Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-10-17
LOWELL UNDER THE TARIFF.

Inc Union ol iate contains glowing descriptions
of improvements going on in Lowell with an evil
dent disappointment that the expected ruin is SO
long in coming.
Have patience, gentlemen Why what would
you have The tariff does not go into operation
until December. No foreign productions yet
IN the market under the reduced duties. The effect
OF the change thus far has been TO lessen the usual
importation of many articles Of consumption. I'm
der these circumstances, so far as the tariff of 1916
can have had any unfavorabe effect upon business,
1t Is merely by anticipation Its actual effect is to
come. Its passage took the whole country by sur
prise; and nowhere was the surprise greater than
at Lowell. Ii found Lowell building new mills,
and enarging their works. described in the Union,
and because these works in the process of erection
were not abandoned as ruins this sapien editor
quotes them proof that the change in the tariff is
not prejudical to the manufacturing interest
Patience, friend Nous Verrons, patience The
first actual effect upon the trade and business of the
country cannot be realized any extent before next
March or April. Its effect even then may be les
sened and modified by circumstances. The failure
of the potato and other crops in Europe may ena-
bic us 10 pay for increased importation without
serious arrangement of the currency. The great
Advance in the price of iron in England, consequent
upon the great extension of railroads, may for a
time lessen the injury done to the iron manufacture
in this country. But all this does not lessen the
| folly or wckedness of the act. Buildings in the
process of erection cannot be stopped without total
loss. Contracts for machinery cannot be rescnded.
But not dollar of new capital is being expended in
Lowell, except under circumstances where il stands
pledged by arrangements made previous 70 the pas
sage of the last tariff. Not dollar of new capital
will go into any branch of manufacture any where
until the effect of the present tariff shall be tested
! by experience-not, in fact, until wages shall have
been reduced nearer to the European standard
So far as the cotton manufacture is concerned, the
editor of the Union has constantly shown either per-
verseness qualification in uncommon degree.
| He has constantly quoted the cotton minimum as
the great practical enormity in the tariff of 1912,
levying duty of 100 per cent more on the
coarser manufactures consumed by the laborng
classes. This he has constantly repeated, notwith-
standing continued export of these manufactures
at the rate of three four millions Of dollars per
annum, and notwithstanding the manufacturers them
1916 that these coarser fabrics it is quite obvious,
are very little if any way affected by any tariff
whatever" Now, two-thirds of the cotton mills at
Lowell are employed on these goods, in
which they defy foreign competition, and which are
not affected by the tariff at all, except indirectly.
| Ii is OH the finer branches of the manufacture, and
especially the article of printed calicoes, that the
weight of the change in the tariff will fall. What
will be the result it is impossible to foretell. II
will be struggle between life and death with TWEEN
ty millions Of capital. If it can survive the struggle
il will be with energies reduced and languid, with
Encouragement and diminished wages to the opera
tives Nothing can exceed the folly of subecting
this branch of maaufacture, but newly established
| to this sudden check-to this severe trial-at the
best, to this retrograde movement 1t is most wanon
sporting with capital and the interests Of individuals.
! II affects the other branches of the cotton manu-
facture indirectly, by making it probable that the
mills making printing cloths and other fine goods
will be obliged 10 change their machinery, and turn
it upon the coarser manufacture and thus increase
the production i'll that branch beyond any possible
demand. ..
In this state of things no operations will be
undertaken. There is nothing doing in the way OF
buildings or machinery, but the finishing what was
begun before the change in the tariff. Money! con-
Germ could be sold except at heavy loss. All
stocks have greatly deprecated. There is, how
ever, one novelty in the manufacture. Ii is pro-
posed to import some cargoes of Bengal cotton, in
order TO compete with the inferior British goods.
II is probable that by another year the planters
Of South Carolina will be able to cothe their ne
groes in this cheaper product; thus realizing in its
fullest extent their beautiful theory of free trade.
! CHANGE TuSE We should really like to know whe-
fer the Union" intends attribute the expectation OF
grain tariff (not in operation YETI to the British
laws, (ha TO Gomez 10 the failure of the crops in
Europe We ask, because find the following paraded
conspicuously in late number Of that paper
"The English labo throughout districts of this
island will the seed he had Already villa
ges sickenng with the attempt TO the tainted wreck OF
the crop Already cholera and yphus the fearful compa
Mons Of want Not English aborer IN ten has at This
moment either stack Of ood TO purchase ood for
month. He depends entirely on employment, and many
full MANY this leave their homes and traverse
the country quest OF work But the English manuiac
ures mil-owners, operatives TO feed and employ the
Irish They will be hard driven themselves. The
des and think the uste apprehension OF scarcity per
vades the manufacturing districts What does Lord George
Bentnck say 'Uass The crap Of 1916 is Oaetbird greater
Than The crop Of ls45 nhch an kaoc is NOT IS clear
at, before ne hdrres there must be great scarcity Of
grain"