Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-24
The Anti-Importation Movement

| We felt il 10 be our duty to pleasantly remou-
strate. IN our last week : issue against the move
ment naugurated in Washington to pledge
] American women not to buy any imported goods
where those OF American manufacture can be
obtained We thought il pro6tless aud senSeless
then. and we think il so nov. Within the past
week a public meeting has been held in our own
city. ostensibly convened by the lady tnagers
of the Metropolitan Fair but managed by four
clergymen and two laymen. for the purpose of
inducing the fair ladies of New York 70 unite
with those of Washington in advocating the OBJ
iect stated above Far be Il from u to throw
ridcule on the proceedings Of such assembly
On the platform were clergy men whose reputa-
ton for all that becomes their office is guaranty
for the honesty aud responsibility of any move
ment 10 which they may lend their aid: with them
were two of New York's most successful and
houored merchants Aud on the same platform
Miss Susan b Anthony On the floor of
the house was an asSemblage of ladies, which
tor appearance and social position we would
match with any equal number of their sex that
the world could produce Aud vet we think all
these people were IN the wrong. or, mt least, all
who were ready to sign this pledge which the
meeting adopted:
I'VE. the undersigned during the continuance
of this of rebellion, pledge ourselves TO re-
frain from the purchase OF imported articles Of
production can conveniently be substituted -
Nor are we disposed to provoke a smile from
any person st the ncongruites of the meeting
The remarks OF one of the speakers upon general
potics: the odd position IN which the chairman
placed more than once the sorry figure
which the gentlemen cut. and the expressed wish
OF the ladies' that they wOnd retire; the presence
of Miss Susan b. Anthony on the same platform
with some of the most orthodox of our clergy
IL 49,
which would come to the mind of one disposed to
ridicue the meeting and its object, We have no
desire refer to. We have {" deal with the
simple fact that large assembage of the most
prominent women of New York have thus putt
licly declared their purpose to buy for
eign goods for which those Of home mauufac-
ture can be substituted
First of all. il should be borne in mind that
the practice OF \ iudicious economy aud the re
Training from the purchase OF foreign goods are
not synonymous In all the reports that we
have read of meetings of this kind, We lave ob-
served that great stress is laid upon the virtue OF
economy in general. and its necessity AT this be
cuisr junciure Not speech. not a letter al.
vocatng this movement has come To our notice
but the practice of economy IL urged with praise
worthy emphasis No one shall Outsirip US in
appealing 10 our country men and countrvwome
To use the most rigid economy throughout this
whole war, and alter that until The conditions OF
trade are such as they were before the war be
gan Extravaganza laupts in gayest colors at
every street corner. enter the houses OF the rich
and YOU will find IL there Ii accompanies YOU
To pieces OF amusement: il sweeps hy YOU on the
public Promenade; II sits beside you in the house
OF worship: and even goes with YOU 10 the CEN
etery. So II always does in national crises But
shall not It's career be cut shortl l. il not high
time thvt this American people. protesting by all
its public acts 10 Toe Christian people. should
begin TO practice economy Aside from the Ger
tainty that dav of reverses Is coming all the
money thar every patriot can spare should be
loaned. It not given, TO the country
The Government i al this moment begging
for loan. while it, people are rolling in riotous
luxury Surely these things ought not 70 be
But what Is economyl l. il refusing TO buy
certain articles because of the locality in which
they are nader Is Il the purchasing OF domestic
MANUFACTURES At higher prices than those OF Tor
eign Importation simply because the latter are
not made herer Plainly not Economy. in the
proper use Of the word. the .bstaining from the
Use Oi such articles as one conveniently and
properly do without What j. economy for one
person : not necessarily economy for another
A lady OF means nay be economical in DENYING
herself an expensive article ui clothing, While
poor woman may be equally not more ecouonii-
Cal 10 RETAINING from the purchase of plain
calico gown. So economy i merely relative:
sud To attempt To prescribe rules for IL that shall
include persons OF AL grades is simply rdcu
lOus IL - trying TO make Ciuderelia's slipper
htever. foot The thing cannot be done. We
thus explicit on this point because of the loose
notions concerning This matter which seem 20 be
prevalent just nov. Our desire il TO have our