Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-05-13
fProu the Boston Ban State Drmoerat, May 81
THE TARlEE QUESTIONING. ..

Gle alone is worth more than the price OF The numoer
[Sarannah Georgian.
| fr,om Ar Boston BON State Democrat, May 81
THE TARIFF QUESTION No. 81
We propose 10 examine the connection eSs'ing oe-
tween the price paid for labor ana the cost OF piouu.
ton The theory is prevalent, that Inc one Is eh''ei
dependent the oherthat ~, that the cheapness OF
production is in an exact ratio to the price paiu TOT
| nbor. With this doctrine we have sympathy.
OF course The price paid for labor forms part OF the
expense of manufacturing but we do not deem u Of
sufficient importance to be considered criterion ne
history of the industry of own country furnishes
an example in point The free and well paid labor OF
The North has been in competition with The UNPAID
labor of the South for more than hafa century. Does
any one say that the Northern aboer receives less Tor
his services than he would were slavery abolished =
Take the wheat growing States OF the two sections,
and observe the comparative prosperity of each Now,
if the Of production were IN proportion 10 Tue
price pad for labor the slave States would have an
immense superorily-that they have not tins supeT'-
ory shows that other causes determine Inc COST OF pro-
ductIon. -
Servile labor is every where unProductive. This is
the character of most OF the labor OF Europe. Where
YER the aborer poorly paid, lie becomes by degrees
degraded and incapable of making progress IN the art
or business which he purSues such man never
rises above the condition of menia and II can make
no difference whether he be African the savannas
of the South the degraded and haggard operative OF
Manchester or Paisley. When the ar,zan is sufficient
y paid to enjoy the luxury Of an occasional glance al
work OF science, or an nour ATTENTION I'D
mens which may be going around him, he par
takes of The common feeling, and is perhaps, the Tor
tunate dscoverer or inventor by which the product.
veness Of labor is wonderfully increased Thus, IN
France where the operative is more poorly re-
warded than in England the cotton spindle has never
been made to perform more than 1000 revolutions per
minu,e-in England 4 COO revolutions have been at
taned-while in this couotry 5000 revolutions were
performed years since, and recent invention
promises 10000 revolutions per minute Here IS an
Dg n.a1l a 1ahn IN q
courage progress, while pauper labor, like machine
only moves when propelled. Mr.. Montgomery, who
has for many bee acquainted with manufacturing
in England and this country, gives an analytical state
ment of the expense of making cotton fabrics IN
The two countries and proves that the latter has de-
cided advantage In this department of industry We
observe the superiority Of well paid labor over pauper
labor II is within few years that representation
made by certain manufacturers TO Parliament 'hal
without prot,cnn the American manufacturers could
their cheap col;o,s into the markets OF England,
and underseli the domestic manufacturer Here Is
| sing uar anomaiy-the English and American manu-
fac;urer each asking protection OF their respective
| Governments against the competition of the other.
Ii is within The recollection of the prt~rnt generation
that India cottons but seldom seen, were oEce
common in all our markets. The laborer in India re-
ceves from two four per day for his services,
vet he is unable TO compete with the American laborer,
who earns from one dollar TO two dollars per day
Even the females IN mills paid at least twelve
=
British home Government has found 1t necessary TO
adopt ne policy with reference 10 lis possessions IN
lnda-exclude oil goods, except OF British manu-.
facure. Now, if goods could be manufactured IN Eng
land al less than in this country, why interpose
legislation
In England manufacturing is carried on almost OK
clusvey by steam power which is every where more
expensive than water power. As every ingredient IS
taxed by duties in England, unless il IL cotton the eX-
pense is considerably increased BY admitting all the
materials of manufacturing duty free, the expense IS
proportiona,ely diminished We believe il is the OPT
MON of intelligent wooen manufacturers, that were It
not for duty wool they should be able 10 sustain
themselves without any duty on their goods Yet II
cannot be denied that the duty wool has ony afurd
ed very uncertain protection 10 the wool.growers, as
all woods costing less than eight cents in the countries
from where they come admitted Tree. II the wool
growers permitted 10 buy their woolens, cotons
sugar molasses and other necessaries of life nj their
natural prices have no idea that they will be Im-
: FORTUNATE for the aid Of the government.
II is remarkable fact, worth noticing that the cot
ion mar uacuEe in England which until lately has re-
ceived the opposition rather than the support OF the
yernmen has ilourshed much better than the woolien
manufacture which has always been the sub ect OF an1
ious socitude. In The reign of ---- an act was
passed making it penal to bury the dead in any thing
but wonllen. The French Government, on the other
hand paid particular attention 10 the cotton
facture, and yet il has been remarkable for It's
success but rather Tor the anguor which has always al
tended the enterprise. The silk culture and manuiac
ture have received the support Of this
Government but in several States considerable profit
has been realized by the unprotected pursuit OF the bu.
siness 1t will be recoeccd that the silk bust
ness pursued in those foreign countries where labor
very cheap-lnda, China, Italy and France. In all
those countries labor is poorly compensated than
in England If the cost Of production were in an eS
act ratio the proe paid for labor, apprehend that
Amer can silk would even now be unknown. For &C.
yeny wears the silk business has been pursued in the
little town of Mansfield, CT, with almost uninterrup
ed success There at present three factories which
/ annually produce about $50 900 worth of silk We
were recently informed by intelligent gentleman
connected with the business, that it good as
other kinds affordng living profit TO the manufnc
turer and adequate return 10 the farmer. A few
wears nce the government of the State appropriated
SIS 900, which had been received as bonus for bank
charter, the encouragement of the business
more extended scale. The scheme entire fail
urc: thus adding more to numerous instances of
the ncompetency of government 10 superintent
courage business.
There seems 10 be in the laws of business retro
active power which, like the laws Of physiology, pu
nish every transgression.
| The most remarkable efforts Of the protective Ia
riff system may be found in the history Of the attempt
which France is making to produce sugar from the beet
root 1t is about ten years since the Government
commenced the protection Of the business The guam
,ity produced since the adoption Of this policy 1884,
coo pounds on which the people have paid in the form
Of duty s Is 500, 900, than they would have paid
for the same quantity o: colonial sugar More than
100 merchant vessels employing 5000 men have been
driven from the colonial trade the colonies themselves
have been deprived of the means Of purchasing the
productions Of the mother country, and while she is
enabled TO produce her sugars, large amount OF
the trade causing the destruction Of her commerce.
has been thrown into the hands Of Great Britain and
the u. s. Thus may observe how far principal
object independents OF other Satss-has bsea at