To produce the $1,900,000,000, as returned by the census of 1860, nearly 1,400,000 persons were employed; and, estimating their increase at 50 per cent., in proportion to the increase of production, the number of operatives now required is 2,100,000. These, on an average, support two and a half other persons as dependents, &c., making the whole number supported by our manufacturing industry 5,250,000, exclusive of that large class of "middle-men," such as merchants, clerks, draymen, railroaders, express men, and steamboat-hands, carpenters, masons, painters, &c. &c.
We may, therefore, estimate that fully one-third our population is supported directly, and two-thirds directly and indirectly, by manufacturing industry, since it gives a market to two-thirds of our agricultural productions. That interest, therefore, stands first in the political economy of the country. Yet there are those who consider the planting interests of the South as productive of the paramount staples of the country, and would ruin our manufacturers, who are increasing our wealth, to foster our planters, who are impoverishing the richest portion of our country. There were those who cried, "Cotton is king!" a short time ago; but they were not more mistaken than those who cry, "Corn is king!" to-day. Iron is the conqueror of nature, the civilizes and benefactor
of mankind, and without its aid no nation can become wealthy, prosperous, and powerful. Our 2,000,000 miners, manufacturers, and mechanics, however, did not produce $3,000,000,000* of manufactured goods unaided : steam and labor-saving machinery gave them material assistance. We have no means of ascertaining the amount of steam-power employed in these productions, but it is manifestly much less per head than in England.
In the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania the amount of steam-power is equal to two horse-power per head, which enables each hand to produce 500 tons of coal per annum, or $2500 per head at present valuation, which is one thousand dollars more than the average production of the country per capita. The steam-engines of Great Britain are stated as equal to 83,635,214 horse-power, which would give about three horse-power to each inhabitant, and, of course, a much greater number per head to her manufacturing classes. But if we estimate two horse-power per capita as the maximum made use of by our 2,000,000 manufacturers, we have a force equal to 28,000,000 strong men, and capable of doing much more work. Yet how insignificant is this, when compared to the steam-power of England!