, for the discharge of tn
debts of the nation, and for the encourage
ment and protection of manufacturers tina
duties be levied on imported goods, ware
and merchandise.
A more positive declaration in favor o
the protective system. it would be difficult t
lind language 10 express. This was the frs
important legislative declaration under til
Federal Constitution. The only other law tina
preceded it was that of fixing the oath o
Office of certain Federal officials. 1t wa
made even before Washington was inaugu
rated. 1t subsequently received his sanction
and ii is fact not without Significance tha
his approval was given to it on day memo
rable in American history, 4th of July 1883
1t received the approval of James Madison
Rufus King, Roger Sherman, Trumbull
Lee and hosts of other leading men from al
rarts of the Union.
The revenue tariff periods of our history
have been periods of greatest financial re
vulsions and industrial decadenoe, want ant
poverty among the people, private enterpris.
es checked, and public works retarded
From 1888 to 1912, under the low tariff leg
islation then prevailing business was at a
standstill and our merchants and trader,
were bankrupted; our industries were paral.
yzed, our labor remained idle and our capita
was unemployed. Foreign products crowd
ed our markets, destroyed domestic compe-
tition, and, as invariably follows, the price
of commodities to consumers were apprecia-
bly, raised. 1t is an instructive fact that ey-
cry panic this country has ever experienced
has been preceded BY enormous importations.
From 1876 to 1861 similar situation was
presented under the low tariff of that period.
Contrast this period with the period from
ii
tariff, the latter under protective tariff. In
1860 we had 1913 900 900 acres of improved
land, while in 1860 We had 2S7 900 200, an
increase of 10 per cent. In 1860 our farms
were valued at 1920, 200, 900. In 1880 the
value had leaped 10 $40, 1877 900, an increase
of over 800 per cent. In 1860 we raised l13,
600 900 bushels of wheat; in 1880 49S, 200
600. In 1860 we raised S3S 200, 900 bushels
of corn; in 1880, LIZ 900 ,060 bushels. In
1860 we produced 5000, 900 bales of cotton
in 1880 we produced Z 100000 bales, an in
crease of 40 per cent. In 1860 we manufac-
tured cotton goods to the extent of 81 l5 ,6Sl :
IA; in 1860 the value had reached S2l ,000,-
600, an increase of upwards of so per cent.
In 1860 we manufactured of wooden goods,
SCI 900 900; in 1880 S267 100000: an in
crease of 1888 per cent. In 1860 we pro-
duced 60, ,o00,00 pounds of wool; in 1880,
240 ,000, 900 pounds an increase of nearly
300 per cent. In 1860 we mined 10, 900 900
tons of coal in 1880, 10000, 900 tons an in
crease of over 400 per cent In 1860 we
made 9S7 900 tons of pig iron; in 1880, g.
s25 900 tons. In 1860 our aggregate of ma
llonal wealth was SIG, l59 900; in 1850 it
was S43 200, 10000
From l74s 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 twelve of
the thirteen years was against us. Our peo-
pie were drained of their money to buy for
eigu purchases. We sent abroad over and
above our sales 1896, ,2l6, ,lGl. This vast
sum was drawn from the United States, from
It's business, from the channels of trade,
which would have been better employed i'll
productive enterprises and thus supplied our
wants for which we were compelled to go
abroad.
During thirteen years, under a protective
arif, there was but one year that the bal
,nce of trade was against us. For twelve
years we sJld to our foreign customers in
.xcess of what we brought from them the
sum of 81 ,6l2 ,659.155.
This contrast makes an interesting exhibit
If the work under the two systems. You
reed not be told that the Government and
he people are the most prosperous whose
balance of trade is in their favor. The gov
.rnment is like a citizen; indeed it is but an
aggregation of citizens; and when the citl-
zen buys more then he sells, he is conscious
hat his years bushes has not been success.
Our wealth increases S75 millions every
fear while the increase of France is 3i5
million; Great Britain, 325 millions and Ger
nany 200 millions. The total carrying
capacity of all the vessels entered and
,leared from the American ports during the
iear 1857 in the foreign trade was 2S mil
ion tons. The amount of freight trans
ported by the railroads of the United States
vas alone 452 millions of tons during the
'ame Period
The sum of our industries exceeds that of
INV other people or tribe or nationality.
,iulhall, the English statistcian, places the
Industries of the UnitedStates at 81 | ,405 600,
100 annually, which is 81 POS, 900 200 greater
han those of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain, nearly twice that OF France or Ger
many, nearly three times that of Russia, and
Utmost equal to the aggregated industries of
Austria. Italy, Spain, Belgian, Holland,
Australia, Canada, and Sweden and Norway.
This advancement is the worlds wonder,
The nations of the earth cannot furnish such
splendid exhibition of progress in any age
,r period. We defy revenue tariff policy
10 present such an exhibition of material
prosperity and industrial development. Art,
science, and literature have held Their own
n this wonderful march.
One of the striking differences between
he former sends the money of its people
abroad for foreign supplies, and seeks out a
foreign market. The latter keeps the money
At home among our own people, circulating
through the arteries of trade, and creates a
market at home, which is always the best
because the most reliable"
The speaker then traced the rapid progress
which had been made in the industrial life of
he South under the protective tariff, continu-
ng ne said
Whether we discuss this question from
or experience, we must reach the
same conclusion; all lead to the same con-
Viction. Let me give you some important
evidence from high and undoubted sources,
which confirms the argument which | have
been making.
President Fillmore said on December 2,
1861, in his message to Congress, spcakiI z
Of the condition of the country:
THE value of our exports of breadstuffs
and provisions, which it was supposed the
incentive of low tariff and large importa-
tons from abroad would have greatly argu-
mented, has fallen from sos, ,70l 1921, in
ls43, to S26, ,05I 1873 in 1850, and to
S2l ,s4S, ,653 in 1861, with strong probabil-
ity, amounting almost to certainty, of a
still further reduction in the current year.
The policy which dictated a low rate of
duties on foreign merchandise. it was
thought by those who promoted and estab-
lished it, would tend to benefit the farming