REMARKS ON THE PRICE OF LABOR. 123 



But the silk manufacture is not protected, except by a 

 small duty on imports of manufactured silks, of from 

 fifteen to seventeen per cent. It is fostered by the good 

 taste of the people ; it is therefore the only trade in the 

 kingdom which is never in distress. In matters of taste, 

 and in the formation of the most beautiful figured pat- 

 terns in silk, the taste of the French controls the world. 

 The mere handiwork, or execution of the weaving, of 

 the most curious pattern, is a simple affair with the 

 Jacquard Loom. Every establishment at Lyons has one 

 or more artists, and artists schools are established at 

 Lyons. It is the cultivated taste of the nation, so cele- 

 brated for excelling in all that is fine in the arts. New 

 patterns are formed in the imagination by new combina- 

 tions of flowers gathered from the field and tastefully 

 arranged. From these the pattern is drawn. The 

 botanist, the florist, even every weaver exerts his skill. 



It is true, that in France there are no taxes imposed 

 on the mulberry tree, but there is a general land tax. 

 In Italy the mulberry trees are taxed. 



In France, as many women as men are employed jn 

 their silk manufactories. This practice was introduced 

 from necessity by the conscription laws of Napoleon. 

 In China a great proportion of the operatives in the 

 silk manufactures are females, according to Staunton. 

 In Italy the weaving is done by both males and females, 

 and much in the domestic way, as much of the plain 

 weaving is now also done in France, and in India, 

 and China, and all other countries where the silk is 

 raised. 



In those countries, two persons are required at one 

 reel. Throwing mills which are moved by water, there 

 are, indeed, it seems in Italy, but the operatives, who are 

 mostly females, are prejudiced against machinery, and 

 .do most of the work by hand. 



The celebrated philanthropist Montesquieu was op- 

 posed to labor saving machinery ; this only proves that 

 Montesquieu was theoretical rather than practical, and 



