118 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



hindrance is the high wages which every class of 

 laborers demands, and all the more stubbornly de- 

 mands because they know the scarcity. A third hin- 

 drance is the want of money, and the uncommonly 

 high interest paid for the use of capitals in Pensyl- 

 vania and New York 6-7 per centum, in South Caro- 

 lina 8 and more ; this with the other difficulties in the 

 way would too much diminish any profit that might be 

 hoped for. Besides, it has been sufficiently shown by 

 experience that nothing can be made in America which 

 cannot be had cheaper from Europe. To be sure, 

 America has the crude material (or can get it) for all 

 kinds of manufactures, but until all the land is occu- 

 pied and so far settled that all hands cannot be em- 

 ployed in agriculture and a part must look for other 

 ways of getting a living, that is to say, for many years 

 yet, America must bring from Europe the most of what 

 it needs for use or luxury. The countryman, indeed, 

 makes from his wool a sort of rough cloth or contrives 

 linen from his flax, but such things are not for the 

 exigencies of the multitude. Hats are made in several 

 parts of America, but especially at Philadelphia, of an 

 excellent quality and from nothing but beaver-skins, 

 and in the country these are preferred to any of Euro- 

 pean make. The best are sold for 6-8 Spanish dollars. 

 Their fault is they are too thick and heavy and do not 

 hold the color so well as the European. They make 

 commoner sorts of racoon, mink, and hare-skins ; 

 woolen hats of an inferior sort can be imported cheaper 

 than they can be made, and of the finer hats a great 

 number are sold every year to the Americans by 

 Europe, and because of the cheapness. Notwithstand- 

 ing there is no lack of shoemakers in America, every 



