, 1862-04-02
THE TAX ON RAW COTTON

The country will learn with astonish-
mcnt that the proposition to tax raw cotton
has been negativcd in the House Of Repre-
scntatiyes by decided vote. This staple,
for the enlarged culture Of which, and hence
for The more profitable employment and |
more perfect security Of slave labor, the !
South las hazarded everything by p1ung-
ing the country into war, will, il the action
Of ono House Of Congress is TO be accepted !
rs final, escape the burdens which are, d.
rcctly or indirectly, imposed upon every
branch Of industry and all forms of capital
in the loyal States.
We have read the debatein the House to
which the proposition gave rise and we
can discover no reason why the proposi-
lion Of which We speak was rejected-no
reason that will lie at all satisfactory to the
men Of the Northwest, the very bottoms Of
whose pockets viii be reached By the hand
Of the tax gatherer, in lis pursuit Of means
by which the war Of the South for more
cotton and more niggcrs is to be carried
On. On the contrary, the debate brought
cut reasons as plenty as blackberries and
as cogeHt as facts always are, why the tux
should he levied, and, at whatever cost,
collected. II was shown:
l. That the agricultural produce Of the
West Is to be subjected to tax, direct and
indirect; and that the peculiar product Of
the Border Slave States, tobacco, is taxed
heaviest Of all
Il That Of the cotton raised in the coun~
try, full t1ree-fourtls is exported, hence
though tax Of two cents per pound should
be imposed, out Of which revenue Of
twenty to thirty millions Of dollars per an
mum must eventually be secured, the bur-
den OF payment will fall at last upon the
people Of other countries, for whose cheap
shirts We care nothing.
Ill Tie per cent Of advantages for cot
ton culture, which, owing to soil, humid and
warm climate, and cheap labor, this country
possesses over al other countries, would
moi be neutralizcd BY a tax so moderate as
that proposed; and that in spite Of it, the
United States would continue to be the
great, in fact almost the only, source of
cotton supply for all the world.
". That the objection urged against the
tax by the miu~ownczs Of New England
the objection that il would further cripple
their business and diminish their dividends
is fa1lacious, the per cent. Of tax being sc
small as not to materially affect the con
sumption Of their products, and because
the tnx would xst tan ,.-.,, avn 1,,t .,,.,x
the consumers Of their fabrics, who woult
pay it in fraction Of a cent per yard o,
Ill they buy.
Y. That the cheapness Of cotton, whicl
cannot be appro1imated by any other ma
tcrial for textile fab1ics which the worl
has yet discovered, makes the staple on
that is peculiarly and especially fitted t
bear the burden that ought 10 be impose
upon it.
These are the main reasons which Wei
adduced by Mr. Arnold and others Of th
West why the proposition should be 81
ceptcd, and they, 10 our minds, are concls
sive~ They cover the whole ground. Til,
included under the second head is Of itse
OF weight enough to silence all debate, an
at once to cause the amendment to tax
the form Flaw.
But the old fear which has possessed Il
House since its first assembling-th
something nay be done to hurt the fee
ings, injure the property, OF release Il
slaves Of the men Tho are clutching at Il
throat Of our Government, and encompa
sing with obstruction the civilization Of Il
Continent, was urpermost: and this pla
necessary and just, was included IN theli
Of Things, like emancipation in the pistri
Of Columbia, contiseation Of rebels slaYt
taxation Of persons held to service or labe
not to be done for fear Of wouuding Il
tender sensMiities Of the SELLERS Of me
But it cannot he that this maWkishue