Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-07

men, separated from the other sex, work in apart
lnohis' large, airy, we'll warmed, add spacious.--
Neatly dressed with ruddy complcNons and happy |
couhtenanccs, they watch the work before them,
mend the broken threads, and place the exhausted
balls or breaches. At stated hours they are called
TO their moals, and go and return with light and
cheerful step. At night they separate and repair
to their respective houses. under the care OF mo-
thcr, guardian, friend. "SiN days shall thou la
Dor and do all thou hast To do but the seventh day
is tho Sabbath of the Lord thy God" According
ingly, we behold them, on that sacred day, assem-
blcd together in His temples, and in devotional at |
titudcs and with pious countcnanccs, offering their
prayers to Heaven for all it's blessings, OF which II
rs not the least that system OF policy has been a.
doptcd by their country, which admits OF their OBJ
tanning comfortable subsistence Manufactures
have brought into profitable employment vast a.
mount of female labor, which, without Thorn, would
no lost to the country.
In respect TO woollcns, every gentlcmans own |
observation and experience will onablo him to
Judgu of the proit reduction of price which has
taken place in most Of those articles, since the Ia
riff of 1924. 1t would have been still greater, but |
for tho high duty of the raw material imposed for
the particular benefit of tho farming interest. But
without gong into particular details, shall limit
myself to inviting the attention OF the Senate TO
single article oi general and necessary The
protection given to auncis in 1898 fully AIDE.
quatc. 1t has csablcd the American manu- ctu.
rer to obtain complete possession of the Ancri.
can market; and now, let us look at the effect, |
have before statement from highly respect
upic ncTCantnc nouSc, showing the price
of four descriptions of flannel, during six
years. The average price of them, in 1926
was thiry.cight and threc-quarter cents; in
1927, thirty-clght in 1898, Ohe year of
the tariff forty.six; in 1929 lhir,y.six in 1890
Notwithstanding the advance in the price of WOOL
thrtytwo: and in 1881, thirty-two and one quarter
These facts require no comments. | have before
me another statement, of practical and respecta
oie man, well versed IN the flannel manufacture
III America and England, demonstrating that tho
cost OF manufacture is precisely the Sd me in both
countries; and that, although I yard of flannel
winch would sell England at fifteen cents,
would command here twenty-five, the difference of
seven cents Is the exact difference between the
duties In the Two countries, which are paid on the
SIX OUNCES OF wool contained in Il yard of flannel
brown sugar, during ten years, from 1892 to
loV%, WIN duty OF ore and half cents per
pound, averaged fourteen cents per Mound The
same article during ten years, from 1920 to 1890
WIN duty OF three cents has averaged ONLY
eight cents per pound. Nails, with duty of five
cents per pound, are selling at six cents. Window
glass, eight by ten, prior TO the tariff Of 1924
sold at twelve thirteen dollars per hundred feet;
1t now sells for three dollars sevcnty-fivc cents
The gentleman from South Carolina, sensible of
.he hcontestlble fact of the very great reduction
IN the prices of the nccessaries of life protected nv
the American System, has felt tho full force of il
ana has presented various explanations of the eau.
scs TO which he ascribes it, The first is the di.
n'h'shed production of the precious metals, in
consequence of the distressed state of the coun
tries in which they arc extracted and the consc
qucnt increase of their value relative to that of
the commodities for which they are EXCHANGED.
But, II this be the true OF the reduction of
price, It's operation ought to have been general
on oil Objects, and of course upon cotton among
the rest And, in point of fact, the diminished
price OF that staple is not greater than the dninu-
zen oil mo value of other staples of our agrcul.
turc. Flour, which comma ndcd, some wears oro
ten or twelve dollars per barrel is now sold for
i've The fall of tobacco has been still more The
hhe loot OF Maryland, which sold at from Six
teen to twenty dollars per hundred now prcducas
only tour or hvc That of Virginia has sustained
an equal decline. Beef, pork, every article al
NEST, produced by the farmer, has decreased in
value. Ought not South Carolina then to submit
quietly 10 state of things, which is general and
proceeds from an uncomfortable cause7-Ought
she to ascrbe to the accurscd" tariff what results
from the calamites of civil and foreign war raging
IN many countries?
But, sir, do not subscribe to this doctrine i'm.
Plicity do not believe that the diminished pro.
duction OF the precious metals if that be the fact
satisfactorily accounts TO the fall in prices: For
THINK that the augmentation of the currency of
the world, by means of banks, public stocks and
other facilities arising out of exchange and credit
has more than supplied any deficiency i'm tho n
mount of the precious metals.
IL is further urged that the restoration of peace
IN Europe, after the battle Of Waterloo and the
consequent return to peaceful pursuits of large
masses OF It's population, by greatly increasing the
aggregate amount of effective labor had n tenden
cy to lower prices; and undoubtedly such OUGHT to
nave been Its natural tendency. The same cause
however, must also have operated to reduce tho
price OF our agricultural produce, for which there
was no longer the same demand in peace as in
war-and 1T did so operate. But its Influence on
the price of manufactured articles between the
general peace of Europe in 1915, and the adopt
ION of our tariff in 1924, was less scnsbly felt.
because perhaps much larger portion of the Ia
Dor, liberated by the dsba ndment of armies, was
absorbed by manufactures than by agriculture IL
Is also contendcd that the invention and improve
mont OF labor saving machinery have tended TO
lessen the price of manufactured objects of con-
and undoubtedly this cause has had
some effect. Ought not America to contribute bor
quota of this cause, and has she not by her skill
and extraordinary adaptation to the arts in truth.
largely contributed TO III
Tins bfIngs me TO consider what, I apprehend
to have been the most efficient of all the causcs il,
the reduction of the prices OF manufactured arti
Giles, and that is, COMPETITION By competi,ion
the total amount of the supply, is increased ond bv
increase of the supply, n competition in the sale
ensucs, and this enables the consumer to bnv
at lower rates. or all human powers operating on
the affairs of mankind none is greater than that oC
competition. 1T is action and reaction. 1t one
rates between individuals in the same nation and
between different nations II resembles the rno,t
ing of the mountain torrent, growing bv IFS prc
cIpltous motion, lis own channel and oceans tide
-unopposed, 1T sweeps every thing be fore il; bu,
counterpolsed, the waters become calm safe and
regular III Is like The scgmcnts of Il circle or an
arch; taken separately, each is nothing; but in |
their combination, they produce efficiency svmmc-
try, and perfection. BY the American SYSTEM this
vast power has been excited in America and |
brought INTO being to act in cooperation or COLI
sion with European industry. Europe acts within
itself, ard with America and America acts within
itself, and with Europe. The consequences is. the
reduction of prices i'll both hcn,isphcrcs Nor ;s If |
fair to argue, from tho reduction Of prices in En-
rope, to her own presumed skill and labor, excIu.