The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-03-18


In 1856 we imported $s7a5e 5s7 of woolens cottous
innate based upon official data produced Of the same
subjects Than double imporations
Of these subjects exporting considerable quantities
of cotton and iron Ofiron Secretary Guth
re says "t will have possession of the home market be.
twesn this and the year 1870 Can it then be said that
with our vast capacity produce these important articles
| we are dependent on foreigners2
II may also be said that if we will give msnufac-
urers the home market they will lake productions
brief answer win put this right According 10 the CEN
returns OF 1850 1t took % 878 males and 1854 females
to produce S43,207 545 OF wooens; $3.50 males and
80 1876 females produce Sci s OF eotions 6o049
males and 1886 females TO produc $6o4S5 673 OF ron aud
the manuacuTes thereof making aggregate OF goods OF
$65 562 32 produced by l9l 1872 operatives In 1856
imported those art ces SIS 83 which we Gould have
produced with about 80 O. operatives How much Of our
breadstufs exported that year, S56 amounting to S7
s730l, would they have consumed2 Not two millions.
Aud without foreign trade, what would have become OF
the bsaue-? Why would have rot,ed upon our hands
and the ability buy the domestic article would have
| been taken away.
Mr. Chairman, we must not shut out the foreign GUS
TONER He must be allowed TO come into our market on
equal terms. sharp competition between the mesic
and the foreign manufacturer must be encouraged Re-
duce us to the home market and the destrueton or at
rate the deep injury of the most valuable and de-
srabe industry Of the country is the inevitable conse
quence Woollens coons iron, and sugar havog reach
ed their cacterc should be pressed forward by no fur
er and should share in that reduction OF
duty called TOR nperatyey by the plehorc condition OF
the treasury.
Our Wooen manufacturers, however, are not content,
and notwithstanding the rapid development of this inter-
est the cry of distress is heard and free wool is demanded
This question has occupied much attention here and else
where; and the gentleman from Massachusetts Mr. De
WTT extraordinarily took the ground that in 1929
under the tariff of 1828 the high duty thereby imposed
caused the manufacturs Of wool to dwindle that the
compromise tariff of 1882 had the effect indeed that
the tariff Of 1912 still pressed it downward and that un.
der the tariff of ls46 the manufacturing interest in wool
melted away like the morning dew. If mistake the gem
emsn, should like be corrected Now let us and let
the committee look at it. In 1929 there high tariff
and in 1882 there tariff with descending scale in
842 another high tariff and in 1916 modified tariff with
great reduction upon WOOL How is it, then, that the man
uacturng interest in wool in New England, the gentle
stated has diminished and suffered, and nay melted
away2 Yet that was the position which the gentleman
took Now beg to that position by calling the
attention of the gentleman and Of the committee to few
facts of which have before spoken find that the wool
produced in 1910 in the whole United States amounted
to $40 $780, and in 1850 to 5a5 and from the
estimates of the Secretary of the Treasury find that the
amount produced in 1855 $56 1856 How is it that
this rapid growth of the wo0en interest should happen In
the face of the facts the gentleman assersthat the wool
len interests Of New England have melted away like the
morning dew?
Mr. DE WITT The estimate of the Secretary, trust
the gentleman knows is not based upon facts You hear
from every part of tho continent OF reduction of wool
since 1880 In the State of Ohjoone OF the best wool
growing States in the Unionhe reduction is four millions
pounds in the last two years and the honorable gentle
man from Vermont Mr. MoRRILLl told you OF reduction
in that State Now why has the production 50 dwinded
| away2 The is clear. You have duty upon the
material broad the upon the manufactured
article. You give the foreigner bounty of thirty per
They have thirty per cent the advantage of you
but not only that labor is ten cents day there for girls
while pay fifty sixty cents for the same and like
difference exists as to the labor of men, They also employ
| a capital the interest on which is less than ours.
Mr.. SMITH, OF Virginia. Sill the gentleman does not
my question give him the figures aad show for
instance thar in 1870 the production of woollen goods
amounted $40 066099O show that in 1850 it was S43
545 Here sir is increase OF more than one hundred
| per cent in ten years.
| Mr. DE WITT Does the Secretary pretend that bis
| E.r,r rrhf ha npf that fhpraa
ogrowing districts from which returns made
Mr. SMITH, of Virginia. l have seen no such state
ment
Mr. DE WITT. The statement is right before you.
Mr. SMITH, of Virginia. The gentleman said that the
wool interest," whether under high low policy had dis
sipated like the morning dew. show from the census
aoe we'll from the tables furnished by the Secreta
ry that produced $2000O000 of woollen fabrics in
ls4o and $4300Ooe0 in 1850, and $560oo0O0 in 1865,
the United States now and shall deal with New England
soon and the State of Massachusetts, after awhile And
the argument of the gentleman that the wooen in
is sacrificed, by showing rapid increase in
woolen goods than in any other branch of industry
Mr.. DE WITT. Do you believe that there is as much
wool grown to-day as there was seven years agoY
| Mr.. SMITH, OF Virginia. Undoubtedly.
Mr.. DE WITT. You do believe it2
Mr.. SMITH, of Virginia. Undoubtedly and will prove
it before stop. have stated the amount of our produc
tons and shall go perhaps little further back when
ONE 10 Massachusetl and Virginia They have otlen
been contrasted and shall contrast them now in
manufacturing line But wish to call the attention
/
Massachusetts said the other day thattwo three hundred
| establishments OF New England had stopped.
i Mr.. DE WITT. did not say so
/ Mr.. SMITH, of Virginia Well, what is the proportion
| in importaons2 In lS42 imports of woollens
SS652,785 against $2O0000 600 of home manufactures
/ What it in 1892 Why the iuportauons in 1850
but $l6976575 against production OF S43 297545
showing that imports, late 1885, did not in
crease proportion with the increase of productions
And yet says the gentleman from Massachusetts, the wool
len interest has been dissolved like the morning dew So
likewise according to the estimate of the Secretary of
Treasury productions in 1856 S56 600 against
an importation of $23 297384 mention these things be
the committee cannot fail to perceive that this cry
about the wool interest is altogether allacious and mis-
| taken.
i Mr.. DE WITT. Do understand you to say that the
| productions increased to $50 100000 in 1852
i Mr.. SMITH, of Virginia | say the importations were
i S23297 3s4 against S56,000 1000 of productions.
j Mr.. DE WITT. Where do you get your authority for
j the productions2
Mr. SMITH, Of Virginia In the estimate Of the Secretary
| of the Treasury.
increase of WOOL There have been machines built for
woollen manufactures since 1850 That estimate will not
answer. Give us facts
/ Mr.. SMITH, of Virginia. / coming to that The
gentleman will not discriminate He is talking about wool
/ and talking about woollen manufactures.
/ Mr.. DE WITT. | did understand you so You esti-
mated $50 100000 of manufactures in this country.
Mr. SMITH, Virginia That the estimate of the Sec
retsry of the Treasury.
/ Mr. DE WITT ask whether you believe that in wool
len there has been machine started
| since lS502
Mr. SMITH, of Virginia do not profess to know but
| I will show you directly
/ Mr. DE WITT. That you cannot do.
Mr.. SMITH, OF Virginia We may as well spend our
uial, tn call Tho ptipp