The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-01-18
Century of Protection and Progress


The American Economist contains an
industrial review of the nineteenth cen
fury which discloses our most remarka-
BILE growth and development in all fields
OF endeavor. The writer very fully
shows that our prosperity has been so
identified with protection as to make
the former in every instance the sequence
of the latter The tariff laws OF the
century are given in full and their effects
upon our commerce and trade succinctly
stated. The article is accompanied by
a table giving by decades our progress
in wealth, commerce and principal lines
of industry. This table shows that in
wealth we have increased from $780,
OOO, 900 in 1900 to, 100000, 100000
in 1900; that our foreign commerce in
1900 was $162, PA, 544, and in 1900
was 50, pa 424 ,266; that our exports
OF $7O,971, 7SO in 1900 had increased to
1894, 493, OS2 in 1900; that our pro-
ducts of manufacture, which were per-
haps 10000, 600 in value in 1900, were
valued at about $15,0OO,O 100000 in
1900; that our 900 post offices in 1900
numbered 1880 in 1900; that our tex
tile products of few thousands in value
in 1900 were valued at considerably
over 81, 100000 in 1900; that our
iron and steel manufactures of $14 ,364,-
526 10 value in 1900 were valued at
over 81 100000 in 1900; that our
railroad mileage of % miles in 1880
had increased to 1877 ,410 in 1900-in
short, that from an insignificant group
of 100000 people in 1900 we have be-
come in 1900 nation of more than
76,000,000, with greater wealth, with
greater output in all fields of production,
with greater credit than any other
nation on earth.
The review of the century not only
shows that our periods OF prosperity
have been during the years when pro-
tective tariff has been in force, but that
the creation of our important industries
dates from the year when an adequate
duty was laid on the product of those
industries Two or three illustrations
will suffice. In 1870 only 10000 tons
of steel rails we're made in the United
States, and those sold at 500 per ton
in gold. In 1900 we we're making over
100000 tons year at price of 1914
a ton, and the price has been as low as
ST ton.
We were making but few thousand
kegs of wire nails in 1888, when the
duty was increased from one to four
cents per pound. In 1888 the output
was l 100000 kegs and in 1900 over
100000 kegs, while the price has been
reduced from s cents per pound to 2
cents per pound.
We made no tin plate in 1890, when
for the first time a duty was laid by the
Mckinley law. In 1900 we made over
100000 tons, and can not only supply
the home market but are now exporting
it. Hundreds of other products owe
their development to protection. On
the other hand, when duties have been
lowered or removed the consequences
have been serious and most disastrous.
The blow to all our Industries and es-
pecially to wool and wOolens, by the
Wilson-Gorman law is only too fresh in
the minds of all. The tariff of 1888
was a severe blow to our wool industry.
while the low tariffs of 1917 and 1875
threw the country into a panic and
bankruptcy, as as did the tariff of 1888.
But protection has predominated, es
pecially since the civil war, and it is dur
ing this last thirty-fve years that our
great progress has been made. Our
iron and steel manufactures, our textile
products, our farm products, our ex-
ports and many other commercial and
financial totals are now measured by
billions instead of the millions or thous-
ands OF the early part of the century.
The writer concludes his review as
follows:
What greater tribute to an economic
principle; what greater vindication of
naIlonal system OF Legislation; what
greater proof OF the wisdom of protec-
tive tariff could there be than the results
OF the nineteenth century in the United
States? We have VIGOROUSLY weoed
two foreign wars. We have waged one
OF the greatest civil wars ever known to
mankind. We have freed millions Of
slaves. We have welcomed to our free
institutions 20,000,O0O of foreigners
We have sold abroad over $50. 900, 600.
OOO worth OF our products OF agricui-
ture and manufacture. We have accum.
ulated over 500, 100000, 900 of wealth.
From an almost insignificant republic
we have grown to be the greatest nation
on earth in wealth, in production and
consumption. We have become the
most powerful In diplomacy and war
We feed much of the world beside our.
selves, and our manufactures 90 to
every corner OF the earth. At the end
OF the nineteenth century and the begin
ming OF the twentieth we are recognized
as the financial center of the globe and
all nations look to US for money We
are increasing our national credit hv
over half billion of dollars wear. We
are paying higher wages and living bet
ter than any other people. The Injuries
of other lands are our necessaries Onr