The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-24
THE NEW TARIFF.

northern States, Is 10 call II "a souuhein measue'
This is a miserable subterfuge. The tariff OF 1876
is no more southern measure than il Is a northern
or a western one. All geographical sections Of the
country have contributed towards its adoption, and
the interests Of all have been consulted in framing it,
Without believing in the perfection Of anything hu-
man, or in the infallibity Of any body Of men, we
venture to predict that the framework of that tariff
quarter they may proceed. In the first place, who
complains Of it in generall The manufacturer
Wa there ever any tariff that entirely satisfied the
manufacturers, unless il one OF the most ultra
character Did the tariff Of 1916, 1878, or even
1924 satisfy theml The opinions Of the mansiae'
turers, therefore, is not sufficient to save or condemn
the measure, for they an interested party. And
as for the workmen and Operatives" how does the
protective duty affect hsm9 When, with few nsig'
n6cant exceptions, which are only quoted for their
singularty, did their wages rise with the prohs oil
their employersl When did their daily earnings
average more than the minimum they could be
hired for9 In what country Of Europe, where man.
ufactures have risen to considerable eminence, do
wages average more than is absolutely necessary to
keep the laborers from starving' II the laborers in
our manufactures are better paid than the laborers
in Europe il is not because the manufacturers de-
rive greater profits from their labor but simply be-
cause land is plenty, and the support by agriculture
so easy and certain, that people will not work In the
more confined, less healthy, and less independent
atmosphere of mandatory, than at price some
what higher than their labor could command IN the
field The cheapness of good lands, and the facility
with which respectable and independent living Ia
made by agriculture, keeps wages up; not the profits
of the manufacturers. They cannot hire labor
cheaper, and that is the reason why they pay the
price asked; the tariff can only affect those whose
labor might become altogether useless from the sup
preston of whole branch Of manufacture.
Now what branches are those, we will ask, and
what proportion do they bear to our whole system
of manufactured
The two principal species Of manufacture in New
England are cotton and woolen cloths; in Pennsyl-
yania coal and iron are considered staple commodi.
ties. Now regards the manufacture Of cotton, II
is well known that our plain goods, from the suPe-
riOrity Of the material employed, (no refuse being
worked up in them, and the round thread which
distinguishes them from the English, and renders
them much more durable, not only preferred at
home to any foreign competitors, but also in foreign
markets, especially in China, the East Indies, and
on the shores Of the Mediterranean. American cot
ton goods have been imported into England in bond
and for re-exportaon. II the British calico print
have still some little advantage over our own, 1t
is only in price, not in the quality Of goods, and this
will be corrected by very small duty, to which
must be added about eleven per cent, the amount Of
freight, commission insurance, &c, according to the
best English writers the subject. Besides, calico
printing in our country is not special business as It
is in England; but connected with other branches of
manufactures, as our cotton-spinners are, for the
most part, also cotton-weavers. Thus one branch
supports the other, and the diminuton of the profits
of one does not necessarily curta the profits on all
the rest. Nj the dminution of the profits on
particular uce is not equivalent to Its ruin, and
often acts only as an additional stimulus to renewed
and more successful exerton. Sir Robert Peel's fa-
Their gave up the cotton business because it was, in
his opinion, longer worth pursuing, the profits
amounting TO not more than guinea piece. Yet,
Notwithstanding this partial retirement, the business
has multiplied, and thousands have since been glad
to make shilling apiece, and have grown rich in the
bargain. So much for ruin
AS regards the second great branch Of New Eng
land manufactures woollens-the profits realized on
them for the last ten years, are enormous. We I'M
derstand that one Boston house alone has realized
from $4,000 to 100000 year, The coarser art-
cles in use in our country nearly altogether Of
domestic manufacture, and may, in quality and
cheapness, compete with those of Europe. Nothing
but the finer qualities imported, principally
from France and Belgium. English broadcloths are
fast getting out of use in all Atlantic cities. The
tariff, therefore, will not seriously affect our
woollen manufactures. They are in the hands of
men of large capital, commanding ample
means, and having already acquired grea,
experience. Those manufacturers will be able to
continue their business, and with common prudence
and economy multiply it, in spite Of the small re-
ducon in their profits for the benefit of their nd
merous consumers. Let us not forget that our peo-
pie are the most ingenious and inventive people I'M
der the Stubborn, as it WERE with mechanical &C.
MUS, and sate-pencil in their hands. Manufac-
lures with them not a dollhouse plant; but Of
healthy natural growth, which an artificial stimulus,
by creating excessive home competition may rather
~
machinery in Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, &c,
are American inventions. And some of the most
ingenious abor-saving machines, which have been
invented in this country, have been made before the
high protective tariffs were established-such as
Whltney's machine for ginning cotton, and White
more's beautiful machine for making cotton and
woollen cards. In fact, machines are generally
better than those in England and it is this adj van
tage more than to any other that we are indebted
for large variety Of the cheaper and better goods.
As regards the Pennsylvania ironmasters, we
trust that their apprehensons at present extrava
giant and really ill-founded in fact The demand
for iron, owing to the great number Of railroads
simultaneously in process Of construction, is Excess
aive all over Europe, and the price of coal has also
risen in consequence. The opening of new mar
ket will not have tendency to depress prices, but
rather to enhance them. Besides, freight, IN
surance, commission, &c, on so heavy an article