Mn

AMERICAN  P  RE  FACE.

XXI1L

EXTENT  AND  GENERAL  CHARACTER  OP  AMERICAN  MANUFACTURES.
The  following  figures  show  the  extent  of  American  manufactures
during  the  year  which  closed  May  30,  1870,  and  their  general
character,  as  disclosed  by  a  comparison  of  the  value  of  the  manufactures ­
  with  the  value  of  the  raw  materials  consumed  :  —

Value  of  raw  materials  consumed
Value  of  products
Value  added  by  manufacture
Wages  paid
Hands  employed  ....

$2,488,427,242
4,232,325,442
1,743,898,200
775,584,343
2,053,996

The  value  of  our  manufactures  in  1810  was  $198,613,471.  As
the  population  at  that  time  was  7,239,881,  the  manufactures
amounted  to  $27  for  each  person.  In  1870  the  amount  was  $109,
or  four  times  greater  than  in  1810.  Some  allowance  must  be  made
for  the  depreciation  of  currency;  but  allowance  must  also  be  made
for  the  cheapening  of  production,  which  has  resulted  from  a  bctter
control  of  the  forces  of  nature,  and  from  the  use  of  labor-saving
machinery.  So  it  is  quite  safe  to  assume  that  the  quantity  of
manufactures  has  been  increased  fourfold  for  each  person  within
the  last  sixty  years.  According  to  the  census  of  1870,  to  make
another  comparison,  the  value  of  all  our  farm  products,  including
betterments  and  additions  to  stock,  was  $2,447,538,658,  —  only
forty  per  cent  more  than  the  value  added  to  raw  material  by  the
processes  of  manufacture.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  American
manufactures,  though  as  yet  in  their  infancy,  have  nevertheless
attained  to  very  respectable  proportions.
It  is,  however,  to  be  specially  noted  and  remembered  that  the
value  added  by  the  processes  of  manufacture  is  not  so  great  by
$744,529,042  as  the  value  of  the  raw  materials  consumed.  This
indicates  that  the  manufactures,  as  a  whole,  are  exceedingly  rüde,
that  they  embody  very  little  of  the  skill  and  taste  which  by  increasing
  the  quality  of  products  add  to  their  market  value.
Here  let  us  briefly  consider  the  nature  of  skill  and  taste.  Skill
may  be  exercised  for  two  purposes  :  1,  to  accelerate  production  ;
2,  to  improve  the  quality  of  objects.  Whatever  enhances  the
quality  of  objects  tends  to  enhance  their  market  value  ;  whatever