Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-14

900 persons, and the increase was l,eoS,-
600 but this is only Ii per cent In ten
years, whereas the increase In populatlon
was "a. Sc per cent
On the other hand, the increase IN per-
sons engaged in manufacturing and
mining occupations was from 1857, liz
in 1880 into 5,091, 500 in 1890, or 1.254, :
557. This is 1877 per cent in ten years,
and is not only more than the increase in
population, but considerably more than
double the increase in agriculture. In
this one department., to say nothing OF
others, the number of additional mouths
to be fed increased about 900, 900 more
than the number of persons employed in
raising food, and in proportion increased
more than twice as much. The number
of persons In domestic service also in
creased in greater ratio than population,
but as to this class it is not possible to be
certain that differences in classification be-
tween one census and the other do not &C.
count for much of the gain. In the manu-
featuring and mechanical departments the
classification has not been essentially
changed, and the increase more than
double the increase in persons engaged in
farming is Of the greatest Importance.
All know that 1t is in large measure the
direct result of that American policy
which steadily encouraged for thirty years
the development of manufacturing and
mechanical Industries by protecting them
against direct competition with products
of foreign labor. 1t is not the purpos @
here to consider whether that policy was
Ia all respects wisely carried out, wheth +
the encouragement given to different
branches of industry was always wisely ap-
portioned or adjusted. The broad fact that
the consumers increased in number in
this one branch more than the producers
of food, and in proportion more than
twice as much, tells story of the highest
i'm portance to agriculture.
The upbuilding of great and perma-
nent home market for the products of
American farms was from the earliest
days of the Republic the most CHERISHED
object of its founders, who were to a
large extent farmers or identified as large
land owners with agricultural interests.
They saw at the outset that the unlimited
and fertile lands of the new Republic
would attract settlers from every part of
the world, and that the surplus of ag-
ricultural products would soon depress
prices of such products beyond all reason.
and below the bare cost of production, II
measures were not taken and persistently
maintained by the nation to develop other
industries. Because in other industries
the country had to contend with older
countries, with their vast aggregations Of
capital and their immense reserves of I'm
employed or half-employed labor, 1t was
idle to hope for full and harmonious de-
velopment Of manufacturing industries
without measure of defence. Moreover,
in order to make that defence effective, ii
was necessary that it should be constant,
unwavering and sufficiently vigorous
and liberal to retain defensive power even
when foreign prices dropped to their low
est. 1t is that policy which the Republi-
can party has kept in force without a
break for thirty years, for the first time
in the whole history of tho country, and
the result has been the most wonderful
prosperity, and increase in wealth and
well being aud national power, that tn,
world has ever witnessed.