The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-02-14
For the Massachusetts Spy.l
No Y.

No Y.
The influence, which high duties upon
imported goods will have on the public reve-
nue., is another consideration OF no little
Importance. Duties on imports are the chief
source Of the public revenue, and have al
ways been deemed the most eligible mode of
levying taxes for the support of Government.
Ii the proposed duty of so per cent. ad valo-
rem on foreign woolleu cloths should be suffi-
Gent TO exclude them entirely from our mar
ket, which is the object intended to be accom-
plished, the loss of revenue heretofore arising
from that source must be made up by seeking
for other subjects of taxation.
Under the former tariff, the duties on woollen
cloths imported into this country would proba-
bly, amount, at this time, to about three mil
lions Of dollars annually; which sum, under
! the proposed system of exclusion, will be paid
to the domestic manufacturers of those arti-
cles. Instead Of being paid into the treasury
Whenever, therefore, il shall become necessa-
ry to levy direct tax upon the people, on
| account Of the deficiency of the revenue aris-
ing from duties on imports, such tax, although
nominally for the support OF Government,
ought to be regarded as tax for the support
or benefit of the manufacturers of woolen
cloths tor such it will be in reality. This is
not all the amount of woollen cloths consun-
ed in this country may be estimated at Is
millions Of dollars annually, if imported from
abroad The same quantity, if manufactured
| here. would cost the consumer at least one
| third more, who would accordingly pay tax
Of millions of dollars annually for the sup
port of domestic manufacturers of woolen
cloths.
The diminution of the revenue arising from
I,,t.A
present tariff came into operation, has already
been considerable. While the Secretary Of
the Treasury labors TO prove that this diminu-
/ ton is not referrable TO the operation of the
new tariff, the President indirectly admits that
it is. He says, it is in part attributable 20
the nourishing condition of some Of our do
mestic manufactures, and so far is compensat-
! ed by an equivalent more profitable to the
nation" With Difference to such high author
ity, as to the supposed equivalent, must be
permitted to say, if it have been realized, il
can be explained only on the supposition that
the articles manufactured here have been
| afforded TO the consumer at an expense less
by the amount of the duties a: least than he
c I'd have procured those of similar quality
manufactured abroad; unless by ''the nation''
is meant Daahufacturers.
| Hitherto this discussion has proceeded up-
on the hypothesis that woollen cloths cannot
| be manufactured here SO cheap as in some
foreign countries-a hypothesis sanctioned by
the manufacturers themselves: for if the fact
be otherwise, the ground of the claim for
protecting duties entirely fails. But it appears
to me that the fact is some what questionable.
| Indeed, there is much reason to believe that
woollen, as we'll as cotton cloths. can be man.
ufactured here as cheap as in Great Britain, or
in any other country which does not produce
the raw materials. The raw materials. il is
we'll known, can be produced in this country
with as much facility as in any other country.
There is no difficulty in avaing ourselves Of
all the machinery, aud acquiring all the skill,
requisite for successful competition with other
nations. The manual labor necessary in these
manufactures is exceedingly small in amount
compared with the whole work performed ::
and the other portion, which 10 Great Britain
is performed by the agency OF steam, may be
performed here by water, which is less expen-
sIve than steam power. As to the manual
labor, although it costs less there than here.
yet the difference will be compensated. /
apprehend, by the other circumstances IN our
favor. This difference, perhaps, would not
exceed the expenses which are necessarily
incurred by other nations where the raw ma
terials are not produced, in importing them
there, and in exporting the manufactured
articles to a foreign market.
In this view of the subject, also, the system
of protecting duties is no less liable to obiec-
ton than in that before taken. If our own
citizens are able to compete, in our own mark.
ct, with foreign nations, in the manufacture of
cotton and woollen fabrics, to grant them
legislative aid, at the expense of other branch
es OF industry, must be regarded as singular
act Of favoritism. That such is. and ever has
been, the case, IN relation TO cotton cloths, is
sufficiently proved by our successful competi-
ton with eat-Britain even in foreign mar
kets.
The success Of our cotton manufactures
under the system of protecting duties, ha.
often been referred to, as furnishing an argu
ment in favor of extending similar advantages
to woollen manufactures. But the success
IN that case, rather proves that the aid was
unnecessary, and that, on that account, II
ought never TO have been granted Those
who first engaged in the business would ha We
found ii sufficiently profitable without that aid,
and with it they we're favored with an uncom-
mon opportunity Of accommodating wealth,
which was not suffered TO pass unimproved.-
Subsequent competition at home has conside
rably diminished their profits, and this circum-
stance, IN concurrence with the progressive
improvements in machinery, has contributed
to reduce the price Of cotton cloths TO its
present standard.
What if villages are seen rapidly to spring
up who're manufactures are established, and