
Excerpt from Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts: 1926-1727 Domestic industry received attention. In 1726 John Powell, of Boston, had shown a specimen of sail-cloth or duck, manufactured from domestic ax or hemp, and desired encouragement to set up a factory. A bounty on product for twelve years, open to any inhabitant, and a loan of by the Province to Powell were proposed. The loan seemed inadvisable, because it must be met by bills of credit and they could not be issued.2 The general bounty did not satisfy Powell, though it had been increased from twenty to thirty shillings a piece of cloth, and in 1728 he renewed his application for a special grant, ask ing for a loan of for ten years. The House adopted the encouragement as well as a continuance of the bounty at the old rate.3 If the manufactured product received favor the raw material could claim like notice, and a bill for encouraging the raising of ax passed after some difference between theitwo houses.4 The trade with the Indians called for new truck-houses and proper truck-masters, with the necessary supplies for meeting the wants of the Indians and keeping them in friendly disposition. The cost of this policy and the goods purchased for trading purposes are suggested by the appropriation of to furnish European and West India goods, as rum, sugar and molasses, and necessary provisions, for the Western Indians. The rate of profit on European goods the Court fixed at twenty-five per cent and that on rum, sugar and mo lasses at fifty per cent, recognizing the principle of taxing imported luxuries, though affording no guidance for judging between articles of luxury and of necessity.5 As an indication of what was supplied an Indian' of prominence in his tribe may be noted a wig, costing three pounds, obtained of a perukemaker of Boston by a visiting Sachem and allowed by the General Court.6 Paper making was encouraged by the grant to certain undertakers of the sole privilege for ten years
Page Count:
496
Publication Date:
2018-02-14
ISBN-10:
0656323493
ISBN-13:
9780656323494
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