Telegram-herald., 1890-03-06


dactisas--oar A Asriszltursl IassEssts Goa
stasssd-asass naFkss.
The term raw material has only rela-
tive signifcation. The materials which
form the basis Of one industry are them
selves the finished products ef another.
Cotton Is the finished product OF the
southern farmer, but only ths raw mate
rial Of the manufactured OF cottons. Lum-
Der l. the faished product of the lumber
pan. and trees IN ths forest bis raw ma
seTiaL
There are evidently degrees in tbs re-
moval Of materials from the form which
nature gave them. Iron ore goes through
. number Of intricate processes Of manu-
tactuTe before II goes 10 the consumer as
a part Of a complicated and perfect pisce
OF machinery On the other baud, an
thracite coal. when II leaves The hands
OF the miner. Is ready for the consumer,
and requires no further process Of pro-
ductiOn. Some materials represent much
and varied labor; others represent little
work. and that OF the simplest kind.
The great American economist, Henry
c. Carey, taking the term in its broad
meaning. defines IL thus: "All the prod
ucts OF the earth are in turn finished
commodity and raw material. Coal and
ore are the finished commodity Of the
miner but the raw material OF pig iron.
The latter is the finished commodity Of
the smelter. yet only the raw material OF
"a - f,r.K IL
The bar is again the raw material Of
sheet iron, and that in turn becomes the
raw material of the nail and the spike
IL is obvious that If this definition is
accepted, however accurate il may be as
basis from which 10 reason, the ques-
ton involves the whole problem OF Free
trade and Protection. In all the tariff
discussion OF the present time the term
has acquired narrower meaning than
the one given by Mr.. Carey. Two eta
tions from representative men OF differ
ent schools Of political thought will suf-
ficiently illustrate the present application
OF the term.
Abram S. Hewitt defines raw materi-
ais thus: "By raw materials mean fuel,
all food products, all materials TO which
no process OF manufacture has been ap-
piled, all metallic ores and all waste prod
ucts which are fit only to be manufac
tured."
John Sherman, in referring to raw
materials of manufacture. says: THE
chief of these are agricultural produc-
tions, namely: wool, fax. hemp and
other textile grasses. hops. bristles and
seeds. The remainder are chiefly in
metals in ore or pigs, coal and marble"
These two representative views are
concise and substantially the same. We
may then say that raw materials. as now
understood. include agricultural and
food products. the crude products of our
mines, quarries and forests, and all COM
modities which have undergone no pro-
cess Of manufacture. All these differ
ent products vary in Importance to our
industries, and in quantity produced.
Having now definite conception of
what ia meant by raw materials. we are
ready 10 consider whether or not it would
be advantageous 70 the labor and indus
tries Of the United States that these
should be free.
The industries OF our country may be
classified as agricultural, mining, manu-
featuring and commercial, and in these
all our labor is employed except that en-
gagged in services of personal and pro-
fessional nature. which minister TO all.
Here, then, in these industries and the
labor employed by them. are TO be found
the advantages. or disadvantages. of free
raw materials.
The raw materials imported come into
direct competition with the labor and
capital engaged in producing like arti-
cles in the United States. The Austria
liam wool comes into competition with
home grown wool. The iron ore of Eng
land completes in the American mar
kets with all which represents American
labor expended and American capital
invested. The lumber from Canada dis
places the products of our native forests
The coal from Nova Scotia competes
with our own coal beds, and SO on
through the list of raw materials of this
class.
1t is manifest that raw materials pro-
duced abroad under more favorable con-
ditions than can be found among Us.
either because Of cheap labor. cheap
lands or greater natural facilities. will
seriously affect those engaged in such
production in our own country.
The tenth census Of the United States
shows that. in 1881. there were engaged
:. --.-.--,f.,--. c-0 400. - --~r---:-..-t
and personal services. 4.074. .23s: in min
ing and manufacturing. 3.S37.1t2: in
trade and transportation. i.6t0.2j6 and
in al employments. 1882 ,099
The number engaged in agriculture ex-
reeds the number finding employment in
any one Of the other industries Of the
United States, and the importance Of this
class is made great both on account Of its
numbers and from the relation which tho
industry sustains 70 the other three. since
IL furnishes TO them their food supply,
and the raw materials OF manufacture to
many advanced industries. According
70 J. r. Dodge. statistician Of the DEPART
ment Of agriculture. the total farm value
Of all our agricultural products for 1898
was f3.T27. .2is. 994. Of which there we're
exported products 10 the value Of s314.
230,6 ,603. or t0.f per cent Of the total pro-
duction.
AL the various products which 20 TO
make up the total Of our agricultural pro-
iuction come under the head of raw ma
tsrisls. ard the question q tariff or no
barif becomes q vital interest % the
farmer. TIE great international CON pe-
siff~- IN -~--- r,--,4 .-- o ,-- las ~.-f -o@