Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-12-15

for the most favorable aniicipaiions Who
that Is acquainted with the genius and charac-
Ter OF our people for enterprise and pcrsevcr-
ance. who can doubt, thai with the impulse
now given to the silk culture in our country,
It's onward course is to a high destination
a. And IS there an American bosom inwhich
awells one spark OF patriotism and phiIanfhro-
~, but that would most srdently wish thisi
AS statesman and political economists, is Il
wise policy in us to pay out millions to other
nations for that which we can just as well pro-
auce ourselves, To run in debt TO Europe for
\ single article 10 an amount far exceeding all
'$ur exports, with the single exception OF cot
aon, Is or 30 millions Of dollars per annum;
--s.-a-.. She helxpea ef itade against "a, and
thus impoverish ourselves to enrich ofhcfs
As ph,ianfhropisfs; can we do otherwise than
give our best wishes and cordial aid to a
branch OF industry which will give employ
ment and a comfortable support To thousands
N our land, whom poverty, misfortune, age
md infirmity have placed in necessitous cir
tumstances; TO the children of the poor in our
large towns and cities, who are growing pin.
heness and vice to females who are depend
, ant upon the painful and precarious abors Of
tho needle for scanty subsistence, and to the
aged and infirm who are disqualified for more
laborious employment, In the just language
Of the editor Of the Silk farmer, "In all our
large cities, where female suffering is the most
intense, and in every agricultural district of
our widely extended country, the blessings at
tendant Of the progress of the silk culture, will
fall with grateful beneicence upon this Deepen
dent and neglected portion Of our population.
child of twelve years old, or an aged person,
unable 10 follow any laborious employment,
will attend, during the feeding season to as
! many worms as wW make twenty-five pounds
| Of raw silk. The same individual will reel
pound of silk per day. Cannot the reader of
this recall to his remembrance some destitute
famlly-some widow with numerous group
/ OF suffering children, to whom domestic en-
ployment of this kind would indeed be bles-
sing' Or slime lonely and aged female, too
feeble to labor, too good for the oor-house
whom steady fre-side occupation at the silk
reel, might lift up into the sunshine of grateful
Independence, Considerations of this kind
expand the sympathies Of the human heart
and make the subject as interesting to feeling
and philanthropy, as it ought to be to private
interest or commercial enterprise"
| There is but one point more on which we
wish TO offer a remark; and that is, the benefit
that would result to the silk culture by layinp
ia duty on foreign silks. This benefit would
bipocdiatuiy be felt; il would give . new i'm,
pulse to the silk business check the influence
on foreign silks, and the consequent draining
Of our country Of its money-enable our man
ufacturers to compete with those of Europe,
and establish the silk culture on firm and
immovable basis. 1t is certainly the tue poll
! cy Of government to cherish its home indus
try, to encourage its own manufactures by pro-
tective duties We hope that Congress, con-
sulting the true interests Of the nation, will
take the subject into early consideration, and
lay at least moderate duty on silks. In the
mean while, let the friends of the cause make
known their wishes by memorialzng that
honorable body, to whom is confded the in
terests of the nation. With this remark we
leave the subject to ADLER pens; hoping that
though we may not have thrown any new light
upon, nor convinced single sceptic, we may
! at least have presented the subject in such a
view as to ensure the favorable consideration
of all. w. w. B.
/ Culiir0tor.