The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-01-14
From tae Journal ofCommorce.
TALKS ABOUT THE HOME LEAGUE.

TALKS ABOUT THE HOME LEAGUE.
NO. |.
RodgerS.-Friend White | like this home League:
these resolutions Of the Convention are Just the
thing: | like something Ameican--ths having ev-
cry thing foreign, is not according to my notions.
Don't You think il is time something were done TO
protect domestic industry?
Wite.-l think such course should be taken
MS will give to industry the largest reward, and
promote the highest prosperity of the country.
Ro!ecr'--Don't you think this Lcngue will do
something towards that
White " hat can it do? what would il do?
RoIgela--Get Congress TO lay a high duty on
all things that can be manufactured at home and to
prohibit the goods Of all nations that will not re-
ceiye ours,
Uhiie-Wonld that be Of service 10 American
industry, and promote the prosperity of the coun-
try:
o}gtrS,-Certainy: if we manufacture for
ourselves, we shall have something TO do; our la
bOrers will have employment, and good wages
had rather give work 10 my own countrymen than
to foreigners.
Hhiie-i entirely agree with you, that the in
dustry of our fellow citizens should have prefer
ence given 10 it, over that Of foreigners; hut am
not sure that yours is the right way TO do it, You
do not suppose that the industry employed in do
nestle manufactures, in consequence of "A Tariff, is
so much added to the industry of the nation-is so
much clear gain'
Ro9gers,-Whnt'
Hhic,-You do not suppose tina, the men who
nrc not employed in WOODEN factories would be idle
if no such factories existed in our country
RoigerS.-No, don't suppose they would be
idle; they must do something
IT.. l. l. IL I
they get it;
RogcrS.-I must he imported from abroad.
Ulue.-llow would it be paid ior'
Rogers,--In specie most likely.
U1Hc.--llow would they get The specie'
Roigers,---Why they would have 10 raise
grain or something else, and sell it and set the spe-
Gle.
IIdHc.- Well; ifinstend Of making cloth, they
raise wheat aud send it to South America aud get
specie, and send that to England aud get more
cloth for six months work than they could make in
that time, where is the harm' Is not tie cloth
which is thus received Giom abroad, us really the
product Of American industry, as if it were manu-
featured hCrc'
Rorcrs--Tt is TO hasurc; though il don't seem
so Al first slew: But how do You prove that we get
mere cloth By importing in exchange for other pro-
duets, than By making it oursel'es'
JIhHe,--1 he very fact that tariff is called for
10 enable the domestic manufacturer to come in.
to the nurlcr, is an acknowledgement that cloth
can he Ind from abroad cheaper than il can be
made at home, Now tha cheaper it is, the mere
easily is it procured,
dRy9sy S S5 a2y !H'% TO- paI w FL for
egn nations will not sell to US, and hence there
viii be no need ola Iariil'io enable the dones-
nc manufacturer, TO compete with the foreigner.
lfihc foreigner will not sell TO U.s. The manufacture
or has the market 10 himself
R0lge,s-WelI think we ought TO take care
of our own people, and let other nations take care
Of themselves.
Halle! hive as great regard for the interests
OF our countrymcn rs YOU have Let US rcnrm-
her that the question IT, will the interests of our
couurymcn be best promoted hy Tariff, or n
Free y sten' Suppose your ncighbor should take
II into h'' head that it would be good thing for the
county 10 iai,e our own coffee as well rs TO man
uiucIur, our own wooens. By erecting green
houses howght raise coilce,at an expense ,proba-
bly,, OF FIVE dollars pound. True he could not
sell II of that 50 long us foreign coffee Of the same
quality was in market at 10 cents per pound. Blu,
let hun raise cry ogans, the ruinous effects of for
eIsn competition III coffee, and appeal TO the palr-
oll'm Of the nation 10 have duty Of five dollars
agenIcnt Of domestic industry, and if successful,
he could then sell his coffee II u profit. Yet the
community must pay something over five dollars
4 pound for all the coffee they used This would
be taking care Of our own pcop,c at rather dear
rate. That Is the way you take care orour own pco-
pie, when by a Tariiduly, YOU raise the price of
any commodity so that the home product may COM
pete with the lnreisn Producer You see the alb
snrdily OF making the people pay more for coffee
ihnn Is necessary. The true way would be 10
produce such articles fitted 10 our soil and
climate, and procure coffee N exchange for them;
and 10 continue to do this, 50 long us we can thus
procure large amount Of coffee fora gwen amount
OF labor. And SO ofevcry thing else
Roigers.- But the case is different as regards
coffee aud CLOTH Coffee We can't raise, or only nj
a very great expense. Cloth we can manufacture
we have sheep and waier-power aud laborcrs,
&c.
HhHe.-Thc difference is only in degree. The
principle Is the same in both eases. Foreign ma
tons can produce coffee great deal cheaper than
we can. They can produce cloth only lutte
cheaper. Why should we pay amy more than is
necessary, even though The amount be smal'
igers.-Beeause il encourages domestic in.
duslry.
IIhiie.-I don't see how it encourages domestic
industry for man 10 get less, instead of more for
his work. II seems TO he that Industry il incour-
aged in proportion 10 the largeness of the proper
ton it receives, have already shown that loreisn
goods are so much the product Of American indus /
try as domestic goods. In one case I'VE make the |
cloth ourselves; in the other we make something .
else which, we exchange for cloth. The question I
is in what way shall we get the most cloth for n
given amount Of labor. You admit that clo,h will |
be cheaper without Tariff, but contend that we
should be willing TO pay more TO encourage do I
nestle industry by paying it,in effect by owerwa
ges. For, to raise the price Of commodities, ia the
same as lowering the rate of wages
Men differ greatly in their notions of the proper |