Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1899 — OUR MANUFACTURES. [ARTICLE]

OUR MANUFACTURES.

HOW THE OUTSIDE WORLD #9 CALLING FOR THEM. What the United States Has Accomplished hr Adhering to the Protectionist Poller of Developing Do* mestic Industries. Remembering the years during which disinterested* free-traders were urging and often reiterating their advice that the people of the United States confine themselves to the pursuit of agriculture, to food-raising and to the production of raw materials, and to leave to other and far more favored countries the business of converting these raw materials into manufactured commodities, It is Interesting to note some of tile important consequences resulting from the disregard of that extraordinS counsel and the consequent estabment of the policy of protection. From’statistics gleaned by the Treasury Bureau of Statistics it appears that manufactures are now forming more than one-third of our total domestic exports. During the last month they were 33.77 per cent, of, the total domestic exports, during the three months ending with May they were 35.50 per cent, and during the fiscal year Just ending they will form a larger percentage of onr total domestic exports than

in any preceding year, and exceed by many millions the total exports of manufactures in any preceding year. The fiscal year 1898 showed the largest exports of manufactures in our history, $290,697,354, and in the eleven months of the fiscal year 1899 the increase over the corresponding months of the preceding year has been $45,164,000, so that It is now apparent that the exports of manufactures in the fiscal year now ending will be about $335,000,000, as against the high-water mark, $290,697,354 in the fiscal year 1898. This would seem to indicate that we did well to run exactly counter to the views and wishes of our Cobdenite advisers. Iron and steel continue to form the most important, or at least by far the largest Item of value In the exports of manufactures. In the month of May, 1899, the eagwrts of iron and steel, and manufactures thereof, amounted to $8,601,114, making the total for the eleven months $84,873,842, against $63,235,029 in the corresponding months of last yea T—a gain in the eleven months of over $21,000,000. The recent advances in prices of iron and steel caused the belief that a reduction in the exports of iron and steel would follow, but certainly has not been realized up to the present time, since the exportations of iron and steel in the month of May are 20 per cent. In excess of those of May of last year, while those of April are nearly 50 peT cent, in excess of April, 1898. The increase which the year’s exports of manufactures will show over earlier years lends especial Interest to a table prepared by the Treasury Bureau of Statistics showing the exportation of manufactures by great classes in each yiar from 1889 to 1898. The following extracts from it show the exportations in 18®) and 1898 of all articles whose total value exceeded $1,000,000 in the year 1898; 1889. 1898. Iron and steel, and manufactures -0f. .. .$21,156,077 $70,406,865 Refined mineral 0i1... 44,830,545 51,782,816 Copper manufacture* of ...... 2,348,954 32,180,872 Leather, “ and manufactures of.’. 10,747,710 21,118,640 Cotton, manufactures Of 10,212,644 17,024,092 Wood, manufactures of 6,150,281 9,096,219 Chemicals, drugs and dyes 4,792,831 8,65G,478 Agricultural i m p 1 • - . ments 3,623,769 7.609,732 Cycles and parts 0f... 6,846,529 Paraffin and paraffin wax >, 2,029,602 6,080,292 Paper, and manufactures of 1,191,035 5,494,56) Tobacco, m a n u fa etureo of 8,706,600 4,818,493 Fertilizers 988,569 4,339,834 Instrument* for scien**2 *2§| manufacture* 0f. ... 1,644,406 2,557,465 *"”" ***** t, p.r«t manofsc- • tare* Of 831,748 1,961,501 Marble and stone!

HRS HRS Carriages and home cars 1,664,2*4 1,00,88* Gunpowder and other explosive* 880,887 1880.408 Soap 889,808 1.890,808 Musical instruments.. 998,013 ÜB.BBT Starch 272,880 1,871,648 Zinc, manufactures of 28,684 1,389,668 Brass, manufactures of 821,187 1,320,003 Olio, vegetable (omitting cotton and linseed) 244,415 1,287,368 Glass and glassware.. 894,209 1,211,084 Wool, manufactures of 348,949 1,069,632 Palate and painters' colors 507,749 1079,518 Sugar, refined, and confectionery 1,231,921 1,082,376 Stationery, except of paper 474,889 1,006,016 Keep Hands Off! There has been a great deal of foolish talk as to the necessity for a protective tariff having passed, because in some articles of manufacture we are able to undersell the world, and hence our exports of these manufactured goods are Increasing at a magnificent rate. This is a proof of the soundness of the Republican doctrine that a protective tariff does not interfere with the development of onr export trade. The free traders have always declared that a large volume of, manufactured exports Is impossible under protection. We have, daring the past two years, proved the utter falsity of this theory. Don’t go to juggling with the tariff. Let well enough alone. The people of this country have lost, in the aggregate, many millions of dollars by the check to enterprise which has resulted

from the agitation of the tariff question from 1884 to 1896. We are getting ample revenue from the Dlngley bill It oppresses no one. Keep hands off, and let the country go on prospering!— Toledo Blade. To Some Extent Responsible. It is useless to deny that the policy of protection to American labor and industry is more or less responsible for the existlpg deadlock on the wage question between the tin plate manufacturers «nd their employes. Had there been no protective tariff on tin plate there would certainly be no labor trouble In that industry at the present time, and for the best of fill reasons: There would now be no tin plate Industry In this country, and the question of wages could not possibly have come up. It will be remembered that prior to the enactment of the McKinley law there were no tin plate mills and hence no labor troubles. Subjects to Be Avoided. The condition of the United States Treasury at the close of the war, the advance in wages throughout the country, the commercial showing at the close of a year that had witnessed the beginning and end of a successful foreign war, and the international feellrffc of respectful admiration for America under the present Republican administration are subjects avoided by polite gentlemen when talking with Democrats.—lndianapolis (Ind.) Journal. Arrest Disease by Killing: the Patient, The tariff has simply made good times; good times have made it possible for trusts to be profitable. The proposal Is now made by the free traders that the tariff should be done away with, thus doing away with these good times, in order to do away with the trusts. It is much like urging one to cure a painful corn by catting off the foot.—Council Blaffs Nonpareil. Would Rather Not Notice It. The advance in wages of workingmen in various parts of the country goes merrily on, but the Democratic papers are so busy howling at expansion that they fail to notice it at aDL— Cleveland (Ohio) LeadeT. Not to Be Tru«t?d. The American people would far rather hear Mr. Bryan on trusts than to take him for President on trust—lndianapolis (Ind.) Journal. Cape Off. The comedian boarder allowed his eyes to roam around the table until they rested on the strawberries. “Any one,” be said, addressing the sweet singer, “could see that these berries were not brought up right” “And why netr “Because they come to the table with their caps on.” Then the landlady gritted her teeth.