The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-03-10
Totals ID. .5e7 2al SO sl2 ana ssh 9I sO eO.272

NorE-Under the tiarn of lS46. the.duty
was 20 per cent. ad valorem; under the
cent. From April /, 1881, (act of March 2,
l66l(, TO August 4, 1862, the duty was 20 cents
per gallon, when, by act OF July A. 1852, an
continued until Jan. ], lS7l, at which date,
by the act of July u, 1870. further increase
ING n ~ f,xsd ss Mt W ~ pounds these provfsions be-
Ing yet In force. II should not be forgotten
that the M s above ys1 value. md prices gsHsessnt
ment, not values and prices after arrival In
"a in gold. Down 10 1851, Import entries are
given; after 1886, quantities and values en-
reports not stating the latter previous to
fiscal year 1857 Frfr
"a These statistics show how complete
II independent this country has be.
come of foreign sources for its supply
of linseed oil, although we are yet de-
plorably dependent upon the British
East Indies for seed; for, during the
twelve months ended june 30, 1874,
according to the official figures and
the estimates of competent judges,
foreigners furnished 2, ,647, ,20S bushels,
and American farmers 2.151 900 bush
els, of fax seed to our domestic man
ufacturers, the latter being scarcely
As per cent of the whole quantity.
This general state of the facts will
and must continue. perhaps grow
worse, until our tariff il revised COM
prehensively in the interests of home
labor, so as to transfer to our soil the
manufacture of fax in its diversified
branches. When the time comes at
bracing q long list OF articles, now
by our people, shall be produced by
the employment of American labor,
American capital, and American ma.
chinery, then our farmers will be able
to put their dax eeed, much less oil
yielding than the East India varieties.
at such low prices as to force the for
eign supply out of our markets, be-
cause in that day of realization, every
ounce Of fax straw will find q remu-
nerativo purchaser, and the return for
the entire crop, with seed half the
present selling value, will aggregate
much more profit than is derived
amid the unfavorable circumstances
which now prevail. Once let the flax
industry be transferred, in its numer-
Gus departments, to our own soil. max
ing us as independent Of the foreign
supply for manufactures of fax as We
are at present for linseed oil. then f3ar
will be applied to multitude of new
uses, immensely augmenting the de-
mand for the fiber, as we'll as for the
seed. Already the ingenuity oS our
ceuntrymen is exhibited in the Mon
tion OF fax as part of the material In
manufacturing psper barrels, under a
late patent, while a growing quantity
of the plant is being employed to add
strength In the production of ffty-
pound bags tor grocers and others.
THESE are sign'hcant examples OF what
may oe accomplished in such a direc-
t,cn. AS, step oy step, We advance in
the discussion of this subject. We shall
prove that the profitable grovth nt
hax on our soil, as large aud rerulsr
crop, like wheat or corn. hinges on the
fact whether we COMPREHENSIVE
manufacture for ourselves or permit
foreign countries to manufacture for
rs. Bv next winter We expect to so
fully travel over the ground as to be
able to offer our readers a draft of a
conclusive memorial to Congress. en-
bodying a schedule of duties required.
Then our farmers must do their part
Of the work, by obtaining signaturesr
these should aggregate not less than
I0o,UOU names-and by forwarding the
signed memorials to their Rerreeenta.
Slves and Senators at Washington.
Such an array a. that will accomplish
the intended result. Fixed deter
mination and steady perseverance viii
1e necessary. representing the spirit Of
the Chinese proverb, Time and pa
tlenee convert the mulberry leaf into
Only see what protective legislation
mas done for the linseed oil Industry
IN the United States. A few figures
wl make this manifest. Formerly
pe we're as dependent upon Great
Drum tor our oil as now We are for
our Manufactures of FAX; but Con-
sress granted fostering duties. and
nov We not only supply about all the