Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-01-10
MIR. MEREDITH'S REPORT.
Adequate Protection to H ome Indus.
try-.Specific Duties and Stability i'm
IaUiSlnfinu

M II. MEKEDkTH'S REPORT.
Adequate Protection to H opie Indus.
try-.Specific Duties and Stability i'm
Le.islatiOn.
The firsl annual report Of Mr.. Meredith, the
Secretary of The Treasury, is document of
marked ability and most decided interest, The
style is clear and vigorous, the suggestions
bold and manly, and the tone earnes. and con.
vincing. We refer TO the whole of /, with sin.
cere pleasure, and especially TO that portion Of
II, in which the question OF Home Industry is
so fully discussed. The views harmonze with
those of every lberal-minGed Pennsylvanian,
and cannot but be read with satisfaction.
Mr.. Meredilh says distinctly iha,-lo pro-
vide for the payment out Of the revenue of .he
ins,alment which will be due to Mexico in the
fiscal year ending 30lh June, 1852, 10 secure
the raising Of fund for the gradual extinguish-
mens Of our heavy public debr, and to place the
revenue on sure basis of sufficiency for all
the expenditures Of The Government, il will be
necessary to adopt measures for increasing the
revenue; and the most available means 10 that
end are 10 be found in raising the duties on im-
ports. In proposing some alterations in the
existing Tariff, with view as we'll TO the ne
cessary augmentation of the revenue as to the
encouragement Of industry. Mr.. Meredith pre-
sen's his views distinctly, in the hope ,ha, a
course may be adopted by the wisdom and pa
rlotism Of Congress which may tend 10 har-
monze discordant feelings and promote The
general prosperity. He ener,ains no doubt Of
the righlful power of Congress 10 regulate COM
merce and levy imposs and duties, with the
purpose of encouraging our own industry; and
he says, that as every producer in one branch
of useful industry is also consumer of The
products of others. and as his ability TO con-
sumo depends upon the profits of his production,
it follows that TO give prosperity TO one branch
of industry is 10 increase that of the rest
Within each branch of industry there will be
individual rivalry, but among The several branch
es of useful industry there must always exist
an unbroken harmony of interest. No country
he continues, can attain due strength or pros.
perliy tha, does not by its own labor carry It's
own productions as nearly as possible 10 the
point necessary TO fit them for ultimate con-
sumption. To export lis raw material and re.
import the articles manufactured from il, or 10
neglect IT'S own raw material and import the ar
llcles manufactured from hat Of another coun-
Try, is 10 prelermit the means which nature
has provided for its advancement. He illus
,raIes this position, by stating ,ha, during the
fiscal year ending June 30h, ls49, we export
ed raw cotton 10 The value of about sxiy-six
millions of dollars. If that cotton had been
spun and woven at home, (supposing its value
ITO be increased lourfold by manuiacture,) it
would have produced a value of about one hun
dred and ninely-eighl millions in addition
What would have been the effect Of The in
creased production on the property Of The coun-
Try He exempfes The matter still further.
and in manner at once forcible and beautiful.
The manufacture Of cotton cloth, he says, is
begun with the planting of the cotton-il is
carried 10 certain point by the planter, and
then taken up and perfected by the spinner and
weaver. The planter and manufacturer are
not engaged in di1eren. branches of industry,
but in the same-ihe one commences The pro-
cess which the other completes. Cotton seed
OF Insignificant value being by regular stages Of
labor developed and brought TO the form Of cot
ton cloth, has acquired value Of about two
hundred and sixty -four millions The seed, he
continues, bears TO the cotton the same relation
which the cotton bears 10 cloth. If we. now
export cotton of the value of about sixly-sx
millions, the same cotton, when converted into
cloth, would make an export of some two hum
dred and sixty -four millions, or some two hun
dred and for,y-fve millions, afer deducting The
fifteen or twenty millions which would be re-
CURED for our own consumption, fin addition to
the portion of our present manufactures con-
sumed at home,) and our imports would be
thereby in like manner increased. England,
al this moment, derives large portion of her
power from spinning and weaving ocr cotton
When we shall spin and weave it ourselves,
make our own iron, and manufacture our other
staples. we shall have transferred 10 this coun.
Try the grea, centres of wealth, commerce, civ
ilizalion, and POLITICAL as we'll as moral and in
tellectual power.
Ourcapacity TO manufacture is next discussed.
and all the important points are touched upon.
The circumstances favorable to production in
this country, are stated to be; ls.. Facility
in procuring raw materials. 3D. Abundance OF
fuel. Sd. Abundance of food and other ari-
cles necessary for the sustenance and housing
of The laborer. 4'h The superior efficiency OF
The laborers in comparison with those OF other
countries. The circumstances supposed 10 be
onfavorable TO our production may be thus
classed-
LIST. Want Of capital
I'd DEAFNESS of our labor az compared with
that OF other countries.
3D. insecurity by exposure 10 the influence
OF violent aud excessive fluctuations OF price
in foreign markets, and 10 undue foreign COM
NJ I,th IL 1T. Aou hnnH Han