Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-03-07

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have been "nothing;" others state positive loss,
and great number take no notice whatever of the
question. Surely, the opponents OF the tariff can
not make much capital out of materials like these.
| TO the question, What rate of duty is neces-
sary to enable the manufacturer 10 enter into COM
petition in the home-market with similar articles
importedr' sixty direct and definite answers we're
received of which thirty -four state, in substance,
/" NOT less than The present. Nine manufacturers
Of coarse cotton goods reply, "no duty" One
cotton manufacturer replies, not less that cents
per square yard on cotton goods - another 80 per
cent on home valuation" Four require duty
oil 20 TO ~ per cent on manufactures of cotton
One woollen manufacturer states the necessary pro-
tectve duty as being SO per cent. In iron and ma
nuiactures OF iron, one requires not less 40 per
cent on steam engines, mill-gearings, and castings
generally; another says a reduction Of duty on
Scotch pig iron is necessary; another requires a
duty of 90 per cent. on pig iron. One manufac-
turer OF paper fixes the necessary duty at 40 per
cent, and one of pottery at the same rate One
manufacturer of hemlock soleeather, one proprietor
OF brewery and mat-house, two manufacturers of
acknowledging and bale-rope, and one of salt and
cigars, say "no protection is needed" Our read
ers will draw their own conclusions from these ex-
pressed opinions of those who ought to know most
about the subject; but we cannot think that opinion
will be that the present rates of duty ought to be
materially interfered with.
The Secretary inquiries. IF the duty upon the
foreign manufacture of the kind Of goods which
You hakc.were reduced to l2a per cent, with
corresponding reduction on all the imports, would
II cause you to abandon your business, or would
you continue to manufacture at reduced prices ?"
Sixty-two answers were received to this question,
of which forty-eight assert that such reduction
would cause the manufactures now prosecuted to
be abandoned; nine say they would not abandon !;
two are doubtful one would continue by reducing
the price of labor, and two by reducing the price
oil the raw material. This is certainly decisive
enough. To the next question, "If it would cause
| you to abandon your business, in what way would
you employ your capital p the answers are nearly
in the same proportion-that such part of the CAPT.
tai as was engaged in buildings and machinery
| would be rendered useless, and of course without
value.
We will close our examination of this part of the
subject with statement of the received to
the inquiry, Would the establishment of ware.
house system promote the trade and increase the
commerce Of your State - One reply from
Maine, two from Connecticut, two from Illinois,
and one from Missouri, in all six state that Doud
mol be serviceable. Five replies from Massachu-
sets, one from Rhode Island, one from New Jer-
sey, one from South Carolina, three from Georgia,
one from Alabama, three from Florida, one from
Louisiana, one from Tennessee, and one from Ohio,
in all eighteen, think IL ,couLd be beneficial So
states the Chamber of Commerce at Charleston.
One from Rhode Island thinks it would have no
material influence; one from Maryland is doubtful,
and one from Maryland says it would be injurious
There is, however, much valuable information TO
be found IN the communications from the Charles
ton Chamber of Commerce, and in those from
Mr. t(fNCf hJr
men of Louisiana, and from Mr.. Forstall, of New
Orleans. The letter to the Secretary of the 'Frea
sury from Committee of the Democratic Conven-
ton Of Hamilton county Ohio, has more Of politics
than political economy in its contents, and is we
must be allowed to think, little out of its place in
this document.
The answers to the Secretary questions relating
to agriculture, from Mr.. Henry s. Randall. of Cort-
land village, New York, appear to be particularly
valuable, because they are based upon facts and
practical experience. We wish that we could find
space for an analysis of the documents from
Charleston, and Louisiana, and of Mr.. Randall's
communication. Those portions of the 1876 pages
devoted TO this subject are we think, worth all the
rest; and, although we cannot exactly agree with
all their conclusions, we regard them as highly
valuable contributions to the stock of sound and
useful information.
The great faults of this document are those
which are chargeable upon many Of our official
communications want of compression, melhod-
cal arrangement and adaptation for speedy and
easy reference. A document of this description
should yield its information on inspection, and not
subject the applicant to the labor Of extracting and
arranging, of examination and calculation, before he
receives an answer to his inquiry.
We will reserve observations upon the argu-
ments Of the honorable Secretary's report until we
are favored with their embodiment in the plan for
remodelling the Tariff, which he has submitted
to the Committee Of Ways and Means of the House
of Representatives.