The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-04-15
Cotton MaChinery-Tarif.

Elsewhere will be found letter nd
dressed to Hon. John Lynch in regard to
u proposition now before Congress and
favoribly reported by the committee OF
Ways and Means. viz: that cotton machin.
cry shall be imported free of duty through
Southern ports for period Of one year.
We wish to call the asention Of our Sena.
tors and Representatives in Congress to
the fatal consequences sure'to attend up
on its success; and especially do we call
the attention Of the Representative from
this district who, rs we learn from a
Washington letter now on our table, Is In
favor of the proposed measure.
Mr.. Buckley Of Alabama introduced the
amendment which was adopted by the
committee, and we suppose we may safely
look to his argument rs containing the
best reasons advanced, why the measure
should succeed. A little inquiry could
have satisfied this gentleman and all
others that he was misinformed when stat
ing that the machinery necessary to conf
pete with England, was not matc in
this country. 1t is not only made in this
country but It is made from English pat
terms. Ifhe were not speaking rs an at
torncy in the interest Of English machine
builders, why does he state rs fact that
which Is VIGOROUSLY untrue, when that
one point presented, had il been true,
might have been sufficient reason for
adopting his measured The chief, II not
the only, reason why any English cotton
machine Is imported IN this country. Is on
account of its cheapness rs compared with
ours. and not on account of It's superiority ;
while the excess of our prices Is due to our
increased price oflabor and the high duties
upon iron and steel. And with these dis
advantages. resulting in the fact that Eng
lish cotton machinery, Notwithstanding
the large duty OF 40 per cent, can be I'M
ported Mt a cost of 90 per cent less than
our manufacturers can buy American ma
chinery, they nevertheless prefer our
machinery to that ofEnglish make. Would
they do this If our machinery were of in
fcrior make or pattern? If tits not Of in
ferior make or pattern, why 80 to Eng
land after il and break down and utterly
ruin "a branch of our industry employing
about 100000 capital. by admitting
English machinery. free when none but
foreign machine builders are to be bene-
fitted thereby 1t seems to us, rs we be-
licve tho commonest observation VIII
verify, that il it becomes necessary to en-
act class legislation to benefit the locali-
ties made most desolate by the war, such
class legislation should Dc made in such
n manner rs to injure our industries rs little
rs possible. Remove the duties upon iron
and steel and our builders Of machinery
win ask no favors ola tariff upon import
tel machinery, resting even rs they do
under the burden Of high cost labor; but
they will rely upon the superiority to, or
equality of their machinery with that
of foreign builders.
The Representative from Alabama, we
fear, misapprchends the process of manu-
featuring cotton yarn and the machinery
necessary 10 manufacture it. 1t Is true,
rs he SAYS, that the bulk of cotton goods
manufactured in this country, is mostly
made of strong texture; but it is not be-
causo we do not and cannot spin fine yarn.
.Shseting and what VIC call Factory
CLOTH" such rs is ordinarily worn by al
classes except the wealthy, is made from
yarn running oil the way from numbers
l6 to "a; while the more wealthy classes
use cloth made from yarn running from
90 to IS. We manufacture these goods
because the demand for these kinds is
equal To our ability TO furnishin quantity.
and for no other reason. And 1t is not
true rs the honorable gentleman wouiu
have the country understand. that the
same quality Of English goods IS superior
to ours.
Let us examine: First comes the pick
err or opener, by the use OF which the
sand, leaves, &C.. is separated from tho
fibre. 1t is not contonded by any parties
in this or any other country that there arc
any machines made superior to our own
for that purpose, not excepting Lords pat
terms. In the manner Of carding our sys-
tenn Is much superior to that Of the Eng
lish, not of necessity. but because ne use
two processes in the matter OF carding'
while ON the goods mentioned they use
only one. They use, however, the same
two processes ON fine goods made from
yarn numbered HIGHER than sc that we