Year: 1876

A MANUFACTURING NATION.


The Centennial Exposition ms an Element
| in the Development of our Mauuiactur.
ing Interests.


There can be no reasonable doubt
that the United States is about to as
sumo new and important position as
manufacturing nation. But few short
years ago, we were known as an agrIcuI-
tural country, having vast mineral re-
sources lying idle and unproductiVe.
Our imports of the various metals and
of manufactured goods we're something
enormous; we have just emerged from
war unsurpassed in its expenditure OF
human life, money, and national sub
stance, war in which the whole losses
of both sides fell upon one nation and
people; and yet since the close OF that
conflict, we have made our debut as a
manufacturing people and maintained a
rate of progress hitherto unparalleled in
the history of nations. To this fact
more than to any other will the Centen-
nial exposition point. Of the sixty
acres of ground covered by the exhibi-
tion buildings, only about twelve acres
are devoted to agricultural and horticul-
tural pursuits, while there are fourteen
acres devoted to the products of ma
chinery alone. Time will probab y
show that the markets of the world will
be opened to American manufacturers,
and the Centennial exposition will do
much to bring the demand for our
mineral and manufactured products in
direct contact with the supply. The
more we examine into this view OF our
subject, the more impressive it be-
comes.


During the last decade, the prices of
our raw material and labor have ruled
exceedingly high; and yet we have
driven foreign steel from our markets.
Our imports of cotton and of nearly all
other manufactured goods are largely
and continuously on the decrease. At
the present time, our cost of production
is diminishing by cheapness OF labor:
We are steadily grasping the edge tool
trade. Our cast iron is forcing it's way
as the best yet produced, and the inven-
tive power and intelligence of our me-
chanics are universally recognized. We
are about to repeat the experience OF the
older nations. During an era OF high
prices. we developed our mineral re-
sources and learned to manufacture high
class goods, and to spin and weave our
own products; but the comparatively
high price of our labor and other similar
causes excluded us fiom entering the
competitive markets of the world. For
tunately for US, there has set in, with
every prospect of continuance, an era
of diminution of the values of both ma
terial and labor, which will enable us to
tender our goods in markets other than
our own; and more fortunately still, the
Centennial exposition steps in and brings
the purchaser to inspect our goods.


This is the first instance, in the history
of the six great international exhibitions
of the last twenty-five years, in which
the question of the comparative cost OF
productions has been largely considered
or mooted in an International sense.
Never before have the representatives OF
national industries debated the questions
of comparative cost of production, of
aifixing to exhibited articles their prices,
of the propriety of competing unless
such prices were affixed, and OF the ques-
tionable policy of putting on exhibition
products of manufacture, lest the nation
mainly interested in such should gather
information and ideas rendering them
still more formidable as competitors in
the worlds markets. These are the
facts which evidence the existence of a
feeling that the Centennial will become
the means through which new channels
of trade are to be opened up, and long
established markets are to be closed;
and through which, while new custom
ers are to be found, old ones are to be
certainly lost.


Among the branches of American trade
to be the most largely benefited, we may
doubtless mention the iron, steel, ma
chine. edge tool, saw, agricultural I'M
plement, woodworking machinery, gen
eral and special tool, timber, and cotton
manufacturing industries. Nor will
the intelligent foreign visitor fail to per
ceive that our remarkable progress in
manufacturers largely due to the COM
parative iberality of our patent laws,
and the encouragement given to inven-
tors through the progressive character
of our people. That the number OF
visitors to the exhibition will be large,
the travelling propensities of Americans
are probably a sufficient guarantee that
the attendance of the business communi,
ty will be proportionately larger than at
any previous international exhibition,
there is every reason to presume, fol
the reason that competition is here un
usually close. Every tradesman con
siders it his duty to be "posted" as te
his competitors goods and facilities te
carry on his business the drummer,
as our genus of the commercial traveller
is facetiously termed, is profuse
American institution while an Ameri
can housewife scarcely makes purchase
without having priced the desired article
at two or more stores.


We are convinced that the honors II
the shape of awards will be eagerly
sought, and that their possession vii
largely influence many branches O
trade; while the benefits to be bestowed
upon us by this peaceful industria
monument are at present almost incal
culable. e.-Sciertifc american.


A Mans Life.


According TO French statistician, tax