The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-02-11
NO. 90.

! OF the whole market, and thus cripple, embarrass,
and finally stop, every loom, and PROSTATE every
establishment that Is managed and carried on by
moderate means Sir, such an operation requires
but Il very small deduction from the yearly divi-
dend orthc combined capitalists and the scheme
once carried out, the price can again be raised mot
only in its former amount, but be much increased
The gentleman from Massachusetts, mir Hun
soN,] would have US believe that the operatives
and the laboreIs in your mills are benefited by the
protl;liye pOliCy-that your tariff Is increased,
tn ii wages are raised. But, sir, does not unveT-
sal experience cotradlc the position When was
such thing known as an operative or aborer hay
ing his wages increased in consequence of an in
crease ofiarif: Never sir, never. The history
of manufacturing re cords no such event. Thesala-
lies Of your agents may be increased, aud the
dividends of yoar capilosts rolled M, but the ope-
raycs and " poor labOrcrs,' of whom the gentle
man speaks and from whom he would seem TO
| manifest so much sympathy, are always forgotten
! in the distribution Of the spoils, Why, sir, had
almost lncied while listening to the gentleman from
Massachusetts, that he was rahearslng TO US por-
! tlns Of his eleconeering speeches in the campaign
/ of 1910. II sounded very like some CT the Wing
| promises orthOse days, Of which may perhaps
| speak more fully before taking my seat. | know,
sir, that high wages were fully and freely promis-
ed, as part Of the fruits of victory to be attained,
| and know, too, how sldly those promises havo
| been realized Would the gentleman have us be-
ieve that the mammoth manufacturing capitalist
has any sympathy for the operatives aud laborers
| in his mills Sir, he cannot be so ignorant hu-
man nature and the experience Of all mankind, al
seriously to contend for such proposition. Sir,ii
it not notorious, hat the only time that any sympa-
thy is maiiested for them,s just upon the eve cfan
important election? Then their condition il most
! Theoretically lancntcd, and with accompanying
promises of better time, their votes modestly re-
quested Or, in case OF any Manifestations OF indie
pendenrc, are they not then told significantly,
that unless they support the interests oithcir
ployerS, aud vote as they shall dictate, they must
seek employment and compensation elswliere -
Talk sir, Of protective tariff being shared by tho
labOrer. In how many instances, before he can
enter the MILL does he have 10 ngree to take such
4 portion Of his very earnings in goods from the
stores of the company, which charge him as they
mas please Of what avail is it, that the wages
may be raised few shngs, to silence dissns-
fiction, and qucl che.!'ons, when those shngs
are charged in the increaed price of the goods, or
the advance rates Of rent; No, sir, no. SO long
as human nature Is as it is, the laborng man must
never expect real sympathy from corporation in
any shape, much less from those mamm 9th ones.
which not only have the power 10 break down all
individual cXertions, but destroy many lesser and
well conducted establishments orther own kindred.
\ capitalists does not, will not, cannot, syrpathiZn
with the employers in his mills. lie secs them not
he knows them not. lie enters not into tn r feel
ing, and prvations. lie knows nothing of their
tolls aud, sir, had almost said, that The idea was
ahsard that he should ever think Of sharing with
him the gains which may be derived from p:oec-
tive arlE
Tho genloman from Massachusetts, in bis zeal
| Al, a., 4 ! r
the gentleman, must be permitted TO say upon
this point at least it appears TO me " zeal without
know led e'-urgas, that by laying heavy duties
and carry ing the protective policy, YOU eEcour-
uge and benefit commerce. If by commerce the
gentleman means his trade in mop handles and
cloths pias, and other similar articles Of which he
spoke, upon which there j. no duty one way or the
other, | will not stop 10 combat his argument or
conrovert his position; bat IT, sir, he means the
great trade and commerce Of the world, and the
exchange fom nation to nation ofthe products, com
nodiles, and manufacturers of different cimes,
then SO fur from his being correct, the reverse il
most evidently the case. The.hisher the duty, the
less viii be the Imporlatlon', and consequently tho
less the exports; and, as you cut off aud diminish
the imports and exports, you stop the trade with
foreign nations, necessarily PROSTATE commerce,
and Diurc, f not ruin those who may lie engaged in
>,
bold and hardy tars, be turned loose without en-
ploymcn', without support, aud in too many cases,
without friends. The gentleman from Kentucky,
[NIr MAHsHALI.,] who spoke so eoqucntly tho
her day upon tia sane side of the question as tho
gentleman From Massachusetts, urged rs II special
argument WHY the protective policy should be car
REL out, that the present manufacturers had for
merly been engaged in commerce, tina, the embar-
20 had destroyed their trade and that nov, when
they had turned their attention 10 manufacturers,
and cngaged their capital in prosecuting the bust
ness, they ought to be projected, even at the ex-
pcnse of commerce.
But, sir, the gentleman from Massachusetts, in
fOrms Ms. that not only is commerce to he benefit
cd by the protective system, but that agriculture
also Is to receive advantages from it. lndccd, ac-
cordng to bis judgement, every class and occupn-
ton is to receive visor and lie and flourish he
meath its benign influences. We are TO have, sir,
the most unparalleled prosperity, if we will only
foster and project the Commonwealth Of Mussa-
cuselts in all her notions her schemes, and her en-
tcrprises But the gentleman must know, or al all
events he ought 10 know, that the Hgricuuris, nei-
thGr asks nor needs protection. With our immense
fertile fields and productive soil, fhe farlner can 20
into the marhc, OF the world without fear of being
put down by competition. We already produce,
US before stated, tens of millions Of value Yearly
over and above what the people Of this country can
con umc. And no foreigner can bring into our mar
kets, even free duty, the agricultural products
Of other nations, aud conc at all in coucpeiilion
with orr producers. II cannot be done. They
cannot raise so cheap, neither have they any thing
TO spare Even now, scarce vessel enters our
harbors, that does not bring sichcning tales of dis
lress and misery from the Old World, of Il half
starved and furnishing people. You may talk Of
the protection ofour farmers against the impnria-
lion Of foreign agricultural products, and Gynu
please lay duties, and possibly some NAV be de-
cci,ed thereby, but il is a mere fetch, and cannot
serve any purposes further that to blind the eyes of
some honest but yet uniformed producer
Because oppose the protective policy, may
perhaps be charged with desire 10 break down
our manufacturing establishments. Bat. sir, it ia
not SO. have them all about me, ia the State
which have the honor in part TO represent, and I
am graiiied at their progress and Advancement. I
would not see one oflhem stop. There are ,rnanv
of them smaller establishments, welding bat mod
crate capitals. and satisfied with moderate gains.