Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-24
DOMESTIC.

WooIlem Manufactures. II is said by the
friends of the new tariff that one great reason why
the woollen manufacturers ought 10 be assisted by
high protecting duty is that the raw material is
o5iainei much cheaper by the English than by us
In 1924 The duty wool imported into England
was sixpence sterling the pound but by subse-
queot modification Of her tariff this duty
duced to a penny on wool costing over shilling,
aud half-pcnny or all that costs less than
shilling. The average of the duty TO the Engli.h
manufacturer is about per cent. on the co-', and
to the American manufacturer about so rer cent.
Now this difference, they contend. is sufficient to
drive our manufacturers ont Of the market. Bu'
his is reason for reducing the import duty on
wool rather than for raising that the u,anufac-
turtd article. Better that the revenue should lose
s6me hing Of srecep than hat the nation should be
owe; charged for its necessaries. Instesd, how
ever, of reducing that duty il is TO be raised by
the same bill - hich gives higher protection 10
the manufacturer. The advocates OF the bill have
been peculiarly unfortunate in their argument
al out the frauds of the British importers. They
asserted wiihou, any qualification tha, these frauds
were frequent and enormous. So long such
seriions were not contiss,ei with the facts, they
had their influence. hut the statements from the
New York and B7lmore collectors have com-
pleiely ie!uted them. We cannot but regard the
foTlowi. passage from the letter of Mr.. iona, han
Thomp-On as being very important with regard
20 another branch OF the argument. The i'm
portaiion of British woollen goods during ,he last
year, was small compared with that of the p zee
ing year and generally at aloss, Frequently
-tated Of 20 to % per cent. TO the importers 1
do not perceive how il could be Otherwise a.
our manufacturers cculi buy their wool che W
| as those OF England; they could card, spia aud
weave as cheap: but the dyeing and fnishiny is
probably less in England Agains, ,his advan
tsge our manufacturers hare the du.iss of 33 .,
pr cent al valorem, packing, ranspor a;ion
treieh'. insurance. interest. commission and diff
ference Of nom 10 to IL per cent in the exchange:
al! OF which charges operate as bounty of so
FER cent. in f,vor OF manuf,curers'' The
Statesman two or three days ago talk eel rather
.sneeringly about the New York editors n e. ending
! 20 know more than the members of Congress-
Really, with few exceptions both sides, we
suspect they do. IT they 90 not, they should
This statesman which is 20 willing tn .tul
'ify itself out of compliment TO its congressional,
idols, vauni- largely OF The many and ben
OF TIE tariff bill Of 1924. lie is directly al issu.
with the manufacturers themselves, who mainly
rest their case u; the fsc, that the lazy of 1924
was not in reality of any service TO them They ask
now i'I me relief which that law professed to az
ford They say, moreover, that their interest.
have been grestly de'eriora;ed since 1921; that
their establishments go on no longer, and iha,
bankruptcy and ruin stare them in the face This
was the very st'rle of Mr. NIalIary -. speech il,
support of his bill. low do the m .nnfac,ur-rs
and he Statesman reconcile these conf ctinc state
\ n
we have 10 d"; Is To arouse a public fee!n.
ag inst the bill. nv Y. Enc.
| PHILADELPHIA, Feb l6. 1927
| Alta meeting Of Mere han,s and Traders O, po,el
to the passage Of the bill no before the Senate q.
the u s., to increase the duties on woollcn coms
held his day, pu' suant To public notice. at thu Mer-
chant Coffee House THOMAS p COPE E,.o
was called to the chair, and JOHN S. HENaY.
| p ointed secretary.
The following preamble and resolutions ere u
unanimously adopted
Whereas the CT ,ess;ve and dispropo tomato en-
enlargement OF one PARTICULAR b anch of industry
D. xraordinary aud exorbi,ant taxation ofo,bers
Us contrary 10 the soundest principles of poica al
economy; and whereas tie whole experience of IN.
fconmsrcial world ba' uniformly shown that ex
4 cessve and oppressive i'nposIs uyon commerce.
fproduce and encourage illicit nae TO the g,ea, in
jury o! The honest merchant and to the deiraul;p,
OF the government imposing them.
! Theieiore, Resolved, That in the opinion of
THIS meeting, the bill now before the Senate 10 Ia 9
additional duties on woolien goods " ouId have a
direct tendency materially inpre The already pre
carious and decayins commerce of the IT, S. bv
de-ttoying large proportion of TN. import tr,de
OF the country, and would most elIeciualiy and Ger
'ainly promote smuggling, and ring ruin not only
| on the merchants, but also the manufaciurers
who would Ind themselves unable TO coupe .
with the prices o! goods brought inio the country
without paying any duty.
| ~ Resolved, That the wooen manufacturing
interests OF This counry have already an encou-
ragemeDt and protection in The shane of the ex
isiIng dI'ies, expenses and premiums of EXCHANGE
| paid Tor imported goods, amounting 10 60 per cent
being entirely sufficient 10 give them full and ale
qna'e ability TO compete with foreign manufac-
tures and 10 Increase and extend their 90. .bI; \.
Tnens as last as tie combined interests Of the coun
| Try demand.
81 fesoived, That the distress and lanruor Of
which The manufacturers complain are moi pecu
liar 10 Themselves but The consequences of The.
geHersl drpressj N OF bIsne throughout the
word, wa'cb "iiscis tbs agricultural an mercan.
ile equally with the manufacturing interests a,d
i,as been produced by over,ra aiding and specnI,o,s
md Tor which The farmers and erchanfs would l..
cq ,o'iy entitled TO ask renun.ra,io. fran tho On
yernment.
4;h Resolved, Tbs. in the opinion of this NEE, .
ing the olerstinn OF the proposed bill unei TO the
great decrease IN The Eist and West India trades
w IL use within short period such dju,inu,ioo
OF the revenue, a. 10 render il sufficient In ,,..,
the ordinary expenses OF government and Tn l;.
charge Tie principal and interest of the nslion,,
debt.
9th Resolved, That the proposed law would bo
as injurious to the agricultural. as 10 the CONNER
cal interests of the country, and especially az III.
increase OF duty will principally affect the coarser
goods, IFS operation viii be on the poorer elias, NJ
farmers and IsbOrers, who, whilst they would I've
benefited by receiving riiling addition of r,ics
Tor the rsw mstsrisI which forms a small n,,, =,
the value u the manufactured article womb nav
price greatly enhanced for the articles thev con
sumo.
9th Resolved, That the Introduction of the bill
at 'I's trne Is the more unexpected as the s,lvo-
Gates oil the Tariff OF 1921, gave repeated s.su,sr,
mt oat, Il