Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-06-07
POLITICAL.
SPEECH OF MIR. COLLAMER OF WI.
ON WOOL AND WOLLENs.
Delivered before The House of Reps in Committee of
the Whole on the Tariff April 30, 1874.


curiosity. It is an English publication of 1912:
" History of Wooen Manufactures, and Natural |
and Commercial History of Sheep" by J. Bischoff,
Esq. 1t fully sustains its title, and contains his
tory of wool, from the expedition of the Argonaus
after the golden fleece, to this day, and full view
Of the present condition of its manufacture in all
parts of the world, with elaborate tables. But its
curiosity here consists principally in this, that it
shows with what lynxeyed vigilance our move
ments and progress are watched on the other side
of the Atlantic. This work contains carefully
compiled from Ctr census returns of 1910, and be-
fore any such compilation had been made in this
country, very accurate and exact tables, showing
the population and statistics of each State, and
showing, with great precision, with the exception
OF two States, Kentucky and Louisiana, not there
returned) the number Of bushels of wheat, number
of sheep, pounds OF wool, and all other stock and
productions. 1t now appears, from full returns that
in 1910 there were in the United States, 1881 374
sheep, which produced $500, | IA pounds of wool,
and that there was then invested in the woollen
factories capital Sl5,765,l 1874. The State of Yer.
mont, containing only population of 29l ,94S per-
sons, had LES ,Sl9 sheep, and produced 3,690235
pounds Of wool-beng about thirteen pounds of
wool to each person. Vermont, then, produced the
largest quantity Of wool Of any State except New
York. and in proportion to her population, Vermont
produced three times as much as New York* A
very large proportion, probably over hree-fourths,
of these nineteen millions Of sheep are fine woolled
sheep that is they arc improved by the Marine and
Saxon blood sheep, and their wool, at the present
moment, worth from 25 to so cents per pound
Such is the amount of this interest Is it not wor-
thy Of our regard? Let us now proceed to inquire
what will be the effect of the bill under discussion.
on the wool and woollens of this country. Here,
sir, it would be sufficient to say ace have tried IT,
1t has long been said that experience is a dear
school, but that fools will learn in no other From
this | have understood that all men, even fools,
would learn in this school, and that &C burnt child
breads the fire." By the operation of the compro-
mise act, under the gradual reduction of the duty
on wool and woollens, we learned the measure of
possible reduction which could be endured and the
precise point where vitality ceased. 1t was, as /
have already stated, when the duty came down to
2S per cent and when, by law, it was to come down
to 20 in six months that all sales of wool ceased
Now, the utmost that this bill provides is, on fine
wool and wooens 30 per cent, on the cost in for
egn markets, subject to all imposition of false in
voices, and that this, at the end of one year. shall
be reduced to % per cent The only difference
between this now proposed, and the operation I'M
der which this interest was ruined before u.s. that
now 30 per cent is offered instead of g. and then
entire death was decreed in sir months, and now in
year. The difference is quite too slight to lead
any man of common sense to doubt that the result
must be as it was before.
But IL becomes lis not to overlook the report of
the Committee of Ways and Means, accompanying
this bill. That report is to be regarded as an ex-
ponent of the principles of the dominant party in
this House, on the subject of Tariff. There may
be individual members of that party who do not
subscribe to its doctrines; but they constitute the
individual exceptions to the general rule. OF this
manifesto OF principles, ttCenty thousand extra cop
les have been ordered, and they are distributed as
leaves for the healing of political malades. This
report contains the principle the perfect the ideal of
what constitutes the limitations both of the power
and the duty of the Government on this subject
The bill is visible correlative, or sensible and
practical mani estation of the principle in the report
The report which has the rare merit of being
unambiguous, in defining the limitations of the pow
ers ofsCongress, confines its remarks to that dele
cation of power contained in these words of the
Constitution: Congress shall have power to lay
and collect taxes. duties, imposts and excuses, to
pay the debts and provide for the common defence
and general welfare" The report holds that Con-
gress possesses no power but to impose duty for
revenue; that when duty is such as that increas-
ing its rate would increase the amount received it
is revenue duty, and Congress may increase it up
to that rate where it will raise most But it, in eX-
permenting for this point it should be accidentally
and unfortunately raised high as to diminish the
importations, and so lessen the amount of revenue
received, then Congress has exceeded its power,
and 1t is It's duty Immediately to reduce the rate of
duty That it is, indeed, true land the committee
seem to think that it is much to be regretted that
1t is true) that duties of any kind do, to their ex
tent furnish protection TO domestic production but
they consider that Congress has no power to furnish
any which it can possibly avoid The result, them
Is this: our market must be given exclusively to
the foreigner, for most revenue can be raised when
every article of manufacture is imported. If the
duty is, by this bill, shall hereafter be, so HIGH
on boots or shoes, or cloths any ether article as
to induce an American 10 make some, that will pre-
vent some from being imported, and so lessen the
amount OF revenue received, then Congress
must reduce the rate of duty as again to let all
be imported, and so destroy the American produc-
err We are then distinctly to understand that this
bill is intended to destroy all protection or encour-
agement to our artisan, and notice is given that if
1t does not effect this now, new provisions shall
hereafter be made that will do it. If the duty of
80 per cent now, or % per cent. next year. should
keep out any foreign wool woolens, then, by the
doctrine of this report it will be the duty of Con.
gress further to reduce the duty, until the foreign
or can bring in the whole, for then most revenue
could be received into the Treasury. Adopt this
doctrine, and such must be its result as to every
production OF the artisan or manufacturer unless
they will live poor and work as cheap as in Eti-
rope. With the American manufacturer and arti-
san must go down all who rely on them for a mar
ket, including all growers of wool.
Is it true that such is the extent of the power of
Congress- and that such are the limitations of its
exercise? If SO, wretched, indeed is the power
of this nation to protect itself among the nations
OF the EARTH We must become easy prey to
their cupdity; victim to all their regulations and
monopoles. But | entirely deny that such is the
limitation OF the power and duty of Congress. The
committee seems to have carefully excluded from
consideration that, by the constitution, Congress
has power to regulate commerce with foreign ma
tons, among the States and with the Indian tribes"
While we were colonies of Great Britain, our
trade was regulated entirely by Parliament or by
the King and Council and watchtul and restrc-
tive was their regulation Every course was taken
to secure an entire dependence of the colonies on
England for all articles of manufacture, and to pre-.
vent their production here. Such were their regu
lations to prevent the erection of tt.hammers, or
Sitting mills, to forbid any mechanic from having
any larger number of apprentices, to prohibit car
rying articles of mechanics work made here from
one colony to another for sale. Indeed it was said
the Americans ought not to be permitted to make
hobnal. AT the same time the trade was confn-
ed, with few exceptions, to direct trade with