The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-04-04
The Home Market.


week ending the Goth of March. 1924 bales of cotton
were received at the port of Boston. This statement
whose correctness we do not question-is used by the
In,eligencer for the avowed object OF calling 'the at
,en,on of such cotton planters place no value ON the
home market" to the large receipts of their staple at
Boston The Intelligencer says, further "Ths large
import Of article only may contribute to the rapid
growth OF Boston; but IL shows most conclusively the
great Importance of the home market which is generally
better than the foreign and by consequence the deep in
terest every planter has in protecting it, The Intel
gencer wishes, by these extracts, to ncuce the belief
that the of agricultural produce shipped coast
wise from the South to Boston and other northern
ports indicates the extent of the home market which
they furnish to the agncuturst II this position were
even correct i, would show how much the opera
lion Of the tariff of 1916 had been mistaken and
bow idle are those clamors which have been raised by
greedy capitalists against the destructive tendency OF
this reformed system. But every one who
Is conversan with the subject knows that is not true
to the extent which the National Inelligencer assumes
A great portion OF our merchantmarine engaged in the
foreign trade is owned in the northern States From all
portions OF the southern country, articles of in
tended for foreign markets-not only for England and
the rest of Europe but for the West Indies and
for South America--are sent coastwise to New York
and Boston, or some other northern port and thence
reshipped 10 the port OF destination. Not only is this
true, but custom house reports show that vast
proportion oil the goods imported from abroad for
southern consumption enter the country through the
northern ports 1t would be Just as fair to suppose that
New York and Boston furnished market for the i'm
ports OF foreign merchandise which come to their ports
that those home
the production OF southern agriculture which shipped
them coaswise Yet such is the argument or rather
assertion of the National Integencer We know that
the assertion is partially qualified by the subsequent
statement that sit should be supposed that all the
cotton shipped from the South Bo ston is for sale in
the latter place ); but then its argument is conducted and
its nterences drawn, precisely if this qualification had
not been made The truth is, that the largest proportion
OF the cotton which is shipped from the South to Boston
not for sale in the latter pacea fact OF which we
cannot suppose the editors of the nellgencer were
ignorant when they penned their article.
We remember well that it was attempted to play off
this humbug in 1914. Mr.. Webster in one of his
speeches, furnished long list of figures showing the
amount OF agricultural products imported into Massa-
chusetts by way of illustrating the extent of the "home
market" Hunts Merchants Magazine also stated,
among other things the amount of grain shipped
wise from the South TO Boston and the northern ports
The wing writers and whig orators of that class, who
contended that high duties make low prices, seized
upon those statistics prove the nes,mabe value of the
Chinese restrictions. We in Richmond at the time
and we well remember that the amount of grain and flour
shipped from James river northward descanted on
being asserted that these shipments northward
made for northern consumption The very statement
was preposterous Ii was examined into and upon in
quiry, found that -four intended for Brazil was
frequently sent to New York Boston for transhpment
Il our memory is not more treacherous than usual the
fact was developed that twohrds of the shipments from
James ver intended for South America took that route
But ii is useless to enlarge upon this subject Every
al all conyersant with commercial operations knows
that the vast bulk OF the exports from southern States
DO not go directly abroad but that they go first the
North, and thence TO foreign ports Our imports from
other nations take the circultous route. They
come to New York, Boston, Philadelphia. and Bal
tmore, where the merchants from the South seek
them for their southern customers Yet. in the face
OF these facts, we find the National Inelligencer
dipping and deceivDg the people, by inducing the belief
that the large amount of cotton sent to Boston for
the week ending the goth of March, demonstrated the
value OF the home market Suppose did suppose this
large increase the years 1895, &c. and 37, was,
every bale of it, for the manufacturers OF Massachusetts,
ihen while II would demonstrate the value OF the home
market, ii would also demonstrate that under the opera
ton OF the bill of $780, the Massachusetts manu-
faciurers find that they 10 their business MORE
much more, cotton than they worked up under the tariff of
1872 Why, them ask do they wish disturb the pres
ent order OF things and again convuse the country BY this
tan agitation when all is peace quiet, and pros
peTly: But then the fact cannot be admitted that the
nome market IS equal TO the consumption OF such an
amount OF our southern staple. Had the Intelligencer
would have stated the proportion Of the whole cotton
crop which is demanded by the home market and not
nave taken the amount received at the port of Boston,
SIMPLY guarding itself by the reservation that all oft
was not Tor domestic use
Inc article of the lnteigencer is significant OF one
important fact That paper has been pursuing a cautious
hoh-conntta and it may for the time being be
considered as the organ of the administration. On
monday II said, that the of protection is the
cause OF all the interests OF the country and the cause OF
ruin and justice" and "'the American system advo-
eaea oy the wing party, PROFESSIONALLY the policy
Oh Inc country, an it should be the law of the
iand with some notifications The tariff of 1912 was
not perfect one that OF 1916 is believed TO be
'he most imperfect we ever had. tariff of duties
between the two would operate benefcialy, provided
'he duties be specific" These are the words of the
Na,onal ineliigencer and when they taken along
win the letter OF Mr. Clayton to the people of Del