Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-09

the information collected may not be as precise and
detailed az greater allowance of time, and i wider
range oil examination, might have made it, the
committee do believe that certain positions may be
assumed from the testimony, as fully proved,
which will afford much aid in determining the de-
tects III the existing laws, and applying the pro-
per remedies to those defects and they cannot but
hope that this information coming from person, IN
acquainted with the subjects of which
they speak, and given under the solemn sanction
oil an OATH will have greater weight than the ord-
nary Information upon which former laws upon
these subjects have been passed
The following positions, relating TO The manu-
tacture of woollen goods the committee believe
themselves warranted in deducing, from the. evil
dence they have taken, and they depend upon Sc
evidence and opinions of the witnesses for the
soundness of them
LIST. That the manufacture of woollen goods in
this country, Is, at this time, business laborin.
under severe depreSsions, and attended with loss
more severe upon the finer qualities.
I'd. That these depressions owing, in a very
great degree, TO the excessive and irregular i'm
portationS of foreign woollen goods into our mar
kets thus causing tiuctuation in, and an uncer-
tainy oiprce Tor those goods more injurious TO the
american manufacturer than even the depression
OF price which these iInportationS produce.
ID. That the difference between the prices of
wool OF the same quality, in this country and in
England, Is. at the present time, about fifty per
cent in favor OF the latter country.
4th That the cost of the raw wool in this
when prepared for the market, as a general rule
applying 10 most kinds of cloths
9th. That II the cost of the wool and the cost of
the foreign materials used for dying were The same
IN oo'h countries, the process of manufacturing
the wool into cloth, fitted for the market, can be
performed as cheap in this country as it can in
England
9th. That the present duty upon woollen goods
does not furnish the desired protection, and that
no reasonable duty can be cfIectual, unless il be
q SpeClNc square ward cad of an al val
duty
"ith general reference to these positions, so
lar as they could be made applicable to the sub
Ject' ana with proper regard to the whole body.
OF te testimony taken, the committee have pro-
ceeded TO detail their propositions for the altera-
uon and increase OF the duties upon woollen goods
The law of 1924, with certain exceptions emu
inerated In the act, imposed duty of % per cen
.uih a" vaiorem upon all foreign woollen goods,
imported into this country, the actual value Of
which, at the place whence imported, should not
exceed thirty three and one-third cents per square
yard and duty, after the 90th day of June, 1925,
OF ID i-3 per centum ad valorem upon those cost
ing more than SO I-3 cents per square yard The
exceptions from the duty Of 80 10 per cent were
blankets and worsted stuff goods, upon which
uuty OF 20 per centum ad valorem was imposed ;
ana from the goods paying duty of % per centum
au Vaiorem as costing less than 33 l-3 cents per
square yard, were excepted flanneS and baizes,
which were to pay duty of SO Is per cent
Inc committee have proposed to change all
these al valorem duties upon cloths, to specific
square yard duties, making the same exceptions
winch are made i'll the set of 1924 Some of these
exceptions the committee have left unaltered, and
others they have proposed small increase ofduty
upon' The articles Of blankets now pays a duty Of
20 per centum ad vaiorem, and they propose to in
crease this duty to 80 per cent
MS they have done, because they think the
tesumony warrants them in the belief, that if the
manufacturer OF blankets is encouraged in this
country, they can be made here as cheap, in ref
erence TO the quality of the blanket, as thew are
now imported, and that in this manufacture, n
consumption may be found for large quantities of
our native WOOL The committee also consider
blankets an article SO essentially necessary for the
soi;ifcr' as TO become an object of national policy
anu necessity tor which we ought not to be de-
pendent upon any foreign country.
The propositions of the committee as TO the al
teratIon and increase of duties upon woollens
generally, are as follows:
LIST. Upon all manufactures of wool, or of which
WOOL snail he component part, the actual value
OF winch, at the place whence imported, shall
not exceed 90 cents per square yard specific
uuty OF 10 cents upon every square yard.
"a. Upon all manufactures of wool, or of which
wool Shall be component part, the actual value
OIL winch at the place whence imported shall ex-
ceeu oO cents per square yard, and shall not ex-
ceed Sl'OO per square yard specific duty of 40
cents upon every square yard.
%. Upon all manufactures of wool, or OF which
WOOL shall be = component part, the actual value
OF which, at the place whence imported, shall ex-
Ceeu 81 w per square yard, and shall not exceed
- % per square yard, specific duty of 81 90
upon every square yard.
4th' Upon all manufactures of wool, or of which
wool shall be component part, the actual value
OF winch at the place whence imported shall ex-
ceeu 81 90 per square yard, and shall not exceed
- w per square yard, shall be deemed to have
cost 81 90 persquaro yard, and, at such valuation
sriaii be charged with, and pay duty of 40 per
centum ad vaorem.
9TH Upon all manufactures of wool, &c the
actua! value OF which, at the place whence inn
PoFted, shall exceed 81 per square yard shall be
charged with, and pay duty of IS per cen.um ad
valorem.
1t will thus be seen, that the propositions made
~ the committee, if adopted, will give a consid
cradle increase upon the present rates of dutv in
any event, and may give n very large increase If
ue impoTtations should not be regulated by the
rates OF the duty. Should they be so recuiato5
,ne intermediate spaces would be left entirely to
be supplied by the American manufacturer and
this, 1t is believed, would not only furnish lin,
market for the greatbody Of his cloths, but would
enable him to compete with the foreirner cvcn
at the prices at which the minimum principle does
not operate extensively to increase the DUTY
ne committee have not gone to the extent pro-
posed by many of the memorials in the rern1,t;on
OF these duties, but they have ronc 10 the evten,
TO which, from the evidence taken by them. thcv
believe the prosperity Of our wcOllen inanuf,ctrrcs
require. ~ '''' %
Hemp and flax, and some Of tho manufactures
rom them, have next claimed the consideration, of
the committee. The evidence which thew have
C0iiected upon these subjects though by no means
NOlunnous, IN their opinion sati sfactorilv proves
that large sections Of the country are capshle of
producing either kind Of the raw malorisl above
mentioned, 10 any extent. So Ear as the commit
tee have been able 10 learn, the State Of Kenfur
KY seems 10 have paid the most attention TO the