The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-09-28
@THE BRITISH TARIFF

one or two winters In Washington, and
backed by a Report from the American
Secretary OF the Treasury. who received
special honor in British House Of Lords
receives about an equal amount Of com-
mendation in England and the United
States. The Administration are lis friends
here and the British Manufacturers in
Great Britain. Mucl, more has the pres
ent law been a subject Of congratulasion
upon the other side of the Atlantic than
upon this. and much more good viii il
confer upon British interests than our
own. We 6nd-in the last received num-
Der of the London Economist, noted
British free trade paper, a passage exult-
ing, IN the very tone Of the Union, over
the vast extension of British shipments TO
America: 1sr
s.Te the United States alone, (says the
Economist. the increase in the amount
of our shipments in the present year ariH
erceed any thing on record. On few
of the leading articles the comparison for
tbe first six months is as follows:
AOftSo ~ ZIG -. ffi ctA vi
1916 l647
Cotton thread lbs 314,342 $4,000
Plain calicoes yds 6,II6,2s5 22.5T .4s5
Printed do /" 7,643,350 23,9i4,57l
WoIens, ,allk lbs 702.234 I,O42. I6l
Silks, yds ss,l52 I2f.343
Linens, :. Ii, I,476,290 13,659,2II
Do entered only
by valuation lbs $3.50 39,647
Besides these, there is an equally large
increase in cutlery, metals, and every va
riety OF goods; fer all Of which the orders
continue TO be upon very large scale. "
Wilmer & Smith in like manner re-
ioices over out dependence, and remarks
as follows:
"Making allowances for large quanti-
lies OF goods which have doubtless been
dispatched in vessels to America on freight
there can be no doubt of the vast increase
which tins branch of commerce has thus
suddenly obtained. Il is satisfactory also
to hear that large orders for the fall trade,
embracing other articles of manufactured
goods, continue to arrive. Thus. so far,
the wisdom which has dictated in the u
nited States so considerable modifica-
lion of their tariff is as completely illus
trated by the above returns. as that our
own measures OF free trade exhibit, up to
this period, the most gratifying proofs OF
success"
Yes. and this excess of exports from
Great Britain to the United States. is just
so much Of an abstraction of goods which
ought TO be manufactured at home. Look
at the enormous increase of English Cal
Icoes,-fouriee,i aaiiiions nine hundred
and f,0enfy eighf thousand one hundred
and fhiriy fve yards Of Hie plain, and
sirfeen millions fUo hundred and ser
enfy-oRe thousand fioo hundred and
fhirfy-one of Prints! Look, TOO, at the
great increase of Woolens in country
which ought 10 be wholly Independent in
the production and manufacture OF fabric
like this. The party leaders seem de-
lighted with such state oi fact, and talk
exuItingly Of our large imports. The eff
feet of these imports are two fold, and
o0tn alike AlSaSlrOuS:
First. Ii tends to create the dependence
of which we complain, and to throw cap
ilal out OF use and laborers out OF employ
at home. and
Secondly. Itadds so much TO our for
eIgn Indebtedness as to be the just cause
of alarm TO all who would wish TO pre-
serve the balance of trade.
When Europe was starving for Bread
and Provisions, we would counteract and
control this glut Of foreign fabrics by an
equal shipment of provisions and -FOUR
but now, with smiling weather and plen-
tiful harvests, the balance of trade will be
against us. Foreign Exchange has run
up from premium of four and five per
cent, TO eight and half and nine per cent,
and very little advance upon these rates
will require us TO send specie 10 Europe.
Then again, to obtain the same amount
of Revenue under the Tariff of 1876, we
have 10 import vast amount OF addition
al goods, the lower duty requiring the ex-
cess of import and increasing the foreign
debt.
Even the Treasury is not benefited by
this state Of fact. nor are the consumes,
nor, indeed, is any body bu the European
capitalist, who has the means OF driving
our people ou, of empley, and compelling
them to submit TO prices and wages I'M
posed by those who have no interest IN
the Government beyond what they derive
from the pockets of our people. We ap-
pea, TO every candid man, capable Of re-
flecting upon past events, if the influence
Of the Tariff OF 1916 would not have been
disastrous but for the physical inability OF
Europe under severe stale of famine 10
produce her own food. Lord Ashburton,
in speech made in the city OF Elm
burgh few years since, took the ground
that England should manufacture for the
United State, and that the United States.
should supply England with her neces-
sary provisions. We have done this 10