Year: 1865

10 EtfhlCES.


Some farmers, we are told complain that
while they sell their wool much lower than
they did last year, they are compelled to
pay more for the cloth they buy. That 50
palpable an error prevails to any consider
able extent, we do not believe. Yet it is
deemed proper to give this complaint a
single notice.


That dealers who have on hand goods at
last years purchase, sell, when they can
at last years prices is quite probable. We
assert, however, upon unquastionablc au-
thority, that there has been material de
cline in the prices of wooden goods that
goods of the quality which brought last
year one dollar "a yard, are now sold by the
same manufactui er for sixty-livc to seventy
cents. This is confirmed by wholesale mer-
chants, who are now selling some kinds Of
wooden cloths from stocks which cost them
10 to 20 per cent. higher than the prices
asked. And they say if large profits are
being made on such goods, the farmers
have to thank retail dealers for it.


1t is stated also by these men that wool
ell manufacturers double their capital every
few months; and that this is the effect of a
universal combination formed by them to
keep up prices. Incredible as these state





are doubtless some who believe them. Man
ufacturers of undoubted veracity fatty DEM
having any knowledge or belief of the eX-
istence of such combination and they de-
clare that, although they pay less for wool,
their profits are less than they were last
year on the same kind Of goods.


But it is not 80 much our object to cor.
rect these erroneous impressions, as to call
the attention of farmers to q few facts, to
which they will do we'll to give heed. Adj
mitting that manufacturers are Just now
making large pro6ts-will any candid, in
telligent man say that this is the effect of
high duties on foreign goods? Taking into
account the internal taxes paid by manufac-
turers on their business and their incomes,
and the additional cost of labor, the pro-
tective duties do not exceed-they are even
less than-what they have been at times
when these complaining farmers bought
goods at the lowest prices they ever paid /;
which proves that present high prices are
not, either wholly or chiefly, owing to Il Q
high duties imposed upon foreign goods.
Besides, some kinds of goods imported free
of duty, or nearly so, have risen in about
the seIue proportion.


Business of all kinds has been effected
moro or less by the war The vast expan-
sion of our currency and the consequent
rise in the price of gold, are sufficient TO
account for most of the increase of prices.
Much of last year gold ranged from 200 to
2S0 per cent. Does not every intelligent
farmer believe this to be the reason why he
received 81 pound for his wool 7 Aud is
he not aware that the fall in the price of
gold to less than $50 per cent has naturally
the effect to reduce, proportionally, the
price of his wool? Cloth at the manufac-
tories and Wholesale stores has fallen near
y as much per yard as is the difference be-
tween tue last and this years value Of the
quantity OF wool worked into a yard of
cloth.


Manufacturers are doubtless doing well,
and so are farmers. Probably the former
might afford TO sell at prices somewhat low
er. But they anticipate loss on the wool
and the goods they shall lave on hand when
the prices fall, as they certainly will. and
perhaps suddenly; which must make a
great drawback on their present gains
Would not farmers observe like prudence
in like circumstances


But reduce tho duties, and what would
these farmers gain, even though they should
buy cloth at a somewhat reduced money
price Would they sell butter, cheese,
grain, meat and other products at present
prices, when our manufacturers are brought