The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-02-07

a publication, remittance must be made e.
quail to ore half the value of an advertisement
Of the same length, or directions TO charge the
amount to some person known to the publishers
of this paper.
AS we have not time nor room 10 go into de-
tailed examination Of the follow ing article,
presume our correspondent will not object)
Of appenGng few remarks in the form OF
notes.
was glad to see the remarks of writer in
she Spy, under the signature o. PubHus upon
the SUBJECT of protecting duties. Those who
are in favor of the system, seem to think that
there is but one kind OF business which IS en-
titled TO the protection OF Government, and
that all others ought to be tribu' arv TO Il.
never could understand why manufacturers
should be the favored class, and why thew
should need or deserve more as.s. aDce than
others. The views Of Publiu. On this subject
perfectly coincide with nine, and | b. ieve
with those Of almost every farmer who has ev-
or reflected upon thu subject. 1t is not to be
inferred thai, because ire iarmets pursue the
even tenor OF their ways IA peace and sil-nc-,
they assent 10 The doctrines so seJulousi. in
cu'cated in the newspapers by the advocates
OF high duties for the protection Of domestic
manufactures. Public sentiment is not al
ways indicated by those voices which are the
most noisy and cIamorous. As the manufac.
tuners feel the deepest interest in the CUES
ton, it lie very natural they should have The
most to say upon it
Certain writers in the Spy have taken it up
sn themselves to assert, with much assurance
and 6ogmatism, that the arguments of Pttbl.us
are stale and eeble-that they have heirre
heen often used, and as often retuted. This
is truly very convenient and summary mode
of answering them, and perhaps il will psoS e
satisfactory to many readers. Nevertheless
1t is much easier, in my opinion, to pronounce
his arguments fiimsy and superficial, than to
prove them so. 1t may be that they are not
new; bat ] believe they have never before
been presented in any newspaper printed 10
this county. and must say that have never
seen them refuted. Instead of denouncing
him AS wild. political hereto, because he
mas entured to express opinions at variance
with the views of manufacturers, Their cause,
l appreheud, would be better subserved by
exposing the fallacy of his doctrines.
The main ground upon which the protect
ing system is attempted to be supported by
these writers, when they condescend to re-
sort to any thing bearing the semhlance Of
argument, is, that it will enable our own cit
fzens to manufacture and sell the articles, thus
protected at less price than that at which
similar articles of foreign manufacture can
usually be obtained. 1t is said that, unless
our own citizens are protected from foreign
competition, the moment they engage in man.
ufactures of any sort, our markets will be fill
ed with foreign goods, at price greatly be-
low their cost, in order to compel US to ahan-
don the business. The present duties on
woollen cloths are considered as insufficient
TO secure that branch Of business from this ru-
inous competition, and higher duties are call
ed for
This reasoning can hardly satisfy those who
are not In the pursuit OF arguments 10 fortiy
opinions previously conceived. Let it be
briefly examined in reference to the facts
1he protecting duties on woollen cloths are
now 331 per cent. and the expenses of trans
portation, including freight, insurance and
commissions, must amount to at least 20 per
cent. more. Now is il at all probable that
foreign manufacturers will subject themselves
TO loss OF more than so per cent. ON the &C
tual cost Of their goods for the sake Of keep
ing down manufactures here (a) How
long, is it supposed, will they be content 10
play at such eames 1t would certainly be
novel mode of running this country. So
long as any foreign nation will sell to us their
fabrics at one hall their cost, we could better
afford to support our own manufacturers in
Idieness than to buy their goods. They COM
plain, however, that foreign woollen cloths,
notwithstanding these heavy prohibitory charg-
es, are sold in our market at less price than
domestic cloths can be afforded, and they
now ask for such an increase of duties as will
have the effect TO exclude foreign cloths en-
tireiy from our market, that they may be en-.
abled TO cell theirs at a profit In the first
place, they ask for protection against foreign
competition, because foreign manufacturers
sell cheaper than they can; and, in the next
place, they defend the policy Of such protec-
tiop, on the ground that domestic goods will
cost tho consumer less than foreign goods
Thus foreign goods are represented as being
700 cheap fot-tbe interest Of ono class OF pco-
PIE and as too dear for that OF another; and
YET domestic goods arc TO cost the consumer
less although the manufacturer will sell them
al h'gher price than foreign goods. (b)
For the purpose of proving thai great bene.
I'll will accrue to tho consumer rom AN ex-
tension OF the protecting Aystem, it has been
shoWn by some Of its friends that many arti.
oles, protected by high duties, are now scld 80