Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-06-26
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MED and Observation-Disclosures such an ire
slstble reiuatiOn of the assumption Of the Anti.
Iariites that the duty operates as tax upon the
consumer aud US a bounty 10 the manufacturer
That we are not surprised ct the anxiety thew ma
nliest TO evade their force. Hence, all the inre.
nuity Of the opponents Of the system has been
strained to discover some solution Of the problem
which has uniformly conflcted with their sage
predictions, and which so efiectuay dsarms them
IN public discussion. By common consent, how
ever, being compelled to admit the fact that pri.
ces have fallen, notwithstanding the increase Of
duties, they have agreed TO ascribe result so I'M
expected exclusively to cause, the influence Of
which, to certain extent, we are not disposed to
deny, while we cannot admit that to it alone is n
change so beneficial TO the mass Of the communj
ty fairly attributable. That cause is the extern.
siye substitution Of machinery for human labor
and the vast Improvements effected in that ma.
chneTy, by which the cost of production has been
greatly cheapened. That this Is true TO n consi
derabe extent, no will doubt and even If II
were the sole cause Of the reduction of price.
should we nc. still have right to claim it a, one
Oi the direct consequences of steady ndhe
renee to the Protective policyl We observe in
the last number of the Washington Union a pa.
Tagraph copied from the London Standard in
which It is admitted that "nearly all the recent
mechanical contrivances introduced into factories
for dispensing with human labor, are of Yankee
invention" What has at once stimulated md
rewarded the ingenuity Of our countrymen. but
The "protection" afforded them by our laws against
foreign rivals, who had already so far the start o.
them in point oftrne and who possessed in addition
he af,ll adj MIA n ,ut;u 4
systematic organization and the long enloyed mo
nopoly Of the markets Of the world. including ON
own When the Congress Of 1916. with IN,
bitter experience OF the suifrrngs Of the people
consequent upon the Embargo and Non. Inter
course acts and Of the War Of 1912 fresh in ,hei
memory, increased the duties sufficiently high Il
invite capital into this new department Of indus
try, it was nevertheless strongly approhende
that from the superior advantages possessed b
European establishments, we should be unable
compete with them and il was this apprehe nsoI
doubtless, which sbarpencd the wits Of Yankee ia
ventors, and led TO the introduction Of those ne,
and ingenious mechanical contrvances" b
which 50 large an amount Of human labor ha
been dispensed with, and the cost Of productio
Propodionably lessened Even, therefore, II III
Improvements IN machinery were the sole caus
Of the reduced price Of the protected fabrics, III
friends Of the Protective policy might with pro
Pfieiy claim the benefit Of the argument in eOu
fnna1iOn Of the wisdom Of that system.
The truth is, however that augmented prodvc
fioa has had as much if not more to do with n,
reduction Of prices, than the introduction Of nov
"mechanica contnyances." No man. whateve
be hm avocaton, need be- told that the price Of
commodity Is regulated mainly by the law Of dc
mand aud supply. This elementary truth il nlu,
usied 10 the daily experience and obseryatio