Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-11-02

expense OF one dollar per bushel, and fire.
lquently sold il from two TO three dollars.
While they made such exorbitant profits
and independent fortunes. unenyied aud
uncensared by their manufacturing fellow
tcitizens, it cannot be very correct for them
TO reproach the latter "a large portion Of
whom have been rnined) with extortion,
for selling at thirteen or fourteen dollars
an article which actually cost them ten or
leleven. Let it be observed that every
yard Of superfne cloth requires four pounds
1of merino wool unwasbed, or two washed.
| When the heavy expense Of the manufac-
Iturer, and the interest of the capital in
vested, are taken into consideration, it will
appear that the profits we're very far from
Unreasonable. This accusation, therefore,
lcannot fail to recall to recollection the
parable of the beam and the mote.
! But, even admitting that the manufac-
liurers have really been guilty, during the
war, Of tentold the extortion they are un-
Justly charged with, ii by no means follows
that the prosperity of our country should
be sacrificed by the suppression Of its in
dustry aud the protection of that OF foreign
nations; or that therefore manufactures
should DOT be protectedby adequate duties,
lest similar extortions should now be prac-
tised; for, ito avail ourselves Of the cogeni
and irresistible arguments Of Alexander
Hamilton, the competition between our
citizens engaged in those branches would
secure the articles to the consumer at a
lair price -
6 Though it we're true, that the imme-
date and certain fleets Of regulations con-
trolling the competition OF foreign with
domestic fabrics, was an increase Of price,
1T is universally true that the contrary IS
the ultimate effect NTH tuery successful
manufacture. When domestic nianutac-
ture has attained to perfection, and has
engaged in The prosecution Of il comPe-
tent number OF persons, it Invariably be-
comes cheaper Being free from the heavy
charges which ATTEND the importation Of
fpreigu commodities, it can be afforded
cheaper, and accordingly seldom or never
fails to be sold cheaper, an process Of time,
: than mas the foreign article for vhich 1t
is substitute. The internal competition
which takes place, soon does a'uay every
thing like monopoly. and By degrees re-
t!aces The price Of the article to the mini
mum Of a reasonable profit on the capital
Employed. This aecords with the reason
1oI The Thing, aud with experience.
Another objection is, thai labour is too
high in the United States, TO afford any
; chance Of competing with foreign manu-
facturers. To this We reply there are
various manufactures SO we'll established
here as to overcome foreign competition
altogether; and it therefore follows, that
this objection falls TO the ground.
We might instance great number;
hut we coBfine ourselves 10 the manuac-
lure of shoes~and boots, of which each in
Idividua in the United States probably av.
terages pair and half per annum, amount
| ing TO about thirteen millions, which, a
one hundred and twenty-five cents per
pair, amount to sixteen millions OF dollars
per annum. OF those articles, the impor
laiion in 1916, as may be seen by reference
to the reports the secretary Of the treas
Jury, was only 42,ll4 pair, and in 1917,
only 50,562. This decides, we trust, the
question OF high wages for ever for, il
the objection were valid, il would apply
to the manufacture Of shoes and boots with
as much force as to any other: and it is
worthy of observation, that the duty on
mems is only twenty five, aud on chiidren's
fifteen cents per pair.
To this we beg leave to add another re-
ply, of at least equal cogency. There are
few manufactures, either wholly or chiefly
depending on manual iabour, which have
not succeeded 10 the United States; where
as our defect is principally in cottons and
woollens, produced almost wholly by ma
chinery, aided by the Iabour of an over
proportion of old men, and of women and
children. Hence the advantages of our
| bouDdless water-pOwer,--our extraordina.
nv mechanical skill, and the superabun-
dance, ia the case Of cotton particularly, of
the raw material, are injudiciously sacri-
feed
The next objection we shall notice, is
the alleged demoraliziog effects OF manu-
featuring establishments. To refute this,
we invite your attention to, and compari-
son between, two neighbonrhoods, in one
of which manufactures are established,
and another remote from such establish
mens. In the former, there are, as al
ready observed, numbers of aged men and
Of women aud children, usefully employ
ed for themselves, and adding TO the mass
Of the resources and happiness of their
.o,,tru. while In the latter, a large pro-
norton Of persons Of this description are
doomed to idleness, and its inseparabIe
o,,andants. vice and guilt. Children, in