Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-02-10

the parent country W liiS SolvtiSS uiiSaS
employed in the new channels opened Tor
them, in supplies from abroad.
Reciprocity, or an equivalent for it, is the
only rule of intercourse among independent
communities and no nation ought to admit
a doctrine, or adopt an invariable policy, |
which precludes the counteractlng measures
necessary to enforce the rule.
2. The Theory supposes, moreover per-
petual peace a supposition, it is to be feared,
not less chimerical than universal freedom
Of commerce.
The effect of war among the commercial
and manufacturing nations of, the world, In
yaising the wages of labour, and the cost of
its products with like effect on the charg-
es of freight and insurance, need neither
proof nor explanation. In order to deter
mine, therefore, question on economy, be-
tween depending on foreign supplies, and
encouraging domestick substitutes, it is nee
essary to compare the probable periods of
war with the probable periods peace; and
the cost of domestick encouragement in
times of peace, with the cost added to for
eign articles in times Of war.
During the last century, the periods of
war and peace have been nearly equal. The
G1kCCt Va q S1o@C VI w ~ IA AoASluS tiO RAA~C
of imported articles, cannot be estimated
with exactness. 1t is certain, however, that
the increased price Of particular articles
may make it cheaper t. manufacture them
at home.
Taking, for the, sake of illustration, an
equality in two periods, and the cost of an
imported yard of cloth in time Of war. to be
niue and half dollars, and in time of peace
to be seven dollars, whilst the same could at
all times be manufactured at home for eight
dollars, it is evident that tariff of one dol
lar and a quarter on the imported yard
would protect the home manufacture in time
of peace, and avoid tax of one dollar and a
half imposed by state of war.
It cannot be said that the manufactures
which could not support themselves against
foreign competition in periods of peace,
would spring up of themselves at the recur-
renee of war prices. 1t must be obvious to
every one, that apart from the difficulty of
great and sudden changes of employment
no prudent capitalist would engage in ex-
pensive establishments of any sort, at the
commencement of a war of uncertain dura-
ton, with certainty ofhaving them crush
ed by the return of peace.
The strickest economy therefore sug-
gests, as exceptions to the general rule, an
estimate, in every given case, of war and
peace periods and prices, with differences
therefrom, of the amount of a tariff which
might be afforded during peace, in order to
avoid the tax resulting from war. And it
will occur at once, that the differences will
be strengthened by adding to the SUPPOSE
ton of wars wholly foreign, that of wars
IN which our own country might be par
~.
3. 1t is an opinion in which all must agree,
that no nation ought to be unnecessarily de-
pendent on others for the munitions of pub
lick defence, or for the materials essential
to naval force, where the nation has a
maritime frontier or foreign commerce to
protect. To this class of exceptions to the
theory may be added the instruments of az
riculture, and of the mechanick arts which
supply the other primary wants of the COM
munity. The time has been, when many Of
these were derived from foreign source,
and some of them might relapse into that
dependence, were the encouragement to the
fabrication of them at home withdrawn
But, as all foreign sources must be liable to
Interruptions too inconvenient to be hazard
SNt - PAb'AdOns pO1lOy WO0lQ ldtOuI liz
ternal and independent source, as reason
able exception to the general rule Of consult
ing cheapness alone.
4. There are cases where nation may
be so far advanced in the prerequisites for .
particular branch Of manufacture, that this,
1T once brought into existence, would sup
port itself; and yet, unless aided in its mas
cent and infant state, by publick encourage
ment and confidence in publick protection,
might remain, if not altogether, for long
time uninterrupted, or attempted without sue
cess. Is not our cotton manufacture a fair
example? However favoured by an advan-
tageous command of the raw material, and
q machinery which dispenses in so extraor-
binary proportion with manual labour, it is
quite probable, that without the impulse Civ
en- by war cutting off foreign supplies, and
the patronage of an early tariff, it might not
even yet establish itself; and pretty certain
that 1t would be far short of the prosperous
condition which enables it to face, in foreign
markets, the fabricks of nation that defies
all other competitors. The number must be
small, that would now pronounce this manu-
featuring boon not to have been cheaply
purchased by the tariff which nursed it into
its present maturity.
3. Should thappen as has been suspected
10 De an object, though not Of a foreign goy-4
eminent ITSELF of its great manufacturing
capitalists, to strangle in the cradle the in
fant manufactures of an extensive customer,
or an anticipated rival, it would surely. in |
such case, be incumbent on the suffering
party, so tar to make an exception to the
"let alone" policy, as to parry the evil by
opposite regulations of its foreign COM
merce.
9. 1t is common objection to the publick
encouragement of particular branches of
industry, that it calls off labourers from 9TH
er branches found to be more profitable
and the objection is in general a weighty
one. But it looses that character in proper
ton to the effect of the encouragement in
attracting skilful labourers from abroad.
something of this sort has already taken
place among ourselves, and much more of it
Is In prospect; and as far as it has taken
OF may take place, il forms an execution TO