The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

tives:
In submitting my annual message to con-
gress | have great satisfaction in being
able to say that the general conditions af-
fecting the commercial and industrial in
terests OF the United States are in the high
est degree favorable. A comparison of the
existing conditions with those of the most
favored period in the history of the country
will, | believe show that so high degree
of prosperity and so general diffusion of
the comforts of life were never before en-
joyed by our people.
The total wealth of the country in 1860
was SIG, 159 6l6,O COS. In 1890 it amounted to
s62, ,6l0, 600, 600, an increase of PSI per cent.
The official returns OF the eleventh census
and those of the tenth census for seventy
five leading cities furnish the basis for the
following comparisons: In 1880 the capital
invested in manufacturing was q ,232, ,SS9,
670; in 1870 the capital invested in manu-
featuring was 5000, ,735, ,SS4; in 1880 the
number of employees was l,30l, 1885, in 1890
the number of employees was 2,25l ,lA; in
1880 the wages earned were 1901 ,065, ,77S; in
4S4; in 1880 the value of the product was
s., III, SIS, 500; in 1890 the value OF the prod
uct was ~, $3.50, $50, ,S97
The Growth of the Country.
| am informed by the superintendent of
Ghe census that the omission of certain in
dustries in $780, which were included in
1890, accounts in part for the remarkable
increase thus shown, But after making
full allowance for difference of method
and deducting the returns for all in
dustries not included in the census OF
1880, there remain in the reports from
these seventy-five cities an increase in
the capital employed of s1,522, 745, col;
in the value of the product of S2,02i,
236, 166; in wages earned of $5T7 ,9i3, ,g29, and
in the number of wage earners employed
of S56,02Y. The wage earnings not only
show an increased aggregate, but an in
crease per capita from 1886 in 1880 to s547 in
1890, or ALI per cent
The new industrial plants established
since Oct. 9, 1890, up to Oct. %, 1892, as
partially reported in the American Econo-
mist, number 945, and the extension of ex-
isting plants, los; the new capital invested
amounts to $40, ,449, ,050 and the number of
additional employees to S1,2S5
The Textile World for July, 1892, states
that during the first six months of the pres
snt calendar year 1876 new factories were
built, Of which 40 are cotton mills, rs knit
ting mills, % woolen mills, Is silk mills,
plush mills and = linen mills. OF the forty
cotton mills twenty-one have been built in
the southern states
The report of Ira Aver, special agent of
the treasury department, shows that at the
date of Sept. 80, 1892, there were thirty-two
companies manufacturing tin and terne
plate in the United States and fourteen
companies building new works for such
manufacture.
The estimated investment in buildings
and plants at the close of the fiscal year.
June 80, 1893, if existing conditions were to
be continued, was S5,0O0,0G0. and the esti-
mated rate of production 100000, 900 pounds
per annum. The actual production for the
quarter ending Sept. 30, 1892, was 1882
725 pounds.
Labor Commissioner Peck Quoted.
The report of Labor Commissioner Peck.
of New York, shows that during the year
1891 in about 5000 manufacturing estab-
lishmentS in that state embraced within
the special inquiry made by him and rep
resenting siXty-seyen different industries.
there was net increase over the year 1890
of S3l 1915, 6S in the value of the product,
and of S6,371, 81, % in the amount of wages
paid.
The report of the commissioner of labor
for the state of Massachusetts shows that
3,745 industries in that state paid Sl20,-
416,24S in wages during the year 1891,
against Sl26, ,030 ,3O3 in 1890, an increase of
%, 1896, ,945, and that there was an increase
of 50, ,932 400 in the amount of capital ard
of 7,3i6 in the number of persons employed
in the same period
During the last six months of the year
1891 and the first six months of 1892 the
total production Of pig iron was 9,110,Sl9
tons, as against 9202, 703 tons in the year
1890, which was the largest annual pro-
duction ever attained.
For the same twelve months Of 1912 the
production of Bessemer ingots was 3,s7S, ,5S1
tons, an increase of 1s9,7 no gross tons over
the previously unprecedented yearly pro-
duction OF 3,6SS ,S7l gross tons in 1890 The
production OF Bessemer steel rails for the
first six months of 1892 was 77o. 1856 gross
tons, as against 702, 0e0 gross tons during
the last six months of the year 1891
The total value of our foreign trade lex
ports and imports of merchandise) during
the last fiscal year was 81 ,S57 $50, ,6l0, an in
crease of sl2S, ,2s3, ,604 over the previous fiscal
year. The value of our exports during the
fiscal year 1892 reached the highest figure
in the history Of the government, amount
ing to 81, l,O30,27S, l4S, exceeding by S145 797,-
1888 the exports of 1891, and exceeding the
value OF the imports by S202, ,S75, 6s6
Wages.
There never has been a time in our his
tory when work was so abundant or when
wages were so high, whether measured by
the currency in which they are paid or by
their power TO supply the necessaries and
comforts of life. 1t is true that the market
prices OF cotton and wheat have been low.
1t is one of the unfavorable incidents of
agriculture that the farmer cannot produce
upon orders. He must SOW and reap in
Ignorance of the aggregate production of
the year, and is peculiarly subjected to the
depreciation which follows overproduction.
But while the fact l have stated is true
as to the crops mentioned the general av-
erage of prices has been such as to give to