Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-06-15
ArpofscrIvn 4AnIrr
poss ~ Dsoyssss On rnsass 1r.es
q nss.sa Or Psospsisy.
H Hor. ErnsAx HGur.

| By Ho1. EPnaAM FINN.
The sdyoeafas q . low seyesue tasil
Chain ssthat there il no surey tsst 81 The pros
p<rify Of country than N increase Of IL
fneign trade, and no suxer test Of the
rs1asdsHiss 81 ihss pssspssisy I'm . e.
cresse Of fhaa s1nds, and shaS Q protective
tmfR y n inpedfnsnx befveen Producer
md ecn1umefD, phs1ebJ foseign peoducsz
cannot sRoed % bring his productions b
oar market. pay The duties. and pufchase
in exchange goods in our. ovn uafketa
which " sA0uid BE- glad 70 cell. 1Asy
ssssfs fhat vkfle . pfossetive safiR tAss
checks The importation Of fceeisn prodac
lions 10 this eounffy, Il aaterialiy en-
harnesses the sails Of our own productions.
whereby onf foreign trade 10 diminished and
oar own prosperity and wealth are retarded.
But bow uufsIis this reasoning 10, may
be readily discovered By consulting statistics
showing what our foreign trade and pros
perity mas been during periods Of los
revenue tariff aid during periods Of pro-
tective tariff.
BY reference to nasement "A" herewith
subjoined. it seems that during the decade
from 1850 to 1850 while low revenue
tariff .sas In force, our total foreign com
caerce amounted to IS 333 $50. COS. Our
Exports in that time amounted 70 "a, 49,
736 400. asd cur imports TO the sum of
81 s44, 5s3, COS.
By reference 10 statement "B" hereto
susjoined, II appears that durios the next
decade, from 1860 TO 1870, while pfosee-
tive tariff Law vas in force, cur total foreign
commerce amounted 10 The sum Of o. $751;
33f. 1886 Our exports in that time amounted
10 o. 543. 2S4 ,09s. and our imports TO the
sum Of 50 3ls, $40 .2e6. 10 this decade the
disastrous Civil War occurred.
By references TO subjoined statement
&C" IL spears that during the decade
from 1870 to 1880 while protective tariff
vas still in force, our total foreign com
mefce amounted TO the sum Of Oil, 245.-
222. 81 Our exports In that time amount.
ed TO s.. 500 COZ 1873. and our imports TO
the sum Of s5 1852, 215,l lis.
Our total foreign trade from 1861 to
1870, inclusive, WAS in excess Of that from
1851 to 1860, inclusive, s52S .574. $50 or
93l per cent. Our exports during the
period first named we're in excess Of those
during the period last named, S54, 473 ,699
or Q. II per cent. Our imports during the
period first named were in excess Of those
during the period last named, $474, loo, 6SI
or i6 sc per cent.
Our foreign trade from 1871 to 1880 in
elusive, was in excess Of that from 1861 to
1870. inclusive, 1888 1877 ,926 or 81 83
per cent, and in excess Of that from 1851
TO 1860, inclusive, s. 9l1, 1863 ,306 or 10 "a
per cent. Our exports from 1871 to 1880,
iaelasive, were in excess of those from
1861 to 1870, inclusive, %, S49, 743. O94 or
1871 80 per cent, and in excess Of those
from 1851 to 1860, inclusive, $40, 9l6,-
1913. OF 1876 80 per cent. Our imports from
1871 to 1880, inclusive, we're in excess of
those from 1861 to 1870, inclusive, %, 033,-
544 S32 or 81 25 per cent. and in excess Of
those from 1851 to 1860, inclusive, ~ 5o7,-
645, 5l3 or is per cent.
The estimated wealth of the nation at
the commencement Of the decade begin
uing in 1850 was GIG LIS, 616 .06s, but BY
reason Of the devastations Of our Civil
War, that wealth Gas appears by the sub
joined statement "D'') deprecated during
that decade 81, 1886, 8S3 ,97l. leaving q bal
ance sitter depreciation Of Ola, $40, 49,, 097.
There must have been an increase Of
this last named sum during the decade Of
SIG. PAT, 7S6, a 10 to make up the wealth of
1870, which was $50 06s, SIS ,507. This in
crease Of Sl6,247 1854 exceeds the in.
crease Of IS, 023 .S35. $40 from 1850 10 1850
by the sum of S7,223, $50 $40 or so per
cent, though the increase of population
in the decade from 1860 to 1870, wss only
20 per cent, and if this increase Of SI6,-
247, 1876, 40 be regarded - made on the
deprecated wealth Of $500, 732, 097. and
it could not have been made on q larger
sum, the wesith Of the nation must have
increased during the decade in the ratio of
10 SO per cent. Il should be remembered
that during this decade . devastating Civil
War occurred, which immeasurably retarded
our prosperity and increase Of wealth
II the sum Of Sl6,l59 GIG. O6S, the
wealth Of the nation in 1860, regardless Of
depreciation, be taken from the estimst
wealth Of the uation in 1870, We have rs
the increased wealth Of the nation during
the decade, the sum Of Si3 sos, 9O2, 43O
increase from 1850 to 1860, by ~ 1885,.
0s6 500 or "a Is per cent
The estimated wealth Of the nation in
1880 was s4s, 642 900 900, and in 1870 it
was the sum Of $50, 06S 518 .507. The in
crease of wealth then from 1870 to 1880
was slS. 573 481, 493 or As IA per cent
This last named sum Of increase was,
then. in excess OF s9,023 1856. $40, the in,
crease from 1850 to 1860, by the sum OF
a. 545,645, 653 or so 40 per cent.
The advocates Of 3 low revenue tariff
claim that under such tariff from 1850 to
1860 we enjoyed greater prosperity than
during any decade before or since; ard it
cannot be denied that for 3 few years
after the enactment OF the tariff Of 1916.
we enjoyed exceptional prosperity; but
not by reason Of low revenue tariff
That prosperity was caused in part by the
Crimean War aud the famine in Ireland.