The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-02-14


! shall, said Mr.. D.. now invite the atteptio,
OF The Committee 10 an additional TACT, yhicl
seemed to him TO conoborate and sustain tn,
nierences drawn from these proofs. lie al
luded TO the unprecedented low price O
woollens. The PLAIN question, said he. is, j
they fairly pay the duties, can they be afford
ed at the prices at which they sell? Ii the,
can. 10 what Cause is it 10 be imputed
Goods which, few years since, sold for three
to four dollars a yard, wouIc now command
no more than two dollars. Have our qrea,
rivals scquired new skill, fresh capital. or any
unknown means, by which they can now pro-
duce goods at one half what they cost few
years since: If there he facts Of this kind.
mat can explain the fall in goods, said Mr.. d.
'ney are unknown 10 me. Indeed, the En-
siIsh themselves make no such pre.ence. II
| appears TO me-, said be, that the evasion of the
iuties Is principal means by which they are
able to accomplish this. If il be not so. | cali.
sild he, on those who are increduious. 10 as
H.sn the true causes; aud am sure, he re-
marked, that they VIII tIvf forced l,son iho IL
,ernatiye, either TO impu,e 10 forced sales. at
great sacrifices, resulting from distress, or TO
combination Of our rivals 10 destroy, by under
selling our manufacturers, for it cannot be
credited, that these goods pay the full duties.
snd are selling at profit at these reduced
prices.
If the depression Of the market is 70 be as
cnbed to pecuniary distress and to forced sales
sacrifices, then it would be neither lust nor
generous to expose our manufacturers TO such
q competition, for 1t will result in mutual
bankruptcy, for IFS tendency is to ruin both
parties; and the contest is desperate.
Ii it is imputed 10 combination to under
sell, and thus destroy this branch Of industry
in the United States, then is The competition
most unequal and destructive to us, and, vii!
soon lead 10 the overthrow Of The business
We supply our own market about in the ra-
ito of six TO one. The plan OF the combination,
II any exist, is to drive US from it by livestock
ing and 1t is easily effected, and at no great
oss comparatively. suppose, to illustrate
the argument, that $4,000, 000 worth OF goods
/. the annual supply or the United States, and
that amount is manufactured and thrown into
the market-the supply is then equal TO the
demand. Al the same time foreign niauufac-
turfrs throw into the market 81 QUO 600 worth
CT the same kind o. goods. There is then an
livestock, and the price viii sink below The
actual overstock, for its precise amount can
never be Enowu--the English compute the RAJ
preciation is 10 per cent. they lose that amount
en- 5 100000 which is 100000, while our
| manufacturers lose it upon SIC, 900 600, which
is equal 10 81 100000, or ten times as much :;
and the less their INTEREST is, in proportion to
ours, the greater will be our loss. This is a
principle IN loss and gain which should be
well understood By US, ior no people under
stand the effect OF overlooking market bet
sGheiihhs OF p fns Rld, udistIrds egtaBFisg-
mcnts, and open the make: 10 themselves. il
is quite certain ;hey viii not be very scrupu.
lcus bout employ ing the means, nor would
they hesitate to adventure IN the speculation
TIE market of the United States is the prlze
to be won, ani it is an object Of no ordinary mo
rneiit to the manufacturers OF Great Britain
Ne nation is more wise than The Eaglish il
managing their own market. 1t has been uni
iormly protected from the ruinous conse
queaces resulting from an oversiock by impor
tations and whenever they have sufplu.
OF their own manufactures, 1t is carefully sent
abroad TO inuudaie some foreign market and
ours is quite as likely TO re selected as any
@ her Nor lie, ii be supposed that they are in
capable OF combiaIng tor such purposes
With their immense capital, and frequent sur
plus of goods, 1t is easy to concert measures t,
break down The business OF Others who have
less capital hut mors interest at hazard, anC
who Caunot bring JOINT capital 20 bear upoI
the competition. Il any are incredulous o.
this point, the manufacturers OF Spain AM
some other portions OF continental Europe
can bear testimony that such combination
have been formed, and their plans have result
ed in signal success Be tins as il may, sale
| MIR DAVIS, sure | am that the embarrassed
condition of our manufacturers is owing L
some one, or all Of thAse causes, aud they havt
appealed TO this GoVernmt 1T for its interposl
ton and that they have most urgent reasons 10
making the appeal, there can be no doubts.
We come then, said he, TO the question
whether this branch OF industry is deserving
the consideration it claims. And here, sal,
he, have to lament the want of statistical
information an Inconvenience that is dali
felt in legislation; and ii Is to be hoped tn
day is not lar distant when we shall be annu
ally put in possession OF as accurate in,orma
ton, as to the state and condition Of asricul
ture and manufactures, we now aTe IN re
lation to the slate and condition Of he army
and navy. 10 understand the effect of meas
4 ures which art to regulate branch of indus
try, we should know what that branch of in
dustry consumes, and what il produces
But IL the absence of Information Of thi
kind, collected from official sources, we mus
avail ourselves OF the industry OF individual
who have devoted time and attention TO tn
I subject. Ii is computed, from the best iGfor
matte that can be obtained, that a capita
equal 10 from $40,000,0O0 to 50,00o,00O is in
vested in the manufacture Of WooIens tina
a population OF from 60 10 10000 persons i
employed directly in the business, and pop
ulation o. iron 20 10 $4,000 persons indirectly
that about 81, 100000 pounds OF wool, ptiocl
paly the growth OF the United States, is su
nualy worked up, and not less than 3, 900
coo yards OF breads, and 32,000,000 yards Of
marrow, cloths, are annually produced thai
a capital little inferior to this is employed ii
the production OF wool. This, said MIR. D
is the branch OF Industry which is brought be-
fore us by the memorials on the taDie. II Il
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