The daily union., 1846-06-26

dwelling houses for the purchaser. This object
was accomplished; various privileges wero pur-
chased, and mills erected The principal establish
ments were cotton factory Of moderate size erect.
ed by the wateT-poWeT company, and leased TO two
prudent men from Rhode Island a large cotton
factory, belonging 10 a company with actual cash
capital Of $500 O00-ownng, however, other estab-
llshments in different parts Of the same town a
very extensive paper mill and a woollen factory,
The result is briefly told the persons having the
mill have done successful business; all the others
failed, and sunk every dollar Of the large capital in
vested and the water-power company during the
same Time have not received average dividend OF
three per cent. per annum. These factories were
sold al low price, and are now all doing profitable
business Such were the results to the capitalists
during this time. What has been the result TO the
laborers' A village now exists where there was
not then single nhabltsnt, of | 800 persons, and
u strictly and exclusively manufacturing village.
The persons engaged in the mills have been we'll
paid, and erected neat and comfortable dwell
lngs. Churches have been built. The com
mon district schools Of the village declared by the
late secretary Of the commissioners Of common
schools, Mr. Barnard, II man of great ability and
worth, in his most valuable annual report of the best
In the Sta:e, But he would never have said so, il
the children there taught had been guilty of the
gross mistakes of the Secretary Of the Treasury
From the infancy Of the village the present time
there has been place In It's limits where wines or
spintuous liquors could be purchased. And during
the PERIOD although the annual expense to the
town for supporting the poor out of the aims house
is eOnslderable-between one and two thousand dol.
ars-the whole expenditure on this village, embra-
cling now hfth-part Of the inhabitants Of the town
has been tho sum Of ten dollars during the whole
time. And during the same period Of time, the Sa-
wings Bank Of Norwich, with It's hundreds of thou
| AZ aF Aall.w A. ..s.N
ts long lists OF small depostes bears witness TO the
Thrift and prosperity of the operatives in these facto-
Tles.
This, ] am aware, is but a solitary instance; but
the facts arc the main, true Of the whole OF
New Eng and, and wherever else manufacturing is
established. That men who reside on the borders
OF the Santee or Pedee might have wrong notions on
this branch Of the subject not surprising but that
any man who has ever known anything accurately
0y observation, or reading, IN relation to the
factures Of the country should seriously advance the
dogma that the protective policy for the benefit
OF capital, al the sTptnSs of labor, is most surpri.
sing, and shows a mental or moral obiquity most
extraordinary.
But il is said the poor laborer is enormously tax
ed for the necessares Of lfe-especialy his clothing
and thereby grleyously oppressed. do not know
labOTeT, sir, who would not laugh IN the face OF
any man who should address him with such
language. He might be mistaken; but he
would consider any such person either very
foolish, or not very honest The truth is
the fact is not There is no country IN the world
where the laboring classes can be clad as cheaply
and we'll as in this country. | make the decara.
ton understandlngly, and the most rigid scrutiny
will sustain the correctness of IT, IL is not true that
the tariff Of 1912 is oppressive upon the poor. The
duties are almost entirely raised from articles which
are luxurles. SO far as the duues are apparently
high upon the coarser cloths they are entirely in
than they can be made abroad, and a conclusive
proof Of that IL, that underseI Great Britain her
self in China, South America, and India, until duty
was imposed TO protect English goods If there i
any exception TO what have said it is sugar where
the duty is heavy one; but as tea and coffee are
free, 1t is not oppressive, and the competition in the
sugar culture as IN everything else will soon reduce
the price.
But, sir, wish to inquire Of those who would
pass this bill, and break up this system, what they
suppose the effect would be upon the labor of the
country! | can tell you sir, without claiming the
git Of prophecy. Those branches of business
which are not established will be prostrated and the
laborers thrown out Of employment; those engaged
in mechanical pursuits will be obliged to work for the
small wages paid in foreign countries for similar
labor, or very nearly 80. 1t is not entirely appa
rent that shoes, hats and other similar articles
would be imported from abroad. The freight is very
small from France or England to New York, less
than miles by land IN our own country
and all forms of handicraft labor would be immedl.
atey affected. Such pursuits have not the benef
Of machinery which equaizes to great exten
the difference in the wages Of labor; ant
the mechanic would be, in the first instance
most seriously affected In relation TO the cotton
manufacture, there ia too much capital, and charac.
ter, and skill in the business 10 admit Of its being
prostrated The only course for them 10 pursue
would be the reduction in the prices of labor to such
| Ian ext IN and be
profit This, if not the immediate, would be the
necessary and certain result But those branches
OF business which can avail themselves extensively
of abor-saving machinery, and are established, EN-.
poy, comparatively, but small part of the labor o
the country engaged in mechanical employments-
probably not one-tenth part As an illustration Of
this, compare the number of laborers in Massachu
sets for the manufacture Of the Slal93,4 ,449 o
cotton goods, with those employed in making
Sl4, ,799, lao of boots and shoes; in the one case
70, ITO, and in the other 45,877. What is to be-
come of the hundreds of thousands Of these laborers
and those dependant on themi If you turn them
to the cultivation of the soil, does any man in his
senses suppose that when they cease to be consu
mers of the products of the farmer and become
themselves producers, that the wages Of labor or
| land will not be diminished with the diminished
price Of the agricultural products'
| A. The next point to which | wish to call the at
tention Of the committee is, that the agriculture
c'asses OF tne country are deeply interested IN tht
system Of protection, and the new States ofthe Yves
as much, at least, any other section of the coun.
try.
Ofthe benefit to the farmers in the vicinity of, oil
in the midst of, a mechanical or manufacturing
population, no one can have the hardihood tc
dispute. Its benefits shown in the ready mar
ket without the of distant transportation for the
infinite variety of articles which would otherwise
find no market at all, at reduced prices and at
distance These articles, individually small ant
often unnotced, in the aggregate constitute thu
principal market of the farmer-such as wood
grains of some kinds, hay, fresh meats, poultry
butter, cheese, fruits, vegetables and similar articles
Of daily household consumption. The statistics col
lected by the census, and in the several States
show that these and similar articles are, in the ag
gregate, of very large amount; and these are sup
piled by farmers in the vicinity Of a manufacturing
population. The result has been an enhancement il
the value ofand, comfortable living TO the farmer
and an ability to nav fair WAGES TO farm laborers