The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1893-07-20
THE HOME MARKET.
Editor Herald

So much has been said and written by
people protesting to know whereof they
spoke regarding the markets OF the
world as the only place for the American
farmer to dispose of HIS produce, and at
the same time derogatory to our home
market, that an examination into the
assertions made, and into the markets
themselves and their causes may not be,
at this time out of place. The question
OF markets is one of the most important
N the study OF economics. and is of vital
Importance to all producers and espec-
tally to the farmer. Where he will sell
his products is of as much Importance to
him as IL is to the producer In any other
line OF business. In this country, at the
present time, there are two great politi-
cal parties. The one, the Republican,
saving to the producer encourage home
manufactures, give diversified employ
ment to labor at home, tAus creating
home market in which to sell your pro.
ducts; the other, the Democratic party,
saying to the producer, and especially
the farmer, BUY where you can buy the
cheapest and sell where you can sell the
dearest" and pointing. to the foreign
markets, or 'the markets of the world"
as the place where this can be done.
Down with protection to home indus
tries, and ship yonr product into the
worlds great markets is the case. 1t is
proposed here to analyze TO limited ex-
tent the markets offered and determine
by facts whichis the better one, and also
to present the facts bearing upon the
subject. 1t is certainly our duty to ex-
anime both markets fully and fairly, in
order that the reader may determine in
which he shall transact his business.
In order to constitute desirable mar
kct, it is necessary that it be patronized
by people whose wants are diversified,
and who have the inclination to satisfy
their wants and the ability to pay for
the goods purchased. As natural
consequence, then the best market is
found amongst those who have steady
employment and good wages, and be-
sides those people who enjoy advanced
civilization and are accustomed to some
of the luxuries in addition to the com
forts and necessaries of life. Referring
now to the home market, it may be said
that the people OF the United States con-
sumo more than any other nation OF
similar and even greater numbers in the
world. We are less than FIVE per cent. of
the population of the earth, but we con-
some twenty-eight per cent. OF all the
sugar produced in the world; thirty per
cent. OF all the coffee; thiIty-three per
cent of all the iron and steel; twenty-five
per cent. of all the cotton; thirty-thlee
per cent. of all the wool; forty per cent.
Of all the coal; fifty per cent. Of all the
tea, and thirty. three per cent, OF all the
india rubber
Since 1880 the value of our manufact-
ured products has increased So, 300, 0OO,-
900, sum equal to our entire product
in 1890 and the wages paid to labor in
manufactures has increased $50, 900 600
a year in that time. These figures are
given by the census of 1890. The CON-
missioner of agriculture reportedin 1881
that the value of our annual agricultural
and mechanical production amount to
$4,000, 900, 900, and the census Of 1890
shows figures far surprising those, and
according to our Custom House books,
of this enormous aggregate we now ex-
port not over five per cent. the remain
ing ninety-hve per. cent. being consumed
in our home market. In September 1890
Bradstreets produced figures and tables
which show shat our American home
trade amounts to $50, 00O, 900, 900. in
round numbers and our foreign trade to
only 81 600, 900, 900, or less than three
and one half per cent. of the amount of
our home trade. Another fact which
illustrates the immensely of our home
trade is rhat the tonnage which passed
through the Detroit River alone during
the two hundred and thirty-four DAYS
OF navigation in 1889, exceeded by g.
46s, 1877 tons the entire British and for
eign tonnage which entered and cleared
at the Ports Of London and Liverpool
the same year in the foreign and coast
wise trade The yalfe III fl,a f,.a;r.1,t