The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-19

Toisl......... ............-......... l0.0GO,7l9
Farmers have a direct interest in this
matter, since it affects the price they obtain
for hogs, cattle and sheep. Glycerine is n
by-product in the manufacture Of SOAP and
the more we can develop its production in
this country, the greater will be the encour-
agement given TO soap-making, and the better
market afforded for animals which produce
factory in the world has been built up at
Chicago, in consequence of the advantages
animals slaughtered. The production Of
glyeerine is very great and constantly In
creasing. Wherever great numbers of cattle
are killed, sheep and hogs are slaughtered,
large soap-factories have developed, and in
order to pursue the business proftably they
must have market for the glycerine, which
is developed in the waste-liquor from their
watts.
The next important item in this schedule
is opium, the tariff on which is 81 pound
for the crude gum, and $40 pound where il
is prepared for smoking, or other use. Last
year we imported AL ,020 pounds of the
crude, and 65986 pounds Of the prepared.
This is one Of the exceptional articles on
the schedule, where the duty is not levied
for protection Of the material, but OF the
moral interests Of the country. Many of our
best thinkers believe that the duty should
be made still higher, and other restrictions
thrown around it's importation, so as to
restrict as far as possible the development
ofthe terrible opium habit among our people
OF the 65, 1886 pounds Of "opium prepared for
smoking" imported last year, 36, 533 pounds
came from China, and 2S,643 pounds from
British India
BY far the largest item on this schedule is
soda and its salts. OF these We imported
last year:
Bicarbonate Of soda...... 2.O20.64s common. s2s sis
1
caustic soda.....-....... s9,42I, 407... sos $50
s7C.O2e.2sI s.44i.i44
The consideration of this brings us face
to face with one of the most important facts
in the history ofmanufactures, and one which
best illustrates the benefits of a protective
policy. Prior to the Napoleonic wars the
soda Of the world was mainly obtained from
barilla, sea-weed cultivated in Spain The
supply was scanty, and the product high
priced. The NapOleOnic wars cut off this
supply, and England and France encouraged
their chemists to develop some other source
of obtaining it. The result was that proc
ess was perfected Of procuring it from ordi-
nary salt, and wonderful increase of ma
tional wealth flowed from the business
endorsements of the early part of the CEN
fury. To-day the manufacture of soda ash,
and it's dependent products -bicarbonate,
carbonate and causiic soda, hydr0chloric acid
soap, glass, paper, is, next to the manufac-
tpfe of iron and cotton, the greatest factor
fl England's wealth.
1t is exceedingly necessary that we de-
velop the soda industry in this country. 1t
is necessary to our commercial independ-
enee. If war should break out with Eng
land all our great glass, soap and paper
factories would have to stop until we could
develop soda works sufficient to supply
them. and we would lose tens of millions of
dollars ia an incredibly short time Our salt