The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-01-18
From the Salisbury Banner.
ADDRESS OF THE WAKE COUNTY
WORKING-MEN'S ASSOCIATION"

We have read the Address of the Wake Coun-
ty Working Mems Association to the people of
North Carolina with mixed feeling of surprise and
dsappointment-bu greatly of the latter
than the former. With all due respect to its au-
thors, must say it is neither full nor fair
statement Of the questions discussed; and it evin-
ces, as we think, but shallow view into the great
science OF political economy. 1t is rather of the
special pleading order, calculated more to entrap
the unwary in the web Of sophstry than to lead
to correct conclusions by the true light of
We have said it is neither fill nor fair state
ment Of the questions involved, and We propose to
prove it.
In the Address as we find it in the Standard,
Eve have not yet received copy of the pamphlet,
the following case is put: /" The overseer, with 20
hands under him, making for his employer 100
bags of Cotton, worth $4,000, if receiving $500,
paid Sc, aud the employer, for that which pro-
duced him 5000, paid So" Now this state
ment Of the is neither full nor fair and what
is more, without intending to be offensive, it is not
true. 1t is not full, because it omits the impor-
tant fact that the employer has lands as well as
slaves employed in making the 100 bags of cotton,
and upon which he pays tax;-it is not fair, be-
cause the gross income of the employer is given,
while that Of the is nett-it is not true,
because the employer i'll fact pays more than SO
tax upon the negroes atone, besides tax on the
land with which he makes this 100 bags of cot
ton.
Now we will undertake to give statement of
the case, which we submit to the judgment of all
practical men as the true one.
We assert them as a fact that nine out Of ten of
the plantations in North Carolina, upon which 100
bags of cotton can be raised will sell in market for
$4,000. Besides this mules, horses, hogs, cattle,
farming tools, are all required TO carry on the
operations of farming and they all cost money.
Mil bo fo6 no
fed and clothed; DOCTORS blacksmiths, carpenters,
pillow makers and members must all be paid, and
paid too out of this $4,000. A tax is paid both
upon the land and the poll, to the county well
the State, and rather more to the former than
to the latter-tor 1t is necessary to support the
county the State government. The case simply
and truly stated is follows:
20 negroes pay poll tax to the State of $40
The same negroes pay average county tax of y
$4,000 worth of land pays a State tax of 20
The same land pays an average county tax Of 20
Total SGT
Sixty-seven dollars, then, is the tax which the en-
ployer must pay upon the property with which the
100 bags Of cotton made; and it must be paid,
too, out Of this income of $4,000, just as the over
seer pays Sc out of his income of $500. But this
is not the only deduction to which this $4,000 in
come is to be subjected We make another esti-
mate for the authors of the Address.
The expenses of the farm must be deducted
and these estimate as follows, again appealing
to the Judgment of practical men to sustain
Total receipts by employer from cotton crop, SIS, 900
He pays oversecrs wages, $500
Feeding and clothing 20 hands
at SO each, 1,400
Wear and tear of mules, horses,
wagons, &c, &c, 500