The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-08-08


Badgers. American Notes and
Queries.
Manufactures in the Census.
| The census report on manufac-
lures is not yet given out in detail,
but the superintendent has made
known the totals, probably with the
purpose of allowing the country to
know in advance how marvellously
the so-called industrious interest
has been developed under the stim-
ulating policy of high protective
tariff. And it must be admitted
that the figures are prodigious. The
last previous census (188O) showed
that the gross value of our product of
manufactures was SIS, 1855, 100000 /;
in 1890 it was $S,60O,OOO, ,OOO-an
increase of over 60 per cent in the
ten years. In 1880 the capital in
vested in manufacturing was ST.
79O,OOO,00O; in 1890 it was 81 4,60O,-
0OO,OOO-an increase of Ga per cent.
The wages paid in 1880 amounted
to $948, 100000; in 1890 to nearly
81, 1000, ,0OO-an increase of over
5S per cent. The number of per-
sons employed in manufacturing
in 1880 was 2,731, 900; in 1890 it
was 3,65O,OOO-an increase Of "a
per cent.
This phenomenal growth of man
ufactures appears to be something
to congratulate ourselves upon, and
it really would be if there were no
reverse sides to the picture. But it
has cost something, and when we
come to find out how great that
cost is, and whom it rests upon, We
may well withhold our congratula-
tions and find something in the
picture to lament.
Has that other great interest, ag-
riculture, kept pace with manufac-
lures? Does it show growth of
80 per cent also? Protected man.
ufacturers prospered in the last de-
cade, certainly. No doubt about
that; there would not have been
81 800, 600, 900 more capital put into
the business in the ten years if it had
not been Hourishing and profitable.
But have farmers been prosperous
also? They surely have as good
a right to be as the manufacturers
but have they been?
The question answers itself. The
vast Alliance movement extending
over the West and South, and even
into the farming districts of the
manufacturing States, is conclus-
i've proof not only that farmers are
not prosperous, but that they are
profoundly dissatisfied, and such
official reports bearing on their
condition as are at hand show why.
There are reasons for believing that,
while protected and pampcred man.
ufacturing has increased go per cent
in the last ten years, agriculture
has made next to no increase at all.
Thousands of new farms have been
opened in the newer Western States,
indeed-for in those states farming
is the only vocation that can be fol-
lowed-but the total farm property
OF the country is, probably, not
worth any more to-day than it was
ten years ago, and the census re-
port, if fairly made up, will show
it. The whole cereal crop in 1880
was valued at 81 1861 ,497 900, and in
1889 at 81 ,32O, ,255, ,OOO-a decrease
in value Of $41,242,OO0. In 1879
the wheat crop of Iowa was worth
$50, 1890 in 1889, $13, ,244, 1000
falling off of $16,919,OOO. In the
same period the wheat crop of Hi
nois fell off in value from 8,OOO,-
600 to $4,000, 900; that of Indiana
from $51 100000 to $29,OOO,OOO; /;
that of Michigan from $50, 1854 600
to $17,544,O0O; that of Missouri
from $27 ,O69,OOO to 13,208,OOO /;
that of Nebraska from $10,956, 600
to $S,761 600; that of Ohio from
$43, 10000 to 8,O17, 900; that of
Kentucky from $S,296,0OO to ST.
784, 600, and that of Pennsylvania
from 500, 9,445,OOO to $14,124,0O0.
The entire wheat crop of 1889 was
AZ, 100000 bushels greater than that
of 1879, and it took 5 100000 more
acres of ground to yield it-but,
when it was sold, it brought to the
farmers who raised it 1854 900, 900
less money. The corn crop of the
country in 1889 was 565, 900, 900
bushels greater than that of 1879,
but it brought only $17,5OO,0OO
more money. The oats crop of 1889
was 335 100000 bushels greater
than that of 1881, and it was worth
$21 100000 less money. If we esti-
mate the value of other crops by
that of these leading staples it will
show that the entire product of our
farms in 1889 was of less value
than it was in 1879.
The enormous development of
protected manufactures In the last
decade, therefore, has been achieved
at the cost of that other productive
Interest, agriculture. Manufacturing
has advanced with colossal strides,
but agriculture has stood still-in-
deed, it has gone backward. Manu-