Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-06-07
From the Washington Union.
ErhllhciCs of the Proteo1son.a.a

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hams, ct i'd genus, Of Great Britain in order to
enable them to retain their rent-rolls of $3.50 900 per
annum their stately mansions, their splendid equip
ages their parks of deer, and their packs of sleek
and well-fed hounds indulge in the same stupid and
faacious arguments in support of their favorite sys
tenn, which often advanced by the protection
lists of this country. Thus we find the following par
agraph, from the London Morning Post copied by
the London correspondent of the Philadelphia North
American, to show the wisdom of MIR. Alerediths
proposed system of monopoly:
America under this Mr. Meredith policy rapidly
coming independent of us for fabrics and in conse-
qucnce when short crop the planters and holders
cotton in that country have the Manchester be-
tween the finger thumb 1t is at this moment He
pay they choose We shall hate Man
chester complaining and proteconis than Buck
inghamshirc.
1t appears from this extract from the organ of the
British monopolists that there is at present stag
nation in the manufacturing business at Manchester,
which the writer ascribes to Mr.. Meredith's system.
And yet he gives of the true of the de-
preston of the British manufacturing interest which
is the short cotton crop of the last year The other
cause, to which he does not allude, We will mention
presently. Now, what remedy would he propose for
this act of Nature, this visitation of Divine Provi-
dence which has cut off portion of the cotton crop
of the world Why: it is resort to the British
system of protection-not the levying of additional
duties upon manufactured fabrics coming in compe-
tition with the fabrics of the Manchester manufae
turers 1t the manufacturers do not want. for they
can compete with the manufacturers Of the whole
world. The remedy which this profound economist
wheat and provisions, which in competition
with the products of the tenants and rent-payers of
the British landlords who the dukes, earls and
other arstocrats of the realm. The writer in the
=, Morning Post admits that the Manchester manufac-
turers suffering from the scarcity and the conse-
quent high price of cOton-the material of man-
ufacture and, in order to relieve them he would
impose additional duty upon and provisions
which would increase the cost ofthe food they eat and
this he would call protection. Well may it be said,
that it is such protection vuures give lambs
1t is not enough that milestone should press up
on them on the contrary he would crush them be-
t tween two.
And now let us see how his remedy would relieve
the poor manufacturer supposng him to be distress
ed the writer seems to believe Would increas-
ing the duty wheat in the ports of England make
; any cotton grown in Georgia and South Carroll
ma Would it kill the bollwOrm avert the frOsts!
Could such kind of legislation by the British Parlia
ment, potent it is, repeal the DEGREES of OmnipO
tence would it prevent the movement OF single
> spindle or loom in America And yet such is the
remedy proposed by organ of the British aristOc
t. racy, who are the monopOsts of that country for
the evils which the Manchester manufacturer suffers
from the vsitatiOns OF Divine Providence which have
received the supply of cotton and from the competl-
1t ton of the American manufacturer In addition to
h the high price which he is obliged to pay for
a raw cotton in consequence of the shOrtness Of the
! CROP the British monopolist would compel him to
+ pay higher prices for his provisions; and this he
h. would call relief.
na The argument is precisely similar to that which
re is used by the American monOpOliss to Justify
of turn to the restrictive system of 1912 IT, in
We quence of abundant harvest in Great Britain and
to other countries which import grain the American
n farmer is occasionally compelled to submit to small
al sales and low prices for his wheat and provisions
ov the American monopost would add to his misfor-
ng tunes, by way of remedy for them by compelling
re him to pay for his cloth, iron sugar and salt
&c 1t will be that principle, the arguments OF
of the British and American monoposts the
2st and when analyzed they amount substantially to
q this that when the unprotected producing and ex-
Sc porting classes suffering from depression in bu
en- sness produced by natural causes which they
not control, nor which any human legislation
ID vert their burdens and suerings mast be increased
lot order that the monopos Of both countries mag be ben
les Gifted This is the amount of the argument of the
ess ''protectionists, of both countries
A singular state of things exists among the manu-
facturers of both England and America. In this
country we hear the manufacturers complaining of a
th, depression in their business and them stop
OF ping their mills, and dSchargng their operatives
he in almost every section of the Union ercc the South,
'ut where they still to be doing fourishng bust
MS We hear the same complaints from the man
see utacturers of England. Has the revenue tariff of
eW 1916 produced such sad results in England Or is
IN this general depression in the Manufacturing
est owing to other and more potent causes In
VS. doubtedly it is. In the first place. the short crop
ny and the high prices of the material constitute
he one of the causes of depression. High prices arc
ne always followed by diminished consumption of any
w commodity entering into the general of society
IN Thus unquesonaby the increase of the cost of cot
ton, and the consequent increase of the cost of the
manufactured fabric both result from the sbortness
un of the crop have been followed by decrease in the
consumption. Here is one natural and sufficient
le- for the depression of the manufacturing inter
OF est and the reduction of the quantity of manufac
IN tured fabrics.
Of Another cause is production. There is now
I'M in the world more machinery ged in manufac-
than IS necessary to supply the wants of the
IS world. Hence in every two three years the ma
lat chinery of the world produces surplus, which
mt would ruin the business of the manufacturers if he
did not occasionally stop outright run his mills
on short time This appears to be the case at the
h present time surplus has been produced which
II cannot with the present high prices and consequent
diminished consumption, be rapidly disposed of
- and hence the manufacturer is obliged to suspend
" his machinery, partially at least in order to dimin
d ish the production and restore the true relations Of
on supply and demand, which are the regulators OF
prices and of the prosperity of any productive bust
~ ness.
~ These Independent of Iegislation-t that
is, they cannot be removed by the mere increase OF
duties by legislation They grow out of natural and
ro artificial causes--short crops and superintendent
~; machinery. And these causes are temporary, and
" will soon be removed. Providence will remove the
b first and human sagacity the other and therefore
-; there is need of taxing the manufacturer in Eng
" land to swell the revenues of the land aristocracy
ORC nor the farmer, in this country, to increase The
profits of the " cotton lOrds of Lowell, in order t.
No. remove the of present depression to which
M have alluded If, instead of manufacturing panes
r and filling the country with their false clamor
~ about protection, they would act like religious anC
nd sensible men, waiting ON Providence to remedy the
!; evil OF short crops and curtailing their business