The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-16
Protection for Bosto Ice.

The "ice merchants OF maSSaenu'e.'
are cool. They have memoraiized the
LEGISLATURE of that State TO Suggest &c
Congress that "ice must be protected
Tbare can be little doubt that the sugges-
t;on will meet with favorable considera-
ton and that the Wenham Lake business
will he protected. 1t is a business nearly
confined to that most deserving State; the
ice-export of Boston city has risen to i'm
mense proportions; and from thence the
whole South is supplied. Now, the new
tariff bill proposes to admit ice from the
British Provinces free; and the Boston
Journal insists that "this industry must
"baye protection, or the blue-noses will
monopolize the business of supplying
a. sontbern States, and leave our ice mer-
"chants out in the cold.". In fact, the
British Provinces can furnish unlimited
supplies of ice, and give it to the people OF
Savannah and Charleston cheaper than
"our ice merchants wish to bring down
their prices. What they propose to Con-
gress, therefore, is simply to compel the
southern people to pay those prices to Bos-
ton men for an article which others would
furnish cheaper. Congress Is to compel
the southern consumer to pay, first, the
value of the ice, and then a bonus or
premium to the kind Boston merchant who
sends it to him. They see no reason at
Wenham Lake why their industry is not as
deserving Of protection as that OF the
woollen-draper nor do we see any and
in this particular case, as the addltonal
profit is to go into the pockets OF New
Englanders, and to come out of the pockets
of "defant rebels" there surely cannot
be the least difficulty in complying with
the demand of these worthy citizens.
Congress has ample power: there is nobody
on the floor of the House to say word for
the South and if it is not to use its power
to help its own constituents, at our expense,
then where are "the fruits of the war " ?
Besides, New England has always been
accustomed to be paid, over aud above the
value of her products, for her goodness in
making those products. By way of pro-
tective duties on manufactures, or by way
of premiums on codtishing-for it all comes
to the same thing-one way or other she
expects that the rest Of the country will
mulct itself for her profit; and now, when
it is mere question Of plundering the
helpless South, the ice-men expect to
hear of no objection.
A New Orleans journal informs Us that
two New England ladies, very nice per-
sons, vino teach school in Georgia, have
invented "whipping machine" which
holds self-adjusting cowhide, &c. Where
upon free-trade paper in New York very
naturally takes alarm; hopes that those
dear ladies shave not gone into whipping
by machinery for if they have the whoie
country will be Unfortunately taxed to pro-
tect the process" There is indeed, reason
to fear this result; for the hand-labor eX-
pended in that business of whipping in
Massachusetts, has grown very large, and
labor saving machines appear to be loudly
called for. 1t was lately made known by the
reports Of the school-teachers in that one
State, officially presented to committee,
that thirteen thousand white boys and
girls have been there logged within nine
months. The effects on the patients have
Of course been salutary; for the prof.
cheney Of Massachusetts, school boys is pro-
verbal; but the operation comes pretty
hard upon the operators, and it is plain
case for labor-saving machine.
Now, the provinces of New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia can supply both wood
and cowhide cheaper than Massachusetts,.
And we only put it to any reasonable man
to say whether it would be tolerable that
those blue-noses should be allowed to de-
LUCE the whole South, at a cheap rate, with
these ingenious machines which New Eng
land ladies have invented, and which Bos-
ton is willing to supply; at her ownspro-
tected price, however.