Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-09-27
seed, and whoever propagates it by cut
tings, layers or innoculation will be abun-
dainty recompensed for his expenditure and
labor.-Ibid.
STATE POLICY.

STATE POLICY.
The act lately passed by the leg.~.ature
of Massachusetts,, giving bounty of 80
on every pound of raw silk growed and
reeled within the Commonwealth, is one Of
those master pieces of state policy for
which her legislators have long been dis
tinguished. Though it is highly creditable
to the intelligence of the members, and the
amount disbursed under its provisions will
bring forth its "hundred fold;" yet there
are probably some, making high preten-
sions to thorough knowledge ofpolitical
economy, who will consider it a proluse, if
not a wanton and wasteful, expenditure of
public treasure, and be disposed to censure
them for reckless disregard of the public
interest. A narrow and short sighted poll.
cy would doubtless condemn the law, and
all appropriations made under it, as pro-
fligate expenditure of the peoples money {;
while at the same time the political econo-
mist who takes an enlarged and enIgbten'
ed view of the consequences which must
inevitably result from it, will pronounce it
the perfection Of political wisdom. A de-
tail ofthe circumstances under which the
law was passed, and its effects upon the
agricultural and other interests Of the state,
will show that we are not mistaken in our
ideas concerning it.
The culture and manufacture of silk has
for time been engrossing the attention of
most of the States in the Union, several OF
which have been endeavoring to introduce
and foster it by Legislative bounty of 81 on
every hundred mulberry trees, and SO cents
on every pound of reeled silk. This gave
the business little start, and made Con-
necticut the most favorable State for en-
gaging in it on account of the bounty, all
other advantages being equal. Massachu-
sets followed by offering the same bounty
on every pound of reeled or thrown silk.
Vermont, seeing Connecticut and Massa-
chusetts filling up with mulberry trees,
and inviting the growers Of silk to settle
within their limits and avail themselves of
their lberality, endeavored to attract their
attention towards her genial soil and climate
by offering them a still more muni6cent
bounty. An act giving bounty of 10
cents on every pound of cocoons made
within the State, was passed at the last ses-
sion of the Legislature. Maine, also, finding
that her soil and climate were adapted to the
cultivation ofthe mulberry ndrearing ofthe
silk worm, and not being content with the
avais other lumber and granite, invited the
silk grower to visit her, as an induce ment,
in addition to the low price flands, offer
ed him a bounty of 5 cents apound upon
cocoons. New York was also enticing the
Yankees to leave New England and settle
in some part of her vast dominions. With
these offers before them the silk growers
were balancing in their minds the compare.
tive advantages and disadvantages of these
respective States, when Massachusetts,
magnanimously comes forward and offers
them So pound for every pound Of silk
they will grow, reel and throw within her
jurisdiction during a period ofseven years.
Six Cuhurist.