The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-28
MnHRISONtS BILL.

Washington, March Is, 1884. Recon
ly Congressman Hugh Buchanan, of the
Fourth GeOgia district, wrote to Mr. W
II. Young president of the Eagle and
Phoenix manufacturing company, at Col
umbia, Ca, as to what effect the enact
ment Of the Morrison tart fl bill would
have upon the great industry of which
he is the head. His reply has been hand
ed to Mr. Blcunt, of the Ways and Means
committee. and is as follows:
Columbus, Ga, March 10. 1894.
Hon. Hugh Buchanan, house of repres-
entatives, Washington. D. G.
Dear SRI have your letter of the 10Th
inst, in which you ask my views as to
what effect reduction of twenty per cent
would have on the cotton manufacturing
interests of the south.
10 the question answer unhesitating-
ly. none.
The south is now engaged in manufact-
uring, say, standard or heavy weight
goods, and which are mainly consumed
by the masses of Our population south and
month, and the south sends her surplus
production to the north where they
displace all such heavy weight goods as
were formely made there and sent solth.
These advantages lin all such goods must
ever remain with the south over New
England and Old England closer
proximity to the cotton fields, has ii
relative advantage over Old England
A reduction Of twenty per cent on The
tariff would not enable England to com
To II tstiS
in these heavy weight goods, hut if The
tar Fl on all articles entering into the cost
of manufacture IN this country were also
reduced twenty per cent. then the man
ufacturers, north and south, would be
benefited, and if the duties on all such
goods entering into the cost of manufact,
| uring were made free then the north and
south could compete with England in all
markets of the world
The tariff as it now stands, of course,
shuts out all foreign competition with
manufacturing productions in this country
except few spcCalties of fine goods for
the wealthy, and it locks in their product
ions and thus confines them to the home
| demand, and as n consequence there is
now glut of goods. To illustrate rly
position: The company over which |
preside consumes about fifty bales of cot.
ton per day. A New England mill con
summing that amount of cotton would have
to pay $500 per day more for ii than il
cost this company and mill in England
would have to pay more than that
These advantages are So great that the
tariff. if entirely removed would not
enable England to compete with this
country On heavy weight goods, and il
the tariff was removed on all articles that
enter into the cost OF manufacturing
then this country could command the
markets of the world and the supremacy
of England would be ended.
have visited England three times and
have Investigated the cost of labor com
pared with the south and found it more
or higher, than here, and yet our operative
was in better condition, from the fact
that food cost less with lis and clothing
also, rs our climate does not reqnire such
heavy clothing. | think labor at The
north about the same as in England
| also investigate the cost and selling
price of heavy cotton goods and concluded
| could sell England at profit, but to dc
so must adopt their peculiarties of styles
and prefer Il home market.
| believe If all our custom houses wer,
abolished that this country would find il
England Il large market for our manuiact
urcs of cotton and wooden goods. Nov
this country is heavily taxed with almos
everything that enters into the cost O
production, beginning with Ialing the
goods with Scotch burlaps.
/ ! believe the manufacturing interest
in this country with their natural adgan
tages, if free from all tariff legislation
: would soon make the United States tn
great manufacturing center. Yours truly
! W. II. YOUNG, President Easl1 ana Phoe
: nix Manufacturing company.