Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-05-26
Commissioner Wells Report.


Some of the points in the report of the Con
gre ,ional Committee of Manufactures upon the
unti itlfrluels OF Commissioner Wells report
are the following. They are especially diJiinc
and clear coming within the domain Of pure
fact, ant not OF opirion Or argument. The COM
mittee cay of the report:
1t makes piticul complaint of come taxes" OIL
tai;ffs and then propo,es others much more
e,.evoc;. az. for irjtance, its complaint al
aeged td: OF s,3, 800. 900, on Lalt, and its pro
polal of .'taA or tariff Of $50 900, 900 on sugar
molasses. coffee, and tea.
1t alleges that the cost of American salt in our
market is from 40 to 45 cent. q oushel, when
correct quotation in commercial centres show
that in 1869 it ranged from % to 81 cents.
1t alleges that that the importation of gunny
cloth in 1869 die not exceed five thousand bales,
when the actual import exceeded ten thousand
bales.
1t al'ege1 that since the enactment of the wool
tariff there has been large decrease in the num-
ber Of sheep in this c)uutry, when the statisti-
clan of the Agricultural Department reports a
considerable ipcrea;e.
1t conveys the impression that He decrease in
Hle price Of tnool is He result of the wool and
woollen tariff of 1867 and omits the important
fact that rapid increa5e Of sheep and an over
production of wool in other countiie3 had de-
creased prices in foreign markets, thus tending
to decrease in our town.
It urges working men and women to so act as
to compel the abandonment Of the present taIiff
on wool and woollens, that they may obtain
cheaper clothing, but suppre3ses the fact that
clothes. blankets, and other woo''en manufactures
are as cheap now az in 1860 notwithstanding an
iocrea,e in the piice of labor.
1t greatly undereJtmateJ the amount of capi-
tai engaged in cotton manufacture, the value OF
the product of that manufacture in 1869, the
number Of persors supported by it. and the value
of agricultural products it consume,.
1t allege1 a cost Of production Of pig iron
by every authority within reach Of your commit
tee, now connected i'll any manner With T. man
ufacture
1t allese1 t, at no material increa.e Of the i'm
potts of iron is probable, and yet recommends q
schedule of ia Il on this and other metals
which would render large increa.e o. thee i'm
ports nece l,ary il order to raise the revenue il
estimate to be ccr ed from the e .ource5.
1tl a.jei don Of The cost of freight,. and their
influence as prot ;,ion to the manufacturers in
the Interior is a gic 8 ristake or mis- .tatement
1t supprer .es the fact that the piice of lumber
rapidly fe IN 1868 and 1869, ard argues that the
present duty thereof tends to an increase Of the
piice, when the market quotations show that il
is as low now az dr,ng the la1t three years pi.ol
to the impo ition of the duty.
1t allegel that the duty on coal enhanceJ the
piice of all the coal of the United States to the
consumer, a statement coDtradlct5d by the sta
tisticI Of the coal trade for the lat ten years.
1t unfairly and untinthfr'ly. depreciate1 the
condition of our al ans sud lcberers, endeavor
ing to create the impression that, through the
operationl Of the pre;ent tai.ff and the pre- eni
currency sybtem, labor does not command the
same reward il id ten yealJ ago. when the fact
is patent to all that the general pr, peity of the
people during the past ten years. notwthstand
ing the drain Of great war, ha; heen most mar
vellous and wholly unprecedented
II endeavors to cat suspicion and odirm upor
American manufacturers whose gains and strength
belong 70 their counay, and who are the defen'
ders Of Ame,ican Independence in the trade bat
ties of the world; aud iu,.tel this county to
trust in and pay ibute to foreign manufacturers
whose gains and strength give increase OF richie
| and power to orr i-val3 and enemiej.
1t ISLANDERS the Ame. .can inventors aud manu-
facturer., whore labOls in the useir' rlt idel
the encouragement Of exiting laws, have giver
| multitude of new and improved product to the
| American people who draw from home manufac
| turel great yaliety OF ai,iclej OF common use
unknown to the ma of workers IN other lands
| and better in form, texture, and quality, thar
such similar goodl as may be fuiri3hed by for
i eign commerce.
It unpati;otica''y leeks to e7tablsh the pi;nci
| pie that dependence upon foreign manufacture
is our nat, coldiiion in defiance Of the polio
of all eIliohteued nations, who @ ciyj cation ha
been built up and wao people have pro o,peret
/ AZ con equence Of legislation fayoi.l lg diver
sifcation OF thei. induti.y.
1t recommends large reductions or total abo
liion Of dutieI upon such importationl as com,
in competition with the staple products of mer
| lean minec, fore.t;, and manufacturer, and tina
the loss of revenue thus carsed should be com
pensated by i1crea ed dutie, uron nece3salie
Of life not produced in oar county, thus dis
playing undue re;.vd for the intere It's of foreisr
manufacturers and Traders, and disposition t.
inpoJe needle 3 burdens upon n, own country
/ men.
1t aims to subvert the protective policy of on
own county, eitab1hed since the foimation o
the Government, under which onr people hav
which has regulted in enforced id d'enels of th
laboriug cla3oes, ind' dual suffering and bank
rrptcy, and loss OF national credit and revenue
II proposes to raise the revenue needed by tn
hance the cot of foreign nece1 les of life con
sumcd by or laboreri, viii denying to ther
adequate protection against the i1vasion Of for
eign labor product competing with their own.