The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-12-09

ny tuo tdCC tudt Inc EXCESS LII hue trttuo VI
1892 over 1884, was wholly in the value OF
exports, for there was decrease in the
value Of imports oe Sl7,513,75
The value of our exports during the
fiscal year 1892 reached the highest figure
ing to 81, 030, 27S, l4S exceeding by Sl45, 49,
1888 the exports of 1891 and exceeding the
value of the imports by S2J2, S75 1856.
Value of Exports.
A comparison of the value of our ex-
ports for 1892 with the annual average for
the ten years prior to 1891 shows an excess
of s265, 142, gu, or of 34.65 per cent.
The value Of our imports of merchan-
disc for 1892, which was 1926, 402, 462, also
exceeded the annual average value of the
ten years prior to 1891 by 135,2l5,941.
During the fiscal year 1892, the value of
imports free of duty amounted to $457,
999,65S, the largest aggregate in the his
tory of our commerce. The value of the
imports of merchandise entered free of
duty in 1892 was 5535 per cent. of the
total value of imports, as compared with
1885 per cent. in 1891, and 80. &c per cent.
in 1890.
The Coastwise Trade.
In our coastwise trade most encour-
aging development is in progress, there
having been in the last four years an in
crease Of 16 per cent. In internal COM
merce the statistics show that no such
period of prosperity has ever before ex-
listed The freight carried in the coast
wise trade of the Great Lakes in 1890 ag-
gregated 1926, $50 tons.
Another Indication of Prosperity.
Another indication of the general pros
perity of the country is found in the fact
that the number of depositors in savings
banks increased from 693.S70 in 1860 to
4,25S, S93 in 1890, an increase of 5l3 per
cent. and the amount of deposits from
S149 277, 504 in 1869 to 81 ,524 844 SOC in 1890.
Plenty of Work at Good Wages.
There never has been time in our his
tory when work was SO abundant or when
wages were as high, whether measured
by the currency on which they are paid or
by their power to supply the necessaries
and comforts o. life.
If any are disconnected with their state
here; if any believe that the wages or
prices, the returns for honest toll are in
adequate, they should not fail to remem-
Der that there is no other country in the
world where the conditions that seem to
them hard would not be accepted as
highly prosperous.
Believes in Protection.
believe that the protective system,
which now for something like thirty
years has prevailed in our legislation, has
been a mighty instrument for the devel-
opment of our national wealth, and q
most powerful agency in protecting the
homes of our workin gmen from the inva-
sion of want. have felt a most solicit
tous interest to preserve to our working
people rates of wages that would not only
give daily bread, but supply a comfort
able margin for those home attractions
and family comforts and enjoyments
without which life is neither hopeful nor
sweet.
1t is not my purpose to renew here the
argument in favor of a protective tariff
The result of the recent election must be
accepted as having introduced a new
policy. We must assume that the pre-
sent tariff, constructed upon the lines of
protection, is to be repealed and that
there is to be substituted for it tariff
law constructed solely with referance to
revenue; that no duty is to be higher be-
cause the increase will keep open an
American mill or keep up the wages of an
American workman, but that in every
case such a rate of duty is to be
imposed as will bring to the treasury
of the United States the largest returns
of revenue. The contests not being be-
tween schedules but between principles,
it would be offensive to suggest that the
prevailing party will not carry into legis-
lation the principles advocated by it and
the pledges given to the people. The
tariff bills passed by the house of repre-
sentatives at the last session were as
supposed, even in the opinion of their
promoters, inadequate. and justified only
by the fact that the senate and house of
representatives were not in accord and
that general revision should not, there-
fore, be undertaken.
Let the Democratic Congress Attend to
Tariff Revision.
I recommend that the whole subject of
tariff revision be left to the incoming
congress. 1t is matter of regret that
this work must be delayed for at least
three months for the threat of great tariff
changes introduces so much uncertainty
that an amount not easily estimated, of
business in action and of diminished pro-
duction will necessarily result.
Those who have advocated protective
tariff can well afford to have their dis
astrous forecasts of change of policy dis
appointed. If system of customs duties
can be framed that will set the idle wheels
and looms of Europe in motion and crowd
our warehouses with foreign made goods
and at the same time keep our own mills
busy; that will give us an increased parti-
cipation in the markets of the world" of
greater value than the home market we
surrender; that will give increased work
to foreign workmen upon products to be
consumed by our people without dimin-
ishing the amount of work to be done
here; that will enable the american manu-
facturer to pay his workmen from so to
100 per cent, more in wages than is paid
in the foreign mill and yet to compete in
our market and in foreign markets with
the foreign producer; that VIII further re
duce the cost of articles of wear and food
without reducing the wages of those who
produce them; that can be celebrated,
after it's effects have been realized, as it's
expectation has been in Europe as well as
in American cities, the authors and pro-
moters OF it will be entitled to the highest
praise
The Labor Question.
The now strained and too often dis
turbed relations existing between the
employe and the employers in our great
manufacturing establishments have NOT