Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1844-07-25
Facts for Mechanics.

ment OF the effects which The election OF anti
protec,ionis,s will have on all the industrial
classes of our country, and We cannot too
strongly commend it to their notice:
| In The years when he rates of duties upon
all imported articles ranged a 20 per cent. il
is we'll known no, only iha, The foreign mpor
lalions so far exceeded the exports as to create
runous balance of trade against us, but that
owing TO the low duties, in addition 10 the
usual foreign good, brought in, large quantities
Of articles made by mechanical labor began al
so TO be imported, and that kiHd of business
was increasing So rapidly that mad IL no, been
stopped by the tariff of 842, 1t would soon
have proved va,l injury, if no utterly runous,
10 large portion of American mechanics -
Hardly ship came from England that did not
bring portion Of her cargo. large quanll-
~ of London made hats French cablnel inrni-
turs began also 10 come almost by The cargo,
but among the chief mechanical articles were
French boots and shoes, AID ready made cloth
ing.
All who had occasion 10 visit oUr large cities
in those times, could see in every quarter signs
upon showing shops filled with French boots
and shoes, and the ready made clothing brought
from London could also he found almost as
sy But we wish To call the attention Of shoe
makers and tallors especially the lnurnevmrn,
to Two simple facts, which noticed parilcu-
larIy al The time. single ship that arrived in
the spring Of lS42, before the Wing tariff was
passed, brough, sirteen thousand pairs of Paris
made boots and shoes, which were al once
thrown into our markets. 1t was also stated by
Il ,l,<.,
ders were constantly going TO England Tor ready
made clothing, that by The steamship Great
Western, IN one trip, there were sent measures
10 London for 1900 full suits of cIolhes, To be
made to order for New York and Philadelphia.
By the boots and shoes brought in the single
cargo here mentioned, American journeymen
shoemakeIs were directly deprived of patron
age TO the amount Of al least $4,000, and more
probably of $4,000, all Of which was as so
much cash taken directly from their pockets.
And in reference to the clothes ordered IN one
"Trip by The Great Western, the journeymen tai
lors, 10 say nothing of their employers, were in
like manner sufferers directly from their pock-
els in the loss of so much work. 10 the amount
of at least $4,000 cash, fo5 the making of the
1900 coats alone would have announced 10 So
600 to them. And this, let II be understood,
was lost to American jOurneynen shoemakers
and talIors, in but tuo instances, without refer
ence 10 the hundreds of others, of similar char
acer, in the importation fready made clothing,
hats, cabinet furniture, &c. to fill the shops In
our large cities.
Now we wish our workingmen Of all classes,
many Of whom are doubtless still acting with
the ocofoco parry, would consider these facts
well, ard then, without reference to past pTel-
erences according 10 the dictates of their own
sober Judgment, Judge which policy Is best cal
culaled TO promote their own interests and those
of the country. One single fact like that of The
arrival of 10000 pair French boots and shoes
in one cargo is worth more TO enable Them TO
reach correct conclusion than all the theories
in the world. A jOnrneyman shoemaker or tai
lor when he finds be is charged, and himself
and family suffering through his want OF en-
plovment, aud because the articles upon which
| he works are made in Paris or London al pr-
ces below which he can possibly make de-
| cent living, does not want to read len columns
about "democracy," poor mans 'nghts, and
| "bank," and so on, To understand his position.
! He sees a, once if he looks al The subject with
Gu, prejudice that both his interests aud his
rights are sacrificed through the bad policy Of
the government, which allows foreigners to
take away his substance, by depriving him of
the patronage TO which he is entitled. The
same rule applies TO every branch of industry.
Bur, says Iocofoco denagogue, anxious to
conceal the real issue from the people, what
has all this to do with the Presidential ques-
hon? We answer, it has every thing to do tolth
it, and upon The settlement of Mut question will
depend entirely the protection or the prostra-
lion of American industry Henry Clay has
always been the steady advocate Of that system,
and If he is elected II will certainly be estab-
lished during his administration upon basis
so firm lha, il can never again be shaken. On
The other hand, James X. Polk is and always
has been an avowed opponent of protection aud
an advocate of free trade, he is now supported
at the South solely upon that ground, as all his
party papers and meetings show, so that II he
is successful the protective system will as cer-
,ainy be pet down There is no Disgusting
this issue, however much demogosues may
seek To mystify it, Let mechanics then choose
which of The Two lhev consider as presenting
the best claims TO their support. Ii Is 10 them
plain business matter.