The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-11-13
War Specnati0ns the Probable Cause Of
Ruin 10 Southern Manufactures,

WM opoCuidtiUns INC Ef0bdDl6 CduS0 "
Ruin TO Southern Manufactures,
The course which speculations are taking
IT the South Says the Richmond Dispatch)
~ leading articles of trade is curious and TO
some extent inexplicable. That the prices
Of those articles II consumption which are
not produced 10 the South, and far which we
are dependen. on outside markets, should
rise, is natural and not at all singular. But a
great many articles af consumption for
which the South is not depcnden, upon 9th.
er regions. and which she herself manutac-
lures in abundance. are rising as rapidly in
price a. those just alluded to.
Take. for instance, the price Of white pa
per used for newspapers, The factories
procure rags which used TO be sent in large
quantities to the North, at about half the
price they had to give before the war. They
may have to pay little more now than then
TOR some Of the few simple chemicals they
employ in the manufacture Of paper /; but
the enhanced cost of these does not At all
equal the saving made in the diminished
prize of rags used. Yet paper. which here
iOiore was purchased at ten cents, cannot
now be had at less than fifteen cents. There
can be no good reason, founded on sound
principles OF business, for such an addition
to the price Of this article and the increas-
ed charge can only be accounted for hy the
propensity Of human nature to tighten a
prevailing pressure. and to make hard times
harder. Ii the ports we're open, and white
paper could be procared from the North, the
competition OF the Northern article would
Keep down the price Of the Southern but
the Southern manufactures Of this, as we'll
as Of many other articles. copying the error
Of the fool in the fable who killed the goose
for the golden egg. are FORGETTING in advance
all chance Of favorable system of perma-
nent Legislation in the future for their bene.
III. BY making the very name of Southern
manufactures the synonym Of extortion.
Another striking instance of needless
and causeless advance in the price Of lead
ing article Of Southern manufacture is that
Of cut nails. Everybody knows that at least
the Virginia market if not the greater por-
ti0n OF the Southern market, for this arti-
Gle, was supplied by Southern manufactur-
ers, Yet, the price Of nails has gone up in
Richmond. the chief scar Of the manuiac-
ture, from four and half 10 seven and a
half ceuts, and strong sPecula,iOns are now
organizing to raise the price 10 ten cents.
There Is no sound reason for This rise.
There need be no scarcity Of iron in Nirgi-
pia, and We have every factory ia operation
nov that We had befure the war vet, the
price Of nails will more than double. IL
eahaot be from an increase Of demand for
building is generally suspended By the war.
II is not from deficient supply Tor that is
the same precisely as before the war. The
cause Is two-fold; first. the speculations
ihat have been set on foot in the article, by
which fortunes have already been made
and. second. the absence Of competition
frOm the North, which has tempted manu-
facturers to put up their prices. The effect
Of the course Of the manufacturers, FIRST in
eonsenting to sell 10 spectators al all, and
then IN putting up their own prices in con-
seqaenee Of the success Of spectators in
running up theirs. must be plain to every
one. The Southern public will be so dis
gustcd Al the extortion that is praeticed up
90 them, that, when peace ensues, the ports
are thrown open, and manufacturers petit.
ton for protection from foreign COMPETE
ton, intending that Of the Yankees. the
country will be disposed Indignantly to re-
ject their PRAYER. The instances we have
cited are but examples Of a general rule.
The case Is worse with woollsn and cotton
manufactures. Speculation is rife in every
department Of trade. Southern manufsctur-
ers, instead Of discouraging il, are yielding
%. and taxing advantage Of, the state Of
things. Southern manufactures Of all sorts
are held for dOuble prices. aud the seeds Of
pVP-lar indignation against them are SOW
ing 81 through the Southern community.
We would sound friendly warning TO
Southern manufacturers on this impari.nt
subject. the tendency Of the Southern
Mid is strongly in favor Of free trade. Free
trade with RaroPe will bring 10 goods after
IT, TAr cheap and 80 superior 70 The North.
grl i5rics which they have heretofore been
a-gsiOmed 70, thai, unce irving il, the
-g1iasrn people viii never consent 10 give
il ~ again. Protection even the must mod
eais. vii be iG6nltely more unpopular in
tas 5glin than il was ever in the Old Union
lie fh1lgnI Of IL will only be tolerated 80
III a. = piAee Us 10 . STATE Of seli-depend-
enc ana seifproteciion ia time 81 war and
yst tle present course of Southern mauufae.
turers nay render them 50 unpopular that
- sostasrn people will prefer 70 do sith.
81 tasIT help altogether, as means Of e.
SsYing their e1tortiOn.
-
How n n.-The small amount Of cotton
demanded By the Factories Of the South to-
gethsr with the blockade. keeps down the
article 70 low figure. The Factories Al
the sO1th are now paying from s 10 10 cent.