Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-01-17

England TO sustain the British manu-
facturer, by putting sat hazard other
important branches of industry. The
competition of new establishments with
very large ones already in existence
abroad, and in which Ihe price Of labor
is lower, is evidently not sn equal com.
petition. The capital fixed in the ma.
| chinery. furnaces, DC. cannot be
changed, and the work Of production
will not cease until the price shall have
been reduced 10 a point very little
above the cost of materials, labor, and
repairs. Of course where the lower
price is paid for labor, there will
be larger margin for reduction by
the sacrifice of part Of the profit; and
where great accumulation is in hand
of the avails Of the business of former
years, the owner may find il his inter.
est for while TO sell his commodity al
ess than the actual cost, if by that
means he can drive out his rival, look
ing of course, TO subsequent reimburse
ment "a, IeasD when he shall again have
the control of the market.
This known necessity nfthe position
of foreign manufactures of course tends
TO discourage now as well as to defeat
the successful operation of existing in
vesments Of capitol here in similar en-
terprises.
To coun,erac, the inhuence.of these
unfavorable circumstances, which so
long as they continue, must greatly
retard our advancement, limit our for
elgn commerce, and preven, the due
progress of industry, | propose that
the duties on the staple commodities
(whether raw material or manufactured
articles,) in. which foreign nations com-
pete with our own productions, be
raised TO point at which they will af.
ford substantial and sufIicien, cncour.
agement 10 our domestic industry, pro.
vide for the necessary increase and due
security of the revenuesand ensure the
pcrmanence and stability of the sys.
tenn Experience has, l think, shown
this 10 be wise, just, and ctlectual
mode to promote new and revive Ian.
gushing branches of industry, provi.
ded the selection of the objects be wise.
ly made and limited 10 those produc-
lions for which the country is natural.
adapted.
We lave been perhaps too long hes.
itating and vacilIating on the threshold
of great career. The want of stabil.
ity in the course of legislation. and
other disturbing causes, have hereto.
fore occasioned lncouveniences. The
short duration Of some of the tariff acts,
the great expansion of the currency
which occurred during their operation
the Compromise act, a result fwha,
was believed to be a political necessi-
ty9 which, whatever its effects on ex.
! Istlng establishments, undoubtedly dis
couraged new adventures-and finally
the unexpected repeal of the act Of
l542-lhese circumstances have GER.
talny been OF retarding character.
Yet it is impossible not to observe
that, at every favorable moment, vasl
movements in advance have been made
and that the ground thus gained has
not been entirely lost. II is believed
that every article, the manufacture of
which has been established here. has.
after that establishment, continued
gradually TO diminish in price, and that
without a corresponding reduction in
the wages of labor, which, indeed could
not be diminished by reason of an in.
creased demand for il.
These facts lead irrcsislibIv TO the
conclusion that our labor becomes so
much more efficient by use, acquired
1 skill enlarged establishments, and new
facilities derived from inventions, that
the difference in price between il and
the foreign labor, however serious an
obstacle 10 successful competition, will
become less so with every wear Of our
activity in The the same branch Of in.
dustryi and that i, by no means follows
that labor must be worse paid because
IFS products are sold cheaper, or tha,
because labor is better paid, its pro.
ducts must be sold dearer.
All that is wanting is a general de.
termination that industry shall be en-
couraged in the home production and
manufacture of iron, wool, cotton, su.
gar, and our other staples, and that the
legislation necessary to sustain il shall
be firmly adopted and persevered in.
! will proceed TO state the nature of
the notifications which it appears ex.
pedient TO make in the existing tariff,
and If required, will hereafter present
a plan in detail.
l. The rates of duty are, in my OPT.
MON, too low, especially on articles sim.
liar to our own staples. conceive ,,at
the revenue has suffered materially from
this circumstance. Indeed, ! am com.
PEELED to believe that il would have
been greatly diminished but for the ex.
iraordinary demand for our breadstufFs
aud nrnniainhn t,rnl..noI l. e