The Van Buren press., 1878-08-06

The Weekly New Haven Conn.,
Register says: An extremely interesting
feature"of the growth and movement of
American trade, is referred to by Mr..
Jennings, in a recent letter to the World.
1t has long been an argument with those
who favor a protective tariff, that Amer
ican manufacturers cannot compete with
the "pauper labor" of Europe, and that
therefore we must be protected by dis
eliminating tariff against foreign compc-
tition. Every cloud" is said to have
its silver lining" and so it may, after
all, turn out that the past few years of
financial and business depression in this
country were Just what was needed to
give our commerce foothold in Eu-
rope. The decline of prices of labor and
material has been most distressing to the
labor and capital of tae United States,
but that decline has enabled American
manufacturers to produce their goods at
such low figures that already market
for American goods has been found in
England and other European countries.
Mr.. Jennings says:
have so often called your attention to
the growing importance of American
trade with England, that lam half afraid
of touching the subject again but l can
not refrain from mentioning that an em-
incnt wholesale firm in Manchester has
devoted a large part of its premises to q
new KIND or busfneSs-the safe or Amer
lean cotton goods. 1t would net be half
SO surprising to SEQ u store opened for
the sale Of American coal in Newcastle.
This is indeed carrying war into the
heart of Africa. What must be the SEN
sations of old-fashioned Manchester men
when they see the notice issued by
Messrs Ellet, Glover & Co., Of Is George
street, to the effect that they have made
arrangements with Messrs. Garner 4 Co.
Of New York, to supply calicos for home
or export trade You may depend upon
it that this sort Of thing will begin to
scare even the political economists by and
by. They have, hitherto disposed OF the
whole question with wave of the hand.
How could American manufacturers ever
compete with Lancashire ? 1t was im-
possible. But the philosophers are not
quito SO confident about it now. They
cannot avoid seeing the Wamsetta or
Lonsdale goods in pretty nearly every
dry goods store in London, Liverpool,
and other large towns.
At first it was said they are being
sold at loss" That was two years
ago, and since then the sale has steadily
increased, and the demand is growing at
a rate which surprises me, although, as
your columns can testify, have long for
seen what is coming on. Our manutac-
turers have been asleep; yours have
been wide-awake. The qualities Of En-
gIish goods have been deprociating, and
that Of Americans as constantly improv-
ing. Strikes in Lancashire have ini1ict-
ed heavy losses on operatives and en-
ploycrs, and interrupted the course of
trade. All these circumstances have
helped to bring about the inevitable re-
sult-the decay of Lancashire. Beyond
doubt this must have u great influence
on the future of the United States. The
cotton industry, there, is not going
to become in one day what we have seen
in Lancashire. But it is growing in
dustry the goods are becoming pdphlar
in every Market the prices at which
they can be produced, are remunerative.
There is at least fair promise in all this,
While our political economists are prov
ing that there is " nothing to fear' from
America, the imports from there increase
every day, and include all sorts of mer-
camille commodities besides cotton. /" No
American calico is sold in England" they
say. But the warehouse, at No, 10,
Goorge-street, Manchester tells y differ
ont tale.