The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-13

OOlOucl AOuScs cultOI VI tie kvcW OIACou5 DAss
ietrn, was one Of the gentlemen who accompanied
General Taylor on his route to Washington. In
one of his letters to the Bulletin, he gives the fol-
loving interesting account OF the IRON manufac-
torres on the Cumberland river, in Tennessee.
His obervations have an important bearing upon
the policy OF our own State, and OF the whole
South.
"This is the first time (says Col Hodge) have
ever ascended the Cumberland, and was highly
gratifsd with its general appearance. with the
dulatipg appearance of the banks, with alternate
high ground and meadow land. We stopped at
some of the celebrated Tennessee iron works, on
the banks of this river, where the manufacture is
carried through all its stages from the crude up
to the finished bar iron. One OF the rolling mills
that we have visited still In full and extensive
operation though the suicidal tariff OF 1916 press
works, however, have one advantage over those
on the seaboard, In competing with the foreign
article, by the additional cost of freight on the lat
ter up from New Orleans, as they supply the wants
of the INTERIOR which he foreign article can only
reach by mourning an additional freight and IN
surance up the river. This advantage is not much,
probably "a or IS per ton but is still Of considerable
Importance in struggle for existence.
The more | reflect on the subject, the more
feel astonshed at the faulty of any man, or set OF
men or party, opposing system OF policy cacula.
ted to promote and protect establishments OF this
kind 1t appears to me perfectly impossible that
any enc can overlook the great and obvious advan-
tors, or otherwise directly Interested in them, but
to the whole country. Here, IN Tennessee, AMI
NAL and vegetable food are produced in such SUI
perabsndance, that it scarcely gives remunera-
tive price and the want Of h sufficient home mar.
ket renders the supply so much greater than the de-
mand, that 1t Is either used In unnecessary pro-.
fusion or actually wasted. Large quantities OF
grain, particularly corn, are actually allowed to
perish in the field, and 1t is no uncommon thing,
IN certain portions of the State, to fine wheat
to faten hogs 1t is establishments like these iron
works and other manufactures, that furnish the
home marketfO these productions and could the
State of Tennessee withdraw one fourth or one
fifth, or even one-tenth Of her population from agri-
cultural pursuits, and employ them in mining
coal and iron, and in manufactures instead of her
cultivators OF the sOil-obtaInng as they now do,
two cents for fine fat beef on the boot, and
twenty cents for corn, delivered in Nashville,
and still less In the country-they would obtain
one half more, or even double these rates,
and in an equally increased ratio tor wheat.
which sometimes Is sold at thirty cents per
bushel Admit, for the argument sake, that the
consumers of these articles do pay, the American
manufacturers some advance on the price OF the
foreign article, they would still be greatly the
gamers by the enhanced price OF their agricultural
nefitted by that enhanced value upon the whole of
their crop, whilst but a small portion OF the pro-
Ceeds oil 1t could be expended TOR manufactured ar
tlces. These very iron works practically Illus
their respective vcinities, where they add to the
general comfort and wealth of the surrounding
country, by their large expenditure, and by furnish
ing market for the produce at the soil: What
policy can be more stupid than the one which com.
pes the planter of Tennessee to send his cotton at
heavy expense and risk, first to New Orleans,
and from thence to Manchester, In order to be ma
nuiactured into negro clothing, and the latter taen
TO he brought back at further expense and risk to
New Orleans, and then again conveyed 1900
miles OF river navigation to his resideace, when
all all the expense OF these repeated shipments,
with the various freiehts, insurances, commits
sioIs, landing and shipping charges, interest on
capital and labor bestowed on the manufacture,
could lie retained in his own State, by having his
cotton mills on the spot, with the raw material
and the market tor the manufactured article at his
own door; besides obtaining regular and advdn.
tageous home market for the grain and meat raised
by his fellow citizens. The people OF Tennessee
were beginning to appreciate these advantages,
and already upwards Of thirty cotton mills were
established and In operation IN the State aud
they could have rapidly increased but tor the tariff
Of 1916, which has had such bllghting effect
upon enterprises OF that kind. But for that untor
tunste law, it Is probable, ere this, Tennessee
would have, at this moment, manufactures
in operation within her borders, that would
have supplied her whole population at least,
with all the coarse cotton goods required FOR her
consumption. Now, SO far as she receives these
goods from abroad, she gives to the foreign manu-
facturer five bales of raw cotton as payment for
one bale manufactured into goods; whereas, under
the American system, she could manufacture this
bale herself and still have four bales to sell 10 the
foreigner, for which she would receive payments
In specie procure with the proceeds, other artl-
Giles Of necessity, comfort or luxury"
Our venerable friend of the .splough, loom and
anvil" will eagerly and rightfuly seize upon Col.
Hodges description OF the iron manufacture IN
Tennessee, and its effects upon the agriculture of
the nelghbOrlng country, as a valuable Item In the
great catalogue OF sacts which he Is monthly col
ectng to establish his favOrite doctrine, that agri
cultural prosperity Is only to be attained by the en-
couragement OF manufacturing industry. The fol-
ortSolo NJ thoC Oluu,huc all
contains, In a bref space, much useful matter for
the consideration of Southern readers.
Noticing the fact that the State Of Massachu.
sets manufactures boots and shoes to the value of
some seventeen millions OF dollars annually, the
1tmes remarks:-
"The principal customer for these boots and
shoes is the South. Why does not the South make
her own boots and shoes and thus save the mil
hons drained from her pockets to make New Eng
land rich :! The raw material is here in album
dance Jour labor is cheaper, and our market right at
our doors.
"The North formerly made every thing for u.s.
coarse cotton fabrics and our flour. The Variety
Works, IN this city, is driving whole lot OF Yam
kec made notions out of the market, such as tubs,
buckets, churns, bedsteads, &C., which are better
made and cheaper In price than the Northern
Paper Is another article about to be made In this
vicinity, on large scale, by mill In the course OF
Of erection. All these are fine starts IN the race
of dlsenthralment from dependence on the North
We hope soon to see our shoes, saddlery, and
hame So, and a hundred other branches OF manu-
tacture, in successful operation amongst us.
This kind of industry Is the secret of Northern
prosperity, and, if adopted here. will prove the
taisman of ours. The marvel is, that the South is
not poorer than she is. We raise but one crop
that represents money and purchases our wants.
With that, we have to buy our stock of mules and
hogs from the West, and our manufactured goods
from the East. The cotton crop ID exceeded In
value by the productive industry Of several trlng
articles OF manufacture IN New England. If we
are not mistaken, the value Of the leather manu-
facture is tar ahead OF it. We believe that the
umbrella crop beats the cotton crop IN value
How, then, are we to get rich, by pursuing SIN
gle branch of business, and doing that branch
to the destruction of prices, and to the mpoverish
ment of our lands! What the South needs, is dl.
vision of labor, variety of pursuits and enterprise
to develope the wealth that teens in our forests,
our water-courses, our hills and valleys. No peo-
pie are blessed by nature with such abundant capa-
nof n article fire norha no eYCeDfcdN Of 1uYurv