132 Transactions of the American Institute. 



industry within their own territories. I have no doubt that the 

 new-born Italian nation — one of the most joyful and happy births 

 of the century — would find her finances immensely improved and 

 her strength in every department largely increased if she were, 

 by an efficient protective tarifi*, to secure the manufacture on her 

 own soil of every fabric and every metal for which she can find 

 upon that soil the essential bases, raw material and labor. I have 

 no doubt that other nations may be built up in wealth and strength, 

 as the German nation has been built up in our own day, under the 

 beneficent influence of her ZoUverein taritf. I have no doubt that 

 the time is to come when Liberia, Hayti, and other young republics 

 of this and of the other hemisphere, will largely increase their pros- 

 perity by giving judicious and efiicient protection on their own soil 

 to veiy many fabrics and wares and machines which they now buy 

 from others. If this American Republic had never protected, and 

 therefore never developed home industry in its manufacturing and 

 mechanical departments, I believe that its imports at this time 

 would be much less than they are; because our ability to buy and 

 consume would be so much less. Lowell buj-s and consumes more 

 foreign fabrics than Arkansas. Thus we would strengthen every- 

 where the arm that strikes for subsistence, for competence, for 

 wealth, if you will, but ultimately and inevitably (in its effect) for 

 country and for mankind. This fair is a hastily gathered miniature 

 view of the recent advances, the present state, of American indus- 

 trial art. It might have been larger, more varied, more perfect. 

 Na}^ it ivill be ere it closes. "VVe are but in the alphabet of our 

 industrial education. "We mean to show you every year henceforth 

 a better and still better fair. This exhibition is not so large as it 

 would have been, could we have found a proper and adequate 

 place. But this place is the very best as yet aflbrded by our city. 

 We have been compelled to refuse contributions that should have 

 been received, but for which we could not make room. It is a 

 shame that this great metropolis has temples for art, for science, 

 for faith, but no fitting or adequate depository for the trophies of 

 industry and useful art. This reproach must i\ot abide. It sliall 

 not. The American Institute is about to commence the erection of 

 a Palace of Industry, which shall give place to a perpetual as well 

 as to annual exhibitions — each better than the other. We pledge 

 to it all our own savings of forty years, now amounting to nearly 

 $200,000. We shall appeal to the capitalists, the property-owners, 

 the successful inventors, artizans, artists, merchants and mechanics 



