The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-04-23

now. how can we hope al once to supply not I
only an increased demand in this business, but
also to supplv branch of manufacturing hith-
erto relying on imports for the raw material?
There was meeting, as we are informed,
during the last Summer of Wool-growors and
Manufacturers from most of the United States,
at Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, for the purpose
of examining into the condition of these impor
tant interests, and devlsing the most suitable
means for their relief The representation was
numerous and consisted Of able practical men,
who were personally conversant with the con-
dition and embarrassments of these respective
( branches of industry. After interchanging
views, and collecting all the information they
could reach, they addressed memorial to this
Government, praying that it would interpose
its aid for Their relief and recommending Tor its
consideration the passage of a law conforming,
so far as relates to wool and woollens, TO the
amendment proposed by the gentleman from
Vermont, [Mr. Mallary,] This proposal and
the resolutions of this meeting, have been, for
long time, before the public, and very widely
circulated; and | thought from the apparent
acquiescence of public opinion, that the two in
terests were SO adjusted as to harTnonize per
feetly, and left cause for complaint for either.
heard of none until | came here. 1t is now
discovered that the interests Of the wool-grower
are like to suffer from the importation OF an ar
ticle which is not produced i'll The country. Sir,
here--it is singular that we should learn, for
the first time, that native wool, as cheap as the
foreign article abounds in this country, ana has
no market Is it credible that such is the fact,
and the wool growers themselves were so igno-
rant of it, to solicit this Government TO permit
the coarse wool to be imported under duty OF 10
per cent. adyalorem: 1t was no secret that this
kind of wool was both imported and manulac-
tured-nor was the matter overlooked by the
Convention for they provided expressly for ii.
They knew whether the wool was in the coun-
try, and have said it was not-they knew wheih-
er duty excluding it from the country would
be useful TO them, and have said it would not
Why, then, all this sensibility about coarse
wool Why this anxiety to impose duty upon
it equal to once and half its cost The man
ufacturer does not desire 1.-THE wool-grower
does not ask for it and, if there be any class of
men to whom il can be useidl, it must be these
The gentleman from Pennsylvania MIR. Ste
yensonl has stated, that the duty paid wool,
and the duties paid onimpcfted cloth, shew the
relative protection which the woo-grower and
the manufacturer have. Adopting this mode
olsestinate, the former has the miserable pit
tancc of (if | recoect right SS250,000 while
the latter has over three millions
[Nr. Stevenson explained, and observed:
said, Mr. Chairman, not that the wool-gsower
has the miserable ptiance of S250,000, but of
only sl05 900, while the manufacturer has
over three millions.
Sir, did not consider the amount as mate
rial, but it is the mode of reasoning to which |
object fallacious for, il. the amount of duties
paid into the Treasury, shew the amount OF
protection, then it would follow if the duties
were so high as to stop Importation entirely,
there would be no protection, because nothing
Is paid into the Treasury-although at thu
same time, the protection is absolute. The
converse of the proposition approaches nearer
to the truth. If duties are low, importations
are free-if high, small. Large duties there
fore, paid into the Treasury, would rather indi-
cate want of protection.
Sir, have said, that, if this bill passes in its
present form-and we cannot furnish cheaper
substitute for the imported wool than appears
TO exist in the country--this branch of rnanufac-
turing viii be tra;sfered TO other hands To
be convinced of this, we have only to compare
the bill with the law now in force. 1t will be
found. if the wool is TO be imported under spe-
chic duty OF seven cents pound, and fifty per
cent. ad valorem, while duty of only sixteen
cents the square yard is imposed on imported
cloth, that the manufacturer, instead of beino
placed in a better condition than he now is. viii
be subjected to an additional expense on square
yard of cloth worth so cents of 40 per cent al
least. The protection now intended to be Sc.
cured, is thirty-six and two thirds per cent.
while that proposed by the bill is but 81 pei
cent. Thus, while the wool is made to cost
nearly double, the duty ON imported Cloth is
diminished,
There can be no hesitation in the mind Of
any one, as to the result, if the manufacturer j:
TO depend on foreign wool. He must abandon
his business. Where, then, would be the ad
vantage to the woo-grower. which the rentle
man from New York Mr. Wright has SO zeal
ously advocated Where will be your market
FIR wool, when the manufacturer ceases to ope
rate his mill ? 1t is vain and idle to hedge the
wooi-grower round with duties, unless you place
the manufacturer in condition to buy You
may pile up your duties upon wool to any
height you please, and none will be deceived
except he who anticipates benefit from them
The gentleman from N. York. and the peptle
man from Pennsylvania, Mr. Stevenson seen
to have been influenced by different motives in
framing the bill, TO this coarse wool; the
former supposes that manufacturing will 90 or
as 1t has hitherto, while the latter avows that
he could not forbear taking into his considera.
ton the condition Ito use his own wcrds) of :
certain class of population (saves) in the
Southern States who are to be clad in these
coarse cloths If understand the meaning O.
the gentleman, it is, that we should not con
tlnue to manufacture those goods under th
bill, but that the business will be transferred
from this country to England That the bill
in truth, is not framed to aid the American
manufacturer in this respect, but 20 cripple his
down. Now, bill, which leads two honorable
members of the Committee to such opposite
conclusions, must, at least, be equivocal in it.
character and the wool-grower may well
doubt whether he is to receive any benefit
from it,
Ii, however, the gentleman from New York
is satisfied Of the correctness of the positions he
lays down--if he is convinced that the Ameri.
can manufacturers can manufacture as cheap
as the English, provided they can have the raw
material as good terms--f he is satisfied
that native wool can be afforded as cheap as