The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-12-27
For the Massachusetts Spy.
M. 9.

| No. 9.
Before entering Upon q consideration of the
topics proposed in my former communication,
let Us attend for a moment to the complaints
OF the woolen manufacturers, and their claims
for relief; for il is this which has given coca.
sion 10 the presen: discussion.
The duty upon woollen fabrics manufacture
ed abroad is now 3355 per cent. ad valorem. 1t
must be apparent to every one that this duty
alone, without reckoning costs of importation,
VIII enable our own manufacturers to get one
third more for wooleu cloths, of a specific
quality, than the foreign manufacturer can
For every piece of woollen cloth. therefore,
which wouli cost the consumer but G15. were
1t not for the duty, he is now obliged to pay
S2O. This increased price, ii will be recol-
iected. is paid for the encouragement and pro-
lection Of domestic manufactures, and to ena-
bic cur own citizens to make profit on their
goods. They assure US, however, that the du-
ty'is not yet high enough for their protection,
Tor that foreign fabrics bear less price in the
market than their own; and they now insist
that the duty ought to be raised to so per ct.
adj vaiorem, in order to enable them to prose-
cute the business to advantage.
Without inquiring at present into the cause
OF this great difference in the prices of domes-
- ~'iN ~ - Ni"'hss WHICH perhaps may De
| considered hereafter) let us take passing
view of this state OF. things. The case of the
manufacturers Of woollen cloths may be con-
sidered as fair sample of that of all other
manufacturers, who require of Government to
aid them in their enterprise, by laying such
high duties upon imported fabrics, as shall on
| crate to exclude them from the Market
hat. then, is the plain, undisguised import
OF their language, and what il the inference to
he drawn from it /? Is it any thing else but
! TINS! They wish to engage in a kind of bust
ness winch they cannot carry on pro6tahly to
| themselves, unless Gavernmenf will help them
For some reason or other they dislike those
employments which have become common.
1 and which remunerate human industry with.
out legislative aid. They therefore verv mod
| estly request, as an encouragement TO them.
that such regulations may be made as will
compel the other portion Of the community to
parchase their goods at a price SO per cent.
higher than could be purchased elsewhere.
| BY such regulations, nothing can be more
clear than that the consumer is taxed~for the
benefit of the manufacturer. If the duty be
So per cent. ad valorem, and that be necessa-
ry to effect the exclusion Of foreign fabrics
from our market, then he who consumes goods
for which he gives $50, pays $40 as bounty
for the encouragement of those who could not
otherwise pursue the business in which they
have engaged.
Those who ask for this aid and protection
insist that is also for the interest of the con-
sumner TO purchase his goods of our own citi-
zens, instead of procuring them in foreign
countries, although the foreign goods are one
third cheaper than those manufactured here.
The principal explanation of this apparent
solecism is, that better market will be there
by created for the agricultural products Of the
consumer than he would otherwise have
Ihs explanation shall be noticed in due time
None will dispute the proposition. that no
kind of business can be advantageous TO the
community at large, unNss it be profitable to
those who are engaged in it. If the business
OF any Individual member of society, when
skntully conducted, will yield him no profit.
he would be unwise TO follow it. So if any
person, from want of skill or physical powers.
is unable to support himself by honest indus.
try, he must necessarily be burden upon 9th
ers. The result will be the same if his powers
are suffered to remain inactive or are misappli.
ed' II then the industry of any portion of the
community be directed, by legislative regula.
tons, to those objects which yield no profit.
1 such regulations are necessarily Injurious to
the public interest.
The strong desire TO acquire property, which
seems to be the ruling passion in all civilized
nations, will always prompt mankind to en-
gage in those employments which will be the
most lucrative. Ii sometimes happens. with
out doubt, that individuals mistake their tai.
ents, and miscalCulate as TO the business which
it is for their interest to pursue. But. as a
general principle, it may be affirmed that in
diyldual enterprise, especially in free aoun-
Try like ours, will find OUT the most productive
sources of wealth, without the interference of
government.
These considerations sufficiently demon.
strate the impolicy of protecting any particu-
lar branch VI industry in preference to anoth-
er, and that all political regulations on the
subject must be productive OF more evil than
good. Il il were for the interest OF this coun-
Try That woolen manufactures, or any other
manufactures, should grow up here, they would
certainly do so, without bounties or protecting
duties. and, IL they cannot support them
selves, II may safely be affirmed that the cost
OF supporting them viii he a public loss. II
the encouragement be afforded by protecting
or proh'oitory duties, aud so p,r cent. ad va
lorem DO necessary for that purpose, il would
he the came thing in effect as Il Government
should grant to the manufacturer thousand
dollars for every parcel of bis fabrics, which tho
consumer might purchase aoroad for two ,hoo-
sapd dolaFs, and shoult AK the other classes
OF people 10 raise tho hounfv