New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-07

OF every Hdihc vi ""'~iS ONA
The only tolerably perfect thing of the kind
we have seen was got up at Washington,
where but small portion of our People
could be gathered to see it; on that portion
we feel confident, an impression was made
which has not yet been effaced.
The capacity of this country to produce
nearly every description of Textile Fabrics,
Silk excepted, is not this day appreciated by
a tenth of our people. There is very
general impression that our Cloths, CASH
meres, Shawls, Muslins, De LANES, Cling
hams, &C., are decidedly inferior to the
rival fabrics of Europe, which is utterly at
variance with truth. We do not mean that
the best aud most tasteful European fabrics
are not superior to our poorest, nor even
to the average Of those produced In this
Country but We do mean that, compared
as whole, the Fabrics of this Country are
fully equal to the rival fabrics Of Europe, and
that, while the Labor here employed upon our
Manufactures is nearly twice as well paid
as the rival labor of Europe viii average,
vet our goods are as cheap as not cheaper
than those of Europe. Bear in mind still
that we do not hold that the cheapest Old
World fabrics are not cheaper than our
dearest. but that, take the whole Of what is
produced in this country, and compare it
with the like aggregate Of that produced in
Europe, and ours is not the dearer.
We know the impression current among
our People is quite different from this, and
that thousands who believe American Man.
ufactures should be sustained and encour-
aged consider them decidedly behind those
of Europe. Bat the fact is not so. One
of the best manufacturers we know ira
versed Western Europe last summer on
purpose to note every point of superiority
in their processes with a view to their
adoption; but, while he found there some few
things worth adopting on our side, he was
surprised to learn that, on the whole, the
manufacturers of this country are this day
ahead Of those Jf Europe in machinery, in
processes and in economy reproduction, the
relative cost Of Labor alone excepted.
Then why do our Manufactures need
Protection 2
We answer-Mainly because of the pre-
vailiDg prejudices in this country against
American Fabrics, and the command Of the
channels of access to the consumers by our
European rivals.
Our Merchants, our Tailors, have been
educated to consider European Cloths SUI
perior to American las they once undoubt-
edly were,) and they &c on buying as they
began. They knoac that Mr.. A. or Mr..
B. import good British, French, or German
Cloths they don't know that Mr.. c. or
Mr.. ID. has so perfected his machinery and
processes within the last ten years as to
make still better and cheaper American
ClOths--yet this is the fact. The Mer-
chant Tailor is quite aware that he couldn't
long continue selling for IS cloth that costs
him SO if he were to buy it of a manu.
facturer in the next county; bat so long
as it comes to him from over sea, he can
charge what he pleases for it, The Job
her, the Commission Merchant, know that
longer credits and larger commissions can
be had on Foreign goods than on home
made ones. The dandy thinks suit of
Yankee cloth would be vulgar and boorish,
and his tailor humors the prejudice for the
sake of the resulting profit. There is thus
strong concurrence of influences against
the use Of American and in favor of For
eign fabricSOf the better and costlier kinds,
which tends to keep our own in the back.
ground. Give dog bad name and you
may hang him. Our manufacturers, per-
petually driven back upon the coarser,
cheaper, less profitable fabrics, do not make
the better sorts SO cheap nor so perfect as
they otherwise would be able to do. If our
manufacturers could have a contract, for
ten years to come, to supply the Country
with all the fabrics it should want, they
could and would furnish them cheaper than
Europe can or will. But they are discour-
aged and set back by the habitual prefer
ence of imported fabrics to theirs, when the
two are offered on terms equally favorable
to the buyer. 1t has become an acknowl-
edged and fixed fact that we can make Sat-
inets, Sheetings, Drills, Flannels, &C., aud
these we make as cheap as any rivals who
use os good material. 1t is well Known
that Shawls have been sensibly cheapened
by the extension of their manufacture in
this cOuntry-and SO of nearly every thing