, 1873-06-14

Friends OF monopoly like to boast Of the
s',narvoloua progress Of our manufactures
under tho benign influence OF protection"
Now, progrcsa in cloth-making ought to glvo us
either more or cheaper cloth, or both. But It
nppoars that protection does not give US moro
cloth; that TIC actually mako less cloth, import
less, and wear less, than we did in 1800. In pro-
portion to population, ne mako sovon yards loss,
import six and a haf yards less, and oonsumo in
all about fourtoon yards loss than We did before
this blessed Bystom OF protection began ita vi be-
nign influence" aforesaid. Wo have made
great scarcity of cloth, and call that sprogrcss."
Let us give thanks Decauso in proportion
to population, we mako 1oas cloth by one-sixth,
md wear loss cloth by ono-quartor, lcus uB bless
and praise tho system OF proteotioui The re-
viyalist who said his flock was somewhat " back
ward in coming forward, should have studied
this tariff; he would havc commended 1t as Pc
culiar1y forward in getting backward.
It sounds liko rather ghastly joke to suggest
that we may have gained in prices. But protec-
ton being great blessing, innsmuoh as 1t docs
not give us more, It certainly must give us
cheaper cloth. Not from abroad, Of coursoi It
would bo troaaon to American industry to got
ANYTHING cheaper from abroad. Therefore, we
pay duties equivalent 90 por cent on
woolon cloth, from IS to 113 per cont on flannel,
from G519 to 30 por cont on worstods, and 6315
per cont on roady-rnado woo1on clothing-caro-
fully imposing tho lowest duties on those arti-
o1os which tho richer poop1o only would import.
On about 100000 yards Of .woolons and lan-
nols imported in 1870, wo paid duties OF $780,
$40, or IN average OF 55 cents to the yard, and,
as tho import cost Of the samo goods averaged
only 80h cents yard, the tax aYoragod 60 per
cent. Importing 1,s09.oN yards Of worstod
and mixed goods, ITO paid duties Of 911, 800, 528
Average duty, 19}6 centB u yard average Import
cost, 291G cents q yard 30 that tho tax
averaged GO per cont. Oloarly, instead Of
getting cheaper cloth, wo added 9lG,-
319,808 In gold to the cost Of. oil
imported WOODEN or worstod cloth. beside tho
increased importing charges which such duties
nccessltato. Importers aro not yet bonevolont
enough to charge ua nothing for It II wo require
them to uso one-1alf moro capital in moving the
anne quantity Of goods.
Evidently, 1t must bo tho cloth OF domestic
make which has grown cheaper, If any. And
yet, If domestic ,is1oducts hayo grown cheaper,
whilo &C to 60 por cent III gold has been added TO
tho cost of foreign products, ono hardly soos
how wo continue to import 10000. 600 yards Of
wooden and worBted goods!
Some years ago, Hon. David A. Wells, Special
Commissioner Of tho Rovonuo, presented some
facts showing TINT there had boon great increaao
| In tho cost Of certain woolon goods Of domestic
mako. OF courae, monopolistB informed us at
onco that he had been bribed by British gold,"
pickod out and published prices Of othor articles
which Ind not increaaed in cost. and abused lin,
sha,nelessly. To tost tho truth of those contra
dlotory assertions, lot us rofer to tie cenBup ol
| 187U taken complied, and published by officials
OF the Government now controlled by tho pro-
teotlonists. This oonnus informs us that the
value Of products. OF wooden and worhtod manu-.
facturos in 1870 was $177, ,495,0o0, but, in 1860
tho valuo Of such products was 85,595, ,000 DuI
| tho cenguB alHo informs us that tho quantity oil
| wooden, mixed, md woretea cloth produced
wal 246, ,42l 573 yards Ill 1870, and only 147,047.
8G2 yards IN 1860. Tho iuoroase IN quantity ol
| products WAS, therefore, CO per cent, 80 TINT
had tho prlcos of 1860 continued, tht
value of the goods actually produced
In 1870 would have boon e109,887,000
instead Of tho value reported, 8177, ,405, 600.
Tho diRoronco, Gs por cont Of the entiro value o.
the inoroaHed quantity Of products, had thu
pricos OF 1860 remained unchanged. represents
tue actual increaae Of priceu Hinco 1850. Nc art