8 



of which nearly $200,000,000, was exported, leaving for home con- 

 sumption a value of $1,400,000,000. The per capita value of this con- 

 sumption is nearly $45 in 1860 against $65 in 1880. 



Again, Mr. Chairman, I invite the closest examination of the figures 

 I have presented, and they prove, sir, an enormous increase in our farm 

 production and an advancement of price. And this brings me to the ques- 

 tion, Who consumes them ? Who pays for them ? Whose demand makes 

 these prices ? And it will be borne in mind only 89 per cent, of them 

 are consumed here, and there are some very pertinent facts to which I 

 invite attention in this connection. 



CONSUMPTION BY CLASSES OF OCCUPATIONS. 



A statement of occupations of the American people by classes of in- 

 dustries shows that the proportion in agriculture is declining, the 

 number engaged in rural industries being 47.35 per cent, in 1870 and 

 44.1 per cent, in 1880. The other classes have increased accordingly. 

 This is a favorable indication, as not more than 30 per cent, of the 

 workers of a nation as rich in resources of production as ours are neces- 

 sary to produce a supply for home consumption. 



As the numbers reported in occupations do not include the female 

 head of the family or children or infirm persons, each individual repre- 

 sents nearly three persons, the whole number being 17,392,099 in a pop- 

 ulation of 50,155,783, the persons represented in each class may there- 

 fore be stated as follows: 



In agriculture 22,118,700 



In manufactures and milling 11, 084, 428 



In trade and transportation 5, 216, 202 



In professional and personal services 11, 736, 453 



Two-thirds of all are engaged in productive material industries. 

 About one-tenth, those in trade and transportation, are employed in 

 exchanges and distribution. The remainder, in domestic service, in 

 unskilled labor, and also those included in the professions, are con- 

 nected with or dependent upon manufactures, mining, and commerce, 

 and only to a limited extent on agriculture, as farm laborers are in- 

 cluded in the principal class of occupations. Distributing this class, 

 therefore, among the others, and allowing for the transportation service 

 caused by the presence of manufactures, the proportion of the popula- 

 tion dependent on manufactures and mining may fairly be considered 

 one- third of all; but to come within very conservative bounds we will 

 only claim three-tenths. With a probable consumption at present values 

 of three and a third billions of dollars, the consumption due to manufact- 



