Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-10-01

merce meant that whatever we needed
| save In agriculture, which Europe
could produce, would be sent to us
| from across the sea. It must be con-
coded that without the aid of protec-
tive laws, capital would have been
slow to embark upon industrial enter
| prises, and our natural resources
would have lain undiscovered, much
less touched, by the magic hand which
has wrought the wonderful transfer
maLion which we now witness. Every
honest man must acknowledge the
truth of what have just said. | have
referred to it in the merest outline.
| leave 1t largely with you to supply
the details which make the annals of
our growth and development the most
wonderful record ever inScribed upon
.Ae pages of time.
II, however, the reason for adjusting
our tariffs upon protective lines does
not appeal to you, have evidence in
the life and growth of the Republic SO
clear and so convincing that it must
! overcome the doubt Of the democrat
and the sheer Of the skeptic. l will
drown the noisy utterances of the free
trader in the mighty hum of an energy
which fills not only our land, but that
is now heard in every market place
upon the earth. / will overcome the
campaign sob of the hysterical orator,
| in the laugh of content and prosperity
which is heard high above everything
else from ocean to ocean. / will drive
away the gloomy countenance which
my distinguished opponent wears upon
the sad occasions of his political meet
ings, by permitting his eyes to fall
upon the happy faces of the multi
tudes who meet in these autumn days
to taste and enjoy the pleasures of the
harvest home. If, after all these things
are heard and seen, there are still mi
santhropes, ask them to look back
| over the history of the country which
| they love, and catch a glimpse of the
path over which we have come.
Prior to 1861 the United States for
more than one half its life had mild,
very mild, protective tariff. Since
| 1861, barring a few years of well re-
membered disaster, we have been I'M
der the influence of a strong and eff
cient protective system. 1t would
seem that if the republican policy Is
as fatal to the welfare of the people
as the democratic platform and demo
| cratic orators would have Nus believe,
the Republic must be feeble and
| emaciated body, death stricken with
| the poison Of continuous wrong and
| paralyZed by the rigorous repression
of natural energy. The fires of ambi-
| ton must be dull in the hearts of the
people, and patriotism must be lost
sentiment. We must be the most con-
temptible figure among the Nations of
the earth, and our flag must be droop-
ing in shame before the emblems of
sovereignty which float from the peaks
of other lands. What an infinite ira
vesty upon the truth. The Republic
of the United States, in Ills years, not
a span in the life of a Nation, has be-
come the noblest, the most heroic. the
most commanding figure in the whole
community of Nations the world
around. 1t surpasses every other coun-
try In its wealth; it has outstripped
every other country in the volume and
value Of its productions; II has main
tanned free institutions at point
never before touched by man; 1t has
administered justice with purity
never before conceived by organized
society; It has clothed itself with an
honor never before worn by the gov
eminent of any people; 1t has peace
fully acquired, security holds, and wise
ly exercises an influence for the good
of humanity for which there is no pre-
cedent in all the doings of mankind.
Its people are more prosperous, live
better and die better, than any other
people under the sun. It's flag Ia the
proudest emblem whose folds are
touched by the winds of Heaven, and
it floats in dignity and with power in
every land and upon every sea. More
| than all this, II recognizes that 1t is
yet upon the mountain side-that there
are loftier nights to be scaled; that
there Is yet more exalted plane upon
which human victories may be achiev-
ed; and it's maxim Is, move on and up,
until civilization shall embody all that
mortals can possess. The man who,
seeing all these things, can yet declare
that the most important economic law
of this brilliant career, and which ex-
lists amid the. splendor of these condi-
tions, Is based upon injusttce-is a
robbery of one for the benefit of anoth-
er,-builds up the few and destroys
the many, am totally unable to under
stand. The evidence, however, Is not
yet complete, and I venture upon a
brief comparison.
In 1860 the population of the United
States was 81 ,433,321; in 1900 1t had
increased to 76,303,387.
In 1860 the number OF farms was
2,044,077; in 1900, s, 7S1,988.
In 1860 there were 140,4 33 manufac.
turing establishments, employing l..
311,246 persons, whose yearly wages
amounted to $378.S78,966. The capital
invested was s1,009,S55.715 and the
value of the products 1885, 1851 ,876.
In 1900 the number of manufactur
ing establishments had increased to
512,5S5, employing 5,310,598 persons
whose yearly wages amounted to 81,
323,407,257. The capital invested was
S9,S53, $50, 789, and the value Of the pro
ducts was s13,019, GA.
l beg that the free trader will note
the startling comparisons which these
statistics will furnish. With respect
to many things, the. information col
lected prior to 1860 Is not complete
and pass down to 1870 for furthe'
? basis.
In 1870 there were 52,992 miles o
railway in operation in the United
States; In 1900 there were 1908;
miles of railway-an increase of &c
per cent.
, In 1871 we produced 235 234 70i