Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-18
Fhs Crusade Against FsrsiGn TmPorta-

Ths Crusade Against R0reign ImPOrtn-
-ff1u 81 1I tlsBss
~ History records the fact that the devO-
tees Of idols sometimes cease to be wor-
shippers and strike down the objects Of
tAeir former sdOratioR. It is precisely
this kind Of iconoclasm that the fair Ia
dies Of America are about to practise. The
goddess who finds her favOrite seat in the
millinery shops Paris, whose iron
sesptre has heretofore sWayed all the
world Ct women, and who, in the spring
Of the summer months, delights to deck
her train with gay cOlOrs aud costly robes,
Is about to be fouted snd abandoned for 8
short time, at least until the fierce pres-
sure Of civil war has been taken from the
Comnonwealth. The ladies are shout to
inaugurste 8 martyrdom which will be
popular. Silk and satins, all the gay
trappings which Fashion sends across the
great salt sea, are to be thrown aside, and
the domestic brands Of calico are to su-
PerOede the more costly foreign imports-
tiOns. We are glad to see that the pledge
Of devotion to American manufactures is
going to be popular. Ladies, you must, II
you would do your country service, prac-
tise the most rigid sbnegation. 1t win
not do to wear all your fOreign-born
dresses, merely refusing to buy any more
until those are worn out. That would he
to initiate the virtue Of the gentleman WHO
resolved to be temperate man after hav'
ing emptied his wine cellars.
Immediately the frippery Of fashion
must be resigned, if you would exhibit
true patriotism. You must instantly dOH
all articles made across the water and don
the genuine American apparel, and thus,
with your brothers and sons in the field,
fight out the battles of freedom. There
are q few indications Of discOrd in the
great reformation which we hope viii not
bc allowed to impair the efficiency Of the
proposed work. The sweet creatures of
Boston seem little perverse, being una
Bile to decide on the extent Of their econo-
my. There are some of them SO unpstri-
otto as to ask why they are expected to
submit to the crucial test, when men in
dulge in the luxuries Of cigars, cham
psigne, suppers and fast horses. We GER
tainly admire the generous indignation Of
the ladies Of Boston sgsinst the spendthrift
lords Of creation, but we shall be unfsith-
ful journalists II we do not chronicle our
protest against this old sOphism. What
ever the men do, fair ladies, your duty is
to dissolve the alliance between Fashion
and Treason, by which the precious metals
60 abroad to enrich foreign manufacturers
many fold.
But this movement, if brsvely carried
forward, will not result simply in this it
win give an impetus to American u anu
features. Can anybody show any good
reason Why we should send a pound of
cotton aBrs sd for ten cents and receive it
again in new shape paying seventy
cents
The interests Of American industry de-
msnd that the immense profits acOruing to
the application Of mechanical skill and in
dnstrY to the materials exported by the
United States, should be realized in our
own country. Id 1s45 foreign labor real
lied over I'VE hundred millions Of dollars
on the simple article Of cotton alone.
Commerce adds largely to nations
wealth and dominion, but yet the carrying |
trade does not enrich nation ss does the
manufacturing. The true policy Of the
nation is to give to all the products of our
soil the highest value that can be put upon
a commodity by skin and industry, and
then exchange it with the world.
In this crusade Of the women against
foreign impOrtations, we see, therefore,
the promise of future greatness and dis
tinction as a manufacturing people. The
battle-cry is being sounded over all the
land, From the metropolis Of trade, Of
literature, and Of politics the tOosin has
resounded. Its effects are already visible.
The misses in all our seminaries are for
swearing foreign luxuries, and will rely
more on nature and less on art hereafter,
to take captive the barbarian, man. The
wives and mothers say, if my son sr my
husband can peril life, can forego fash
lon.
Nobody objects but Mrs. shoddy. She
If the diamond ring and bedizened body,
'he alone tOsses the cOntemptuOus nose
md curls the unwilling lips. The wives,
he mothers, the sisters and the sweet
hearts Of the brave men at the front will,
however, continue the crusade.
VA. saHu-nrInriunr IurnnrInn