Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-30
The An.I-Importation movement.

American women not to buy any imported goods
where those of American manufacture can be
obtained. We thought it pro6tless and senseless
then, and we think il so now. Within the past
week public meeting has been held in our own
city, ostensibly convened by the lady managers
of the Metropolitan Fair. but managed by four
cergymeI and two laymen. for the purpose of
inducing the fair ladies of New York to unite
with those of Washington in advocating the OBJ
ject stated above Far be it from US to throw
ridicule on the proceedings of such an assembly.
On the platform were clergymen whose reputa-
ton for all that becomes their Office is guaranty
for the honesty and responsibility of any move
ment to which they may lend their aid; with them
were two of New Yorks most successful and
honored merchants. And on the same pa tform
was Miss Susan b. Anthony. On the floor Of
the house was an assemblage of ladies, which
for appearance and social position We would
match with any equal number of their sex that
the world could produce. And yet think all
these people were in the wrong, or, at least, all
who were ready to sign this pledge which the
meeting adopted;
1--WE, the undersigned, during the continuance
of this of rebellion, pledge ourselves to re-
frain from the purchase of imported articles of
luxury, for which those of home manufacture or
production can conveniently be substituted
Nor are We disposed 10 provoke a smile from
any person at the incongruities of the meeting
The remarks of one of the speakers upon general
politics; the odd position in which the chairman
was placed more than once; the sorry figure
which the gentlemen cut, and the expressed wish
of the ladies that they wonld retire; the presence
of Miss Susan B. Anthony on the same platform
with some of the most orthodox of our clergy
men-all these. and many more occurrences
which would come to the mind of one disposed to
ridicule the meeting and its object, We have no
desire to refer to. We have to deal with the
simple fact that a large assemblage OF the most
prominent women OF New York have thus pub
licly declared their purpose to buy no more for
eign goods for which those of home manufac-
ture can be substituted
First of all, it should be borne in mind that
the practice OF judiciOus economy and the re
framing fro6othe purchase OF foreign goods are
not synonymous. In all the reports that we
have read of meetings of this kind, we have OBJ
served that great stress is laid upon the virtue of
economy in general. and its necessity at this pe
culiar juncture. Not speech, not letter ad
vocating this movement has come to our notice
but the practice of economy is urged with praise
worthy emphasis No one shall outstrip us in
appealing to our countrymen and countrywomen
to use the most rigid economy throughout this
whole war, and after that until the conditions Of
trade are such as they were before the war be
gan Extravaganza daunts in gayeSt colors at
every street corner: enter the housesAI the rich
and you will find it there. 1t acca 5-aies you
to places of amusement; it sweeps g. kcu Oh the
public promenade; it sits beside you in the house
of worship; and even goes with you to the Gem.
etery. So it always does in national crises. But
shall not its career be cut SHORTY Is il not high
time that this American people, protesting by all
its public acts to be Christian people, should
begin to practice econOmyY Aside from the Ger
taintY that day of reverses is coming. all the
money that every patriot can spare should be
loaned, if not given, to the country.
The Government is at this moment begging
for loan, while its people are rolling in riotous
luxury. Surely these things ought not TO be.
But what is economy? Is it refusing to buy
certain articles because of the locality in which
they madef Is it the purchasing of domestic
manufactures at higher prices than those OF for
egn Importation simply because the latter are
not made here? Plainly not. Economy. in the
proper of the word. is the abstaining from the
use OF such articles as one can Conveniently and
properly do without. What is economy for one
person is not necessarily economy for another
a lady of means may be economical in denying
herself an expensive article of clothing. while
poor woman may be equally not more economi-
cal in refranng from the purchase of plain
calico gown. So economy is merely relative:
and to attempt prescribe rules for il that shall
include persons of all grades is simply ridicu-
lOus. Ii is trying to make Cinderella's slipper
fit every foot. The thing cannot be done. We
are thus explicit this point because of the loose
notions concerning this matter which seem to be
prevalent just now. Our desire is to have our
citizens deny themselves every luxury, and de-
vote to the Government all their spare means,
either directly by subscribing to national loans,
or indirectly by minisering to the needs of those
who have suffered and suffering by the war.
The question then recurs, is this woman's anti
importation movement one of econOmyi We
nh or mill fn.tf fboro
tain articles which can be made at less cost in
foreign countries than in our own. Many of
these articles necessities TO large portion of
our people. and luxuries to but few. Take
silk dress for example; how few ladies there are
but can easily afford, and by the conditions of
society in which they are placed feel it necessary
to buy one: 1t lasts long time, requires no
washing. and in the end does more service than
would the same amount of money expended in
the purchase of American prints. Linen is per-
haps an example more pertinent to the point.
No one will deny that better linen is made in
England and Ireland than in this country, and
that il is true economy to buy il instead of such
stuff IS is made here. But. il is urged, silks and
linens can be manufactured here good those
of foreign importation, if the manufacturers can
only receive the requisite encouragement PRAY,
what encouragement do they wantY just
as they can produce an article which is of equal
value with that of foreign manufacture, and can
afford to sell it at the me or less price than
the latter with the neavy duty now imposed upon
it, just so sooR will they find ready market for
their goods
England to-day uses very many articles that
are made here, because We make them at less
than she can, and so long as we continue 10
do so, so long will she continue to buy them OF
u.s. and the only way for her to test the point is
to make them herself. Silks are made with less
expense III France than in New England. and so
New England buys them of France Once all
our calicoes came from England now we make
our own, and the people wear them because they
are cheaper than those of English manufacture.
For ourselves, We anticipate the day when we
shall Outstrip the world in manufactures of all
kinds; but the time is not yet. And till that day
comes, it will be poor economy for us to refuse
to buy of other nations, since their goods are
less costly and valuable than Is it
not clear, then, that economy does not necessa-
ry consist in rsfraining from the purchase OF
imported articles? More than that, is it not. in
some cases at least, extravaganza 20 refuse TO
purchase themY
But the pledge, reminded. reads "im
ported articles of luxury" Very we'll. Yet,
why the qualification by the use of the word
"imported2" Why not say ARTICLES of luxurv,"
without regard to how where they are nader
This would be much more to the point We
would believe in this Imported articles OF
luxurv''-who shall decide what they are
Among the signers TO the call for this meeting
and the pledge adopted by it, we notice names
that represent hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Who shall dictate to them what are articles OF
luxuryl And can they in turn prescribe what
articles their less wealthy but equally patriotic
neighbor shall buy? 1t is to be left to 1.-THE pa
triotic impulse OF the ladies TO say how far they
shall economize rather than trammel their
sciences by any stringent pledge which they