The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-11-20

The Sprague calico or print estab-
lishInent, employing thousands OF
hands, having, it seems running lia-
bilities of S6.O00.000 or $1,000 600, has
for years past had only one customer,
and that WIS the United States.
One of that firm is q Senator, and
of course protectionist Senator. All
he wanted was protection against al
lowing foreign prints to come in to
compete with him here. He never
sought or wished the outlet which he
could have found in India, China,
South America. and in the LeYant.-
No, ike Matching chicken, he desired
to iced in and from the egg in which
he was encased. This firm, therefore,
doing a business SO gigantic, and put
ting their eggs all in one basket, were
the first to feel the pinch when the
crisis in stocks made money more than
scarce, made notes worthless which
had been considered as good as money
and bank accommodation a thing not
to be had. Would this firm be in
trouble now if an enlightened policy
had been followed in this country, if
the delusion of Protection had not
blinded them, and if, like the Schwabes
and other great print manufacturers
in England, they had had foreign
m arhet as well as home market?
Now, what has Protection done for
them Calicoes similar to the Sprauge
fabrics cannot be imported for less
43 to 45 per cent. duty; yet, when the
shoe began to pinch thousands of
cases of Sprague prints were rushed
on the market at 81 cents, which is
either the price or within = cent of
the price current before the war, when
cotton was selling for cents a pound
instead of 10 cents, as now, and wages
were % per cent. to 80 per cent less.
Had the Spragues only served their
true interest as they served their idol
of Protection, had they only eultiva
ted the trade of foreign countries a
twentieth part as much as they did
the home trade, they would not now
be left out in the cold, and 10000 in
dustrious and hard working artisans
would not now look with consterna-
ton towards the coming hard winter.
Are these not facts that Republican
Bourbons ought to learn? Poor, de-
luded menl When you resolve for
the future to have the home market
all to yourselves, try and make con-
tract with some hidden power that
no stock or money panics shall take
place, that no mushroom banks shall
smash and no railway king shall come
to grief, for any one of these is as
surely part and parcel of your spin
ming and weaving as is the cotton
thread you use.
Artisans are the shuttlecocks in the
hands of these great sehemers and
SPECTATORS as long as they and their
employers seek no other market than
that of the Uuited States. The Yam
kee clock trade is actually busy, or at
least comfortable, and why ? Because
it does not, and never did rely on the
home market alone. And it is in
times like these, which try an indus
trial country, that the benefit of a for
eigh trade is felt. aa.
/ We beseech those most interested
the working classes-to take these
things to heart, and act upon them.
Had this country had only S150,000,-
600 export trade for articles of manu-
facture, instead of a paltry $20,000,-
600 or. $30,000.000, the stock panic
would have been confined to the
place where it arose, and 100000 hon.
est working men would not now be
feeling the horrors of coming hard
winter without work World,