Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-06-02

We have soon it stated in the Boston Gu
zctte that n gentleman stood on Summer
street, in that city, near the Trinity Church,
to observe among the numerous ladies
thronging that thOroughfa"e the material of
which their dresses were composed; the OBJ
ioct being to discover what amount of goods
of American manufacture were worn. The
result of the observation was ''that not one
female in twenty, of high or low degree. pas
scd who was not dressed in foreign fabric"
And the Gazette adds that "a nation which
thus paws enormous tribute to foreign conn-
tries must expect 4 crisis once in II while.
When to this fact we add the alarming extent
of the importations of foreign dry goods now
thrown into the New York market, and the
cortinous flow we may expect Ct foreign
manufactures, which, during the depression
of the markets abroad by reason of the war,
will he sent over here, put up at auction for
whatever they will bring-the proceeds to
be sent back in coin, thus draining our banks
of their specie reserve, and creating addi-
tonal obstacles, by tightening the money
market to the revival of business among us,
we shall have an additional phase of the
beauties of our present Tariff system.
We all know from the proceedings of the
last Congress, that the Administration party
is determined on opposing any mobilization
of the tariff system which shall afford pro-
lection to American labor, and prevent the
constantly recurring evil of excessive impor-
tations and a resulting adverse balance Of
trade. And one of the worst consequence
cf the present system is its irregularity.
Our merchants, who import upon their
own account, can reckon upon nothing.
The svs tenn is 50 liable to fraud, which
cannot he discovered, and the operation of
which is so adverse to the fair and honest
importer, that the most reasonable cacula-
tons are defeated under Il state oi things
which leaves the market ct the mercy of
thos, foreign manufacturers, who. hay.g
filled orders sent from here, break down the
prices upon the expectation OF which they
we're given, by Cutting the mart with the
| same kind of goods invoccd lower, and
therefore leaving discrimination in their
raycY al ,lle Custom House against our own
trade.
By the ad-valorcm act of 1916 the foreign
trade Of the country has become concentra-
led in New York, where these foreign man
ufacturcrs have their branches and agencies
where their influence is paramount; and
where, by the influence ola vast business, its
concentration at one point, under one system
of expense, and the employment of large
capital, in the shape ofan immense stock Of
| goods az readiness to execute orders accord
ing to sample, they absolutely control and
sway the trade of the country. 1t is they
who in fact settle the duties payable at the
| CUSTOM house, and hence their influence
absolutely extends to the government itself.
1t is the boast of the London Times that
the English manufacturer and their agents
who besieacd the lobbit at Washington in
1876, procured, by their representations and
other persuasive means AID appliances, thu
passage of the act of that year, under whose
| consequences we are now suffering
The policy of England is protection n
home. to every thing and every int,rc o
their own, which yet needs protection to Sc
cure its development and superiority; an'
when these, thus secured, have broken dowl
opposition abroad, and rivalry in the SAINT
article. al interest to preach up the bcautie
of the Free Trade theory in support oil thcl
admission to foreign markets. Hence thci
hone. a well founded one hitherto, has been
by cspousing the free trade doctrine of Soutl
Carolina, and the political economists of tina
school, to perpctuatc the advalorcm system
under which her manufacturers CONSTANT,
un,lerscll our own fabrics, and break dowr
the chance Of growth to home interests anon:
us. whose influence may hereafter find sup
port to her own OK fusion.
The country appears to have been prett,
well sickcncd with such results, even befor
the war in Europe threatened to overwheln
us with the inundation now rolling in. How
are wo 10 pay fer it? Not in breadstufis
We have none IT, export. We are suffer
ing from u scarcity, and shall 50 continue
until the present promise of the growing
crnp is fulfilled Not in cotton, for the pric
is going down day by day at the increase o
i,lle hands abroad; and the diversion of pro
ductiye Industry TO the snproductive an'
} destructive trade of war. We have onl,
one mode Of settling the balance daily grow