The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-03-14

tHiS9' "iiu "ooleh iaDrics, ana the subs stence O
the various persons directly indirectly employeC
IN the growth and manufacture of the article n
wool Is estimated at hundred and sixty seven
millions OF dollars. and the number of persons al
one hundred and fifty thousand
The value OF iron, considered as a raw material
ana OF Its manufactures, estimated at twenty-sjy
millions OF dollars per annum. Cotton goods. ex.
elusive of the capital vested in the manufacture
and OF the cost of the raw material are believed
to amount annually, to about twenty millions OF
dollars.
These estimates have been carefully made. by
practical men, oil undoubted character who have
brought together and embodied their info nation
Anxious to avoid the charge of exaggeration, they
have sometimes placed their estimates below what
was believed 70 be the actual amount of these in
terests. With regard to the quantity of bar and
other iron annually produced, it is derived from
the known works themselves and know some in
Western States which they have omitted in their
calculations
Such are some of the items Of this vast system
OF protection, which it is proposed TO abandon.
w might well pause and contemplate if human
Imagination could conceive tile extent Of mis-
chief and ruin fran its total overthrow before we
proceed to tie work of destruction Its duration
is worthy, also, Of serious consideration. Not 10
go behind the constitution its date is coeval with
that instrument. 1t began on the ever memorable
4th day of July--the 18th day of July, 1889. The
second act which stands recorded in the statute
book bearing the iustrious signature of Georre
Washington, laid the corner stone of the whole
system That there might be no mistake about
the matter it was then solemnly proclaimed to the
American People and to the world, that it was
necessary for f;he encouragement and protection of
manufactures" that dntes should be laid. 1t was
in vain to urge the small amount of the measure of
protection then extended The preat nrincinle
was then established by the fathers of the consti-
tuition, with the Father Of his Country at their
head. And it cannot now be questioned that if
the Government had not then been new and the
subject untreG greater measure of protection
would have been applied, if it had been supposed
necessary Shortly after the master minds of lief
ferson and Hamilton were brought to act on this
Interesting subject. Taking views of il appertain-
ing to the departments of foreign affairs and of the
treasury, which they respectively filled thew nre-
scented, severally, reports which vet remain mon
uments OF their profound wisdom and came to the
same conclusion of protection to American indus
try. Mr.. Jefferson argued that foreign restric-
tions foreign prohibitions and foreign high duties
ought to be met al home by American restrictions
American prohibitions, and American biph duties
Mr.. Hamilton. surveying the entire ground. and
looking IL the inherent nature of the subject treat
ed it with an ability which, fever equalled has not
been surpassed, and earnestly recommended pro.
lection.
The wars of the French Revolution commenced
about this period and streams of gold poured into
the United States through thousand channels.
opened and enlarged bv the successful commerce
which our neutrality enabled us to prosecute We
forgot or overlooked, IN the general prosperity the
necessity of encouraging our domestic manufac-
lures Then came the edcts of Napoleon, and
the British orders in council and our embargo,
nou-importation, and war, follow
ed in rapid succession.
, These national measures, amounting to a total
Suspension for the period of their DURATION of our
foreign commerce, afforded the most eificacious
encouragement to American manufactures; and,
accordingly, they every where sprung up. Whilst
these measures ofrestricton and this state of war
continued, the manufacturers we're stimulated in
their enterprises by every of support BY
public sentiment, and by legislative resolves. 1t
was ABOUT that period (l0t3) that South Carolina
bore her high testimony to the wisdom of the poll
cy, In an act OF her Legislature, the preamble of
winch now before me, reads, Whereas the es-
taollshmentand encouragement OF domestic manu-
idctures Is conducive to the interest OF State by
aou;hg new incentives to Industry. and as being
productions OF the agrIeuiturIst nHu "1errGs'' IA
the present uhexampied state oil the world, their
ESTABLISHMENT IN our country is not only expedl-
eht, put politlc, IN rendering us independent OF
foreign nations Inc Legislature. mol being COM
peteht TO ahord tle most ehcacious aid' by lmpos-
ing outeS on ore9h r'at afticles proceeded to In
corporate company.
1919, Out there dld not return with II the golden
Gays which preceded the edicts leVeled at our
c"ui ~ ny ufeat britain ana france. IL louno
ali Europe tranqullly resumlng the arts and the
BUSINESS oil civil ne IL iouhu Europe no longer
'he CONSUMER oi our surplus, anu the employer oil
our navigation, nut eNcluding, or heaVlly burden
ing almost all the productions oil our agriculture
ana our rivals IN manufactures, IN navigation and
IN commerce; IL iouhu our country, IN snort, In
toialy uileteut from all lhe past-new
ana unttied. IL became necessary to adapt our
laws, and especially our laws OF mpost, to the new
IN which we found ourselves, Ac-
coiulhgy' that eminent ano lainehteu Cltizeh, tnen
ut the mead o 'ae treasury, MI Daiias) was re-
quHed oy resolution OF tle Rouse OF representa-
tYes under date the 23d oil February, l8lo to pre-
pare and report TO the succeeding session OF Con-
Efess system OF revenue conlormaole with the
actual condltion oil the country lie had the cir
Gle oil whole year TO perform the work, consult
ed merchants, manufacturers, and other practical
men, and opened an extensive correspondence
The report which he made, at the session of 1916,
was the result OF his inquiries and reflections and
emoodes the principles which he thought applica-
bic to the subject 1t has been said that the tariff
OF 1910 was measure OF mere revenue; and that
1t only reduced the war duties to-a peace standard.
Ii is true that the question then was, how much,
and In what way, should the double duties of the
war he reuuced Now, also, the question'is, on
what articles shall the duties be reduced SO as to
subject the amount of the future revenue to the
wants Of the Government Then it was deemed
an inquiry of the first Importance, as it should be
now, how the reduction should be made, so as to
secure proper encouragement TO our domestic in
dustry. That this was leading object in the ar
rangement of the tariff of 1916, ] well remember
and it is demonstrated by the language of Mr.. Dali
las. He says, in his report There are few, il
any Governments, which do not regard the estao-
lishment of domestic manufactures as a chief OBJ
Ject of public policy. The United States have al
ways so regarded it. y The de.
mands of the country, while the acquisition of sup
plies from foreign nations was either prohibited OF
impracticable, may have afforded a sufficient in.
ducemant FL tbis investment ne capitaI aud tb;s