Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-11-14

goods to their agents IN this county, Tor sale, aud,
for more than year past. they have been and are
now continually disposing Of them in large quanti-
ties at public vendue at little or no profit, and of
ten at great sacrifice. We do not enjoy that fair
competition with them, which we anticipated
American manufacturers must sell their goods at as
low rates as foreign manufacturers, discontinue
their operations. They not protected against
this state of things by the duties imposed foreign
goods for two reasons, viz the nature OF the Duty
and the manner in " hich it is determined. Being
an adpdiorem duty, and both the owners and their
agents being foreigners, having but one interest, 1t
is well known that their goods appraised in the
invoices OF them far below their true value even in
England. This, and the advantages, which the
foreign manufacturer has in the price Of lsbour.
and cost of the material, renders competition
on the part of the manufacturers here impossible.
In this manner the United States are defrauded OF
their enue, and the act, revising the tariff, and
which intended, undoubtedly, to protect our
manufacturers, is defeated, and is as unavailing
against the foreign manufacturer as ii it did not
exist.
II cannot be said that foreign manufacturers are
unable to sell at less prices than those of this coun-
try. We them do it daily, and they advance
their most important interests by doing 1t. Their
has long been, after supplying other markets,
to throw the suplus remaining into the American
market; where, if it be sold at cost, they incur no
loss, and, whether sold for cost or for less than
cost, they one object of the utmost import
ance to them, the depression Of american manu-
Jdctures.
Again, under the laws regulating the duties on
wool and .woollen cloths, they can afford to sell
wooen goods, equal in quality TO ours, cheaper
than we can in own markets. Those laws are
protection to them, bu, not to us. By the revi-
sion of the tariff in 1924, the duties on imported
woollen goods advanced only eight per cent
,rI, hat InCFA
ed fifteen per cent. No wool is exported hence
to Europe, but large quantities OF 1t are purchased
by citizens there, and imported into this coun
try. More than one-third OF the wool manufacture
ed here is obtained from Europe, and manufacturers
of the United States have to pay the duty OF thirty
per cent. or it, while they have mere nominal
protection of 33 l-3 per cent. ad udlorem duty on
foreign goods, and that duty determined by the
party paying it. The records Of our custom hous-
es show that more than four-ihs of the woollen
goods sent to this country are imported by and on
account OF foreigners This fact alone demonstrates
that our manufacturers not protected by our ex-
listing laws, and that something further is required TO
secure them against the excessive importations OF
foreign goods. The low rate OF wool and labour
abb Dad and the neiiciency of tariff, will enable
foreigners TO persevere in their present system.
Wool is now sold in Europe at fifty per cent. be-
low its price in the United States. Some of your
memorislists have recently purchased bills of ex-
change at IL per cent. premium, and RENTED
them to England for the purchase of wool, which
will cost them less delivered their doors, with
all the charges ofexchange freight, duty, SC. than
the price of the article here. Merchants in this
country have imported large parcel. of wool from
England the last year. paid the duties and all char
ges, Amounting to so per cent. and sold it here at
an advance. As to the price of labour in coun-
try like England, it must at all times be much low
er than in the United States, and for a long time,
il has been and is, ob aimed at the lowest rate,
consistent with the support and existence of those
| who perform the labour. Present appearances do
not justify any hope of speedy change in this re-
| spect.
Further, in large manufacturing country like
England Il is not to be expected that the produce
tons of labour will always be measured by the ex-
| act extent of the demand There is always a
surplus, and that surplus is sent 10 the United
States. 1t is removed from their home market, to
| maintain the price of the residue left there and
| its introduction here produces the same effect,
| which would be caused in England if that surplus
| were retained there. For long time the manu-
facturers in England have manufactured much
more than has been required for consumption. The
| surplus, beyond the amount wanted in their home
| market, has been sent TO this country, and the eff
| feet of this has been to maintain increase the
value of the residue of their manufactures, and TO
reduce the value of all similar articles in the u
nited States. II is obviously for the interest of
foreign manufacturers so TO dispose of such sur
plus For, though that should be sold a sacri-
flee, the loss that surplus will be more Than
| compensated by the advance of value the resi-
due,-while the effect all the American manu-
features must be precisely as injurious as it would
be to The British manufactures that surplus were
| sold in their home market. Ii must and does de-
press the value of American goods, of which
sufficient quantity be readily manufactured to
supply the wants of this people.
| 1t is well known, too, that, where there is
surplus OF any articles in the market, the price of
the whole is not thereby diminished in exact pro-
portion 10 the amount or extent Of that surplus
But the consequence is always to reduce the price
| or worth Of all articles OF the description below
their true value. The fact that there is more than
is wanted for consumption, dscourages all purcha-
sers, and the goods must be kept or sold by the
holders of them at a loss. If England sacrifices
in the United States only one million of wooden
goods per annum at auction, the certain result is,
that the residue of her goods sells at greater
price, and that all the American goods of the same
description, be sold for less than their value
| and a, price regulated by the rate at which the
foreign goods are sacrificed.
| Nor is it any gain to the people Of the United
States, that foreign goods thus sold COST or
less than their cost. The existence of our man
ufactures is the of this, and their ruin its OBJ
tject. We have shown that the effect is to impoy-
erish the thousands in the Uned States who are
engaged in the different branches of manu- features
| by deterring those, who would invest their capital
In this branch OF business, from doing so, ard by
running those who have already embarked in it.
These sacrifices Of foreign goods will cease to be
made when they have produced their effects, and
American manufactures shall have ceased to exist.
| We do not ask that the duty on imported wool
should be in creased or diminished. The quantity
nj rOIff ra1 he