The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-03-10

NoTE-Under the tiarff of 1885, thesduty
was 20 per cent. ad valorem; under the
cent. From April 1, 1861, (act of March 2,
1851, to August 4, 1862, the duty was % cents
Increase inc % to 3 cents IS took @ effect, which was
continued until Jan. l 1871, at which date,
toy 30 sns eenfs nfs took to- eect the import gallon be
ing fixed at 71a pounds, these provisions be-
ing yet in force. Ii should not be forgotten
that the above values and prices represent
those in the foreign ports OF original ship
ment, not values and prices after arrival in
ed in gold. Down TO 1867, import entries are
gwen; after 1866, quantities and values en-
tering sato home consumption, the official
reports not stating the latter previous to
fiscal year 1867.
These statistics show how complete
ly 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 80, 1874,
according to the official figures and
the estimates of competent judges.
foreigners furnished 647 .2O8 bushels,
and American farmers g Isl 900 bush
els, of fax seed to our domestic man
ufacturers, the latter being scarcely
45 per cent of the whole quantity.
This general state of the facts will
and must continue, perhaps grow
worse, until our tariff is 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
which the various linen fabrics, en-
bracing a long list of articles, now
consumed in such immense quantities
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 fax seed, 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 a remu-
nerative 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 fax
industry be transferred, in its numer-
Gus departments, to our own soil, max
ing us as independent of the foreign
supply for manufactures of flax as we
are at present for linseed oil, then flax
will be applied to a multitude of new
uses, immensely augmenting the de-
mand for the fiber, as we'll as for the
seed. Already the ingenuity of our
countrymen is exhibited in the adop-
tion of flax as part of the material in
manufacturing paper barrels, under a
late patent, while growing quantity
of the plant is being employed to add
strength in the production of fifty
pound bags for grocers and others.
These are significant examples OF What
may be accomplished in-such a direc-
ton. As, step by step, we advance i'm
the discussion of this subject, we shall
prove that the profitable growth of
fax on our soil, as large and regular
crop, like wheat or corn, hinges on the
fact whether We cOmprehensively
manufacture tor ourselves or permit
foreign countries to manufacture for
US. By next winter We expect to so
fully travel over the ground as to be
able to offer our readers a draft of
conclusive memorial to Congress. en-
bodying schedule of duties required.
Then our farmers must do their part
of the work, by obtaining signatures
these should aggregate not less than
1OO,OO0 names--and by forwarding the
signed memorials to their Representa-
tives and Senators at Washington.
Such an array as that will accomplish
the intended result Fixed deter.
mination and steady perseverance will
be necessary, representing the spirit of
the Chinese proverb, Time and pa
tience convert the mulberry leaf into
satin"
Only see what protective legislation
has done for the linseed oil industry
in the United States A few figures
will make this manifest Eormarlv
We were as dependent upon Great
Britain for our oil as now we are for
our manufactures of fax: but Con-
gress granted fostering duties. and
now we not only supply about all the