Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-13
ANOrBEH BREAK IN THE REPUB.
lICAy RANKS

The enormous price of cotton goods. and the
still more outrageous price Of coal, have created
u revolt in the Republican ranks on the subject
Of the tariff. IL is notorious that SraAGUt, GAR
sKR. aud the other great cotton manufacturers,
are making from 30 to 10 per cent. net profit
their sheetings and prints. This state OF
things is exciting unbounded indignation every
where outside of New England aud none are
more outspoken than are the Western Radicals
against the protective policy OF the Republican
party which makes such robbery of the many
for the benefit of the few possible. The follow
ing. from that red hot radi, al sheet the Chicago
Tribune. is very significant aud truthful
article:
" Brown sheetiDgs are selling for thirty i've
cents per yard, anu raw cotton for forty-three
cents per pound pound Of cotton will make
three yards of sheetngs- The pound OF cotton,
costing forty three cents, upon being put through
the mill developes into one hundred and FIVE cents
worth oil sheetings, showing difference of sixty
two cents, to- be divided between manufacturing
profit, wages of operatives, wear of machinery,
commissions of agents and government tax.
The tax Is fraction more than five cents on
the pound OF manu-. tured cotton, and the com
missions for selling two aud ohe-half cents Sub
tract these items from the sixty two cents, and
have hfty-iour cents be carried TO the credit
side of pound of cotton. The wages OF oper-
atises and the wear OF machinery, would obvious
iy be a small fraction on pound of this staple,
which undergoes such sn astonishing transmuts
ton by passing through a cotton mill. Without
going into minute calculations 10 is safe to say
that the profit 10 the manufacturer on yard of
cotton goods at the present time considerably eI
ceeds the entire cost OF yard before tho war
Why this state of things should continus-why
cotton goods should De going up rather than
down-we are unable To see. unless il be for the
reason that manufacturers have combined. and
are playing upon the market Ia keep prices from
obsylng the Law of gravitaton which has brought
raw cotton Down from one dollar and eighty cents
70 forty three cents per pound
An article which copied from the Galena
Gazette, a few days since, suggested a. a remedy
for the ettortionste prices at which cotton goods
are held. the repeal of the duties on ported
couons. The existing tariff IL five cents per
yard, IN gold. on the invoice value of the goods
At the place of shipment. or three times the
amount OF the internal duty on the same article
Why there should be any tariff on foreign cot
tons in excess of the internal dcty IL il not easy
TO see, unless IL Is based upon purpose to tax
thirty millions OF people. and not for the benefit
of the Government but 10 enrich few hundred
cotton-spinners. who. we should suppose we're
not the most appropriate objects OF charity.
Protection 10 the cotton manufacturers OF New
Englsnd, who are able 10 compete With foreign
manufacturers in foreign countries, and who. II
not able 20 control the home market now with
out the aid OF government, ought TO be knocked
in the head for the good of their customers 10 a
monsirous delusion. The farmers Of Illinois
need IS much protection for their pigs and poul
try, and are as justly entitled TO il. the spin
ners OF Lowell aud Lawrence for their sheetings
We do not wonder that the bankers of Frank !
fort-en-the- lain told Mr. Lanier the other day.
when he talked 10 them about putting more
duties on imports aud exports TO fortify the
national credit. that they thought the United
States had already placed too many restrictions
on commerce for their o~n prosperity. aud that
any further steps IN that direction would lessen
the ability OF the Government pay the interest
on the national debt. This protective tariff on
cotton goods. which enables the home manufac
turer 20 take the money Of the home consumer
without restoring al equivalent, il one Of those
clumsy restrictions upon commerce which cripple
the Government BY Gripping the masses OF the
people. and rendering them less able 10 paw
taxes than they would be il trade were lett 10 il
natural channels, and each man alloved to
buy where he can buy cheapest and sell where |
he can sell dearest. We trust the legislation Of
The country hereafter will be shaped with some
small view TO the Interests Of the thirty millions
Of people who wear shirts. and not exclusively
TO those OF the few hundreds Who make them"
Al this is as true as gospel. and indicates a
fatal break in the Republican party on q vital |
issue, The enormous prices these monopolizing J
New Englanders are chirging for their goods is
certain 90 ruin the party whose action they have
heretofore controlled On all qssstions OF morals |
and politics