The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1842-07-28
From KendlIl's Expositor.

OBSERVATIONS ON A PROTECTIVE TARIFF.
The advocates of protective tariff affirm that, in
point of fact an increase of duty oman imported article
does not increase the price in the ratio Of the increase
of duty To sustain this assertion they adduce the fact
of great reduction in the prices of manufactured ar.
ces since the protective policy was introduced into the
United States and especially of cotton goods and other
articles which have been peculiar objects of protection
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY.
That such reduction has taken place, is undeniable.
That our tariff was the Of it, is not so readily ads
mitted The reduction of prices has pcrvaded the
world. It has been as great in England, and other
manufacturing countries, as IN the United States. NOW
how could our tariff produce such an effect in other
countries where is scarcely known' 1t is absurd 10
attribute to merely local effect so all perva-
ding-particulary when there is obvious cause as
pervadng as the effect, adequate to the end. That
cause the Improvements in the cottongn and in man
uGcturing machinery. To such an extent have those
improvements been carried, that some abrcs parcu-
larly cotton goods, are now made almost "wilhout
hands."
As a specimen, merely, ofthese improvements, we
give the following facts, quoted by Mr. Habersham Of
Georgia. in a recent speech in Congress, from the re-
port of the inspectors of factories in Great Britain, for
the year 1S41 made TO parliament, viz;
In one mill the same humber ofspindles which in
1884 produced H. 100 pounds Of cotton. produced in
1s4l l3. 800 pounds.
Sir persons in 1881, attending two drawing frames,
produced 900 pounds weekly and in 1s4l person.
attending one drawing frame, produced 27OO in the
same tme
In Manchester MILL it required four hands, in 1929
TO work 1852 spndles, which, In l94l were worked
by one man.
In Bolton mill, 26 spinners now do the work
which required S5 in 1887.
In Manchester mill, the hands have been reduced
from $50 to 25s, (72 in number) without diminishin
the quantity ofwork turned off.
These improvements have been rapidly progressing
since the first introduction of the cotton manufacture
into the United States. We remember having been
told in New England years ago, that nearly all The
mills owned by individuals had been broken down by
them: that set of the most approved machinery cOult
scarcely be put in motion before became necessary &c
replace by an improved set that the owners of small
factories were not able to keep up in this respect with
the rich and powerful corporations and that conse'
queny the business had fallen almost exclusively into
the nAnuS OF tne dlleTs
We are safe IN saying that not fifth part of the mar
ual labor is required in preparing cotton aud ma
king cotton goods, which was required thirty years
co. Is not this sufficient to account for the general re
duclion of prices, without aliribung II to cause
Local and inadequate as the American tariff?
The facts apply, though in less degree, to ev
cry other species of manufactures, though not 10 tn
same oxtent as in the case ofcotlons.
Though moi pertinent to the point in hahd may no
be amiss to call attention TO the nner in which h
''system," in this particular, accompshes one Of il
boas,s-ttat Of gi0ing employment to tabOr 1t sui
slilutes water and steam FIR human inelligcncei iron
leather, and wood for bone snew, and flesh thus all
most dispensing with the workmnns agency; and yet
boasts OF giving employment TO labor! Ii is driving
back annually, to agricultural or other pursuits hun
dreds Of its operatives; and yet 1t claims to dmins
agricultural competition, by increasing tho number
consumers and,diminishlng the number of producer
Why the obvious tendency Of modern improvement
Of all sors is to reduce tho number employed in cloth
inF mankind and furnishing them with manufacture
articles Of all sorts. They force back % agrcultuI
thousands and tons of thousands who would olherwi'
be employ ed in workshops, and aid IN edncing plmo