The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-21

and steamships sire the great carriers of
commerce, and If we are able to measure
their increase We may in some degree es-
innate the growth of the commerce which
they carry. The number of miles of rail-
way in operation in the United States in
1870 was 52922, and in 1899, lS6,Sl0-an in
crease of 25S per cent, while population
was increasing leo per cent. The freight
carried one mile, of which we have no
data for the year 1870, was in 1880, 80, 302,
2092 49 tons, and in 1899, III, $3.50, l7S,19l tons
an increase of 1872 per cent in the TWEEN
ty years for which we have data, while
tho freight rate per ton per mile fell
from "a cents in 1870 to 75-100 of one cent
in lSS9-a reduction in cost of transporta-
ton of 81 per cent. While the facilities for
measuring the transportation upon the
various waterways are not as complete as
those relating to rail- | call your atteu-
ton TO the commerce passing through
that great gateway connecting Lake Su-
perior with tho I-Qwer Lakes, the Sault
Ste. Marie canal. In 1870 the tonnage
of vessels passing through that canal
was $50 S26 tons, and by 1899 II had grown
to p, 95S,S47 tons-an Increase of more than
5000 per cent, while the population was
increasing 100 per cent.
"In agriculture the development has
been most gratifying. especially so when
we take into consideration The increased
duction of many articles for which we
were formerly dependent upon other parts
of the world In the great staples wheat,
corn and cotton, the increase has been
such as to maintain our supremacy as the
greatest producing nation Of all the world.
Corn production increased from
billion bushels in 1870 to
more than two billions in 1899; wheat
from 2S5, 600 900 bushels in 1870 to 5f7 100000
in 1899, and cotton from 145l coo 600 pounds
in 1870 to 5,79S 100000 pounds in lS99-an
increase in this great staple, of which we
supply three-fourths of the worlds con-
sumption. of 800 per cent. during the pc
riod in which our population has increased
100 per cent.
Our ManufacturinB.
ITO measure accurately the growth In
our manufacturing is even more difficult
than that relating to production or trans
portation. 1t is practicable, however to
Indicate in some degree its development
by comparing the quantities of material
used In the great industries at the various
/ dates under consideration. The cotton
mills in the United States in 1879 used
S57 900 bales of domestic cotton for manu-
featuring, while In 1899 they took $685.
bales-an increase of 324 per cent. the
raw silk imported for use In our SILK man
ufacturing establishments amounted in
grown to II 1886, SAG pounds-an increase of
1926 per cent; while the imports of cruqe
rubber for use in manufacturing increas-
ed from 9,624O9S pounds In 1870 to 5l,O63 .
O66 pounds in 1S99--a growth OF Al per
cent. The production of pig iron Increased
from 1866, 179 tons in 1870 TO 1l,773,94 tons
in 1S9S-an increase of COZ per cent, while
the product of 1899 is estimated as likely
to reach a. 100000 tons. The growth in steel
production has been even greater having
been in 1870 but 6S750 tons, and in 1898,
s. Q32 S57 tons-an increase Of I2S93 per
cent. SIN another evidence OF the rapid
development of our iron and steel manu-
featuring industries is found In the fact
that imports of iron and steel manufac-
lures which in 1870 were 1872 &C., Asa, and
in 1880 81, 266, 500, had by 1899 fallen
to $1210O4 40 in Value--a decrease or
| GO per cent. while our exports Of iron ana
! steel manufactures had risen from Il,OJ2 =
9O2 in 1870 to 1913 7l6,031 in the fiscal year
| 1s99-an increase of 752 per cent. In coal
which enters so largely into not only man
| ufacturing but into the comforts and ne
| cessities of everyday life we now rival
| Great Britain, formerly the worlds great
| est coal producer. The increase since 1870
| has been from % 600 tons in that year
to 1886 405 959 tons in 1S9S-a growth of 49S
per cent. In petroleum, the growth mas
| been from 1S5000,000 gallons In 1870 10
| -
| Der cent Perhaps the most striking evil
dence of the growth of our manufactur-
ing Industries Is found in the fact that
| the exports of manufacturers have in
creased from 1919 764 in 1870 TO 1888 667f
| in the fiscal year 1S99-an increase OF 500
! per cent, while our manufactures are
| meantime so completely supplying The
home market that imports of manufac-
lures are for the first time actually less
| than axnortg of manufactures.
Considering our foreign commerce as
a whole, the developments have been
equally gratifying Exports have increas-
| ed from 1892 til .76S in 1870 to $l,22 ,023 S)2
| in the fiscal year 1S99-an in
crease of 2l2 per cent, while
| population was increasing 100 per
cent; while imports nave, during that
neriod increased but 60 per cent, the to-
tal for 1870 being $iS5. 95S I0S, and for 1899,
$697, las. 4S9.
The One Dark Spot.
"The only dark spot on this record OF
the nations progress Is our failure In the
CARRYING trade upon the high seas. This
record must, and win be improved. Po-
litical considerations compel a solution OF
the shipping question. Our people, our
Lawmakers, our President appreciate that
our Industrial independence will not be
established our geographical possibilities
| will not be realized our national aSplra-
tons will not be satisfied until he can
record as signal successes, in the most
highly organized line of modern activity
international navigation, as In agriculture
manufactures and transportation within
our own confines
mo such remarkable development as
| has been shown could have taken place
without great benefit to all the people
tof the United States. In some Instances,
II has resulted in the building up of great
| fortunes and altogether there has been
an enormous Increase OF capital-capital
which, under fair circumstances will be
employed in the further development OF
our resources, giving larger employment
and Increasing rewards to labor That this
proposition will be fulfilled may be judg-
ed from the experiences of the past. with
my time limited, / cannot undertake 10
demonstrate in detail the general
| increase i'm wages which has taken
place, but l content myself with quoting
| The words of one who Is an authority on
the subject, and whose views are accepted