Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-06-23
@eiltora gnqnirtr.
BEDFORD Pa, FRIDAY, JUNE %. 1866.
EXPORT DUTIES.

EXPORT DUTIES.
At the very outset Of the rebellion, III,
South recognized such a necessity, an,
promptly abandoned their sine qlsf non Of
export duties The Confederate Gonstitl
ton contained no prohibition, and upon til,
contrary their whole financial policy wa.
based upon the revenue derived directly from
Cotton and Tobacco Their statesmen de
clared that IN case Of success, their proposed
government would necessarily depend chief
iy Upon revenue to be derived from
export duties, to defray its expenses. Thi;
certainly affords us an argument and pre-
cedent which the South cannot gainsay Will
good grace.
Cotton and tobacco having been the finan-
cial strength and basis of the rebellion, and
having enabled the South to maintain the
war, and thus neeessitate our preseRt debt,
1t Is but Just that they should be made 70
contribute 10 its liquidation More espeal-
ally IS this the case when we consider that
the imposition ofa moderate export duty
would not affect the foreign demand, and
that European sympathizers with the rebel
hon would thus practically be compelled to
pay q portion of the debt which they largely
contributed to force upon us. 1t is safe to
say that we can impose a duty upon cotton OF
ten cents pound and still supply The world
at lower price than any other nation. This
upon the basis of 1000 0Q0, 600 pounds.
which was the production of 1856, would
yield a revenue of $500, ,000,0 Tobacco
would stand much higher taxation This
would at once solve the whole problem Of
our future finances, and open the way to the
easy and speedy extinguishment Of our
debt, without seriously affecting the coun-
try
Upon the contrary it would tend to enrich
us while the liquidation was going on. it
would transfer TO our country the coarse cot
ton manufacture CT the world, by giving US
a mafgin over England amounting to the tax
and the transportation. 1t would force the
surplus operatives of England to come 70 our
shores for employment, and in "a few years
We should supply the world with the coarser
cotton fabrics instead Of being purchasers.
Exchanges would be largely in our favor and
finally when the time should come when the
necessitJ is passed and our debt be extin-
guished. we should hold undispnted posses
sion of the commercial and manufacturing
power of the world We should then be in
the broad road toward the fulfllment of the
great mission which is now before us as the
champion aswell as the pioneer fthe world 5
progress.
The above article from the Pittsburgh Er
GAronicle presents an interesting subject for
consideration at the present time. In the
Constitution of the United States, Art !,
Sec. 2, Clause 5, we find export duties pro-
hibited in the following terms NO Tax or
Duty shall be laid on articles exported from
any State This clause we believe was in
serted at the instance of Southern men for
fear of legislation, prejudieial to the Cotton
and Tobacco growing interests then in their
infancy. The propriety of abolishing it by
an amendment to the Constitution is now
matter of highest moment The Confeder-
ate States while adopting in most parts the
old Constitution as a model for theirs, left
out this prohibition, may we not take hint
from their action, and abolish it in ours 1t
should be the policy of our government to
protect and foster manufactures of every
kind, as well as to raise revenue, by the
least oppressive measures. Both these OBJ
jects may be promoted by the imposition of
le-----t duties grodrlo+ions and esnecisIzr
raw material, which we can furnish cheaper
than other countries or of which we have
monopoly. Cotton and Tobacco can particu-
iarly be made to pay handsome revenue in
this manner while our manufactures of cot
ton, would be largely promoted thereby. In
this way our commercial rival, England,
would be Obliged to help pay our national
debt as well as build up our manufactures
so as to enable them to compete with her
own, not only at home but in foreign mar
kets. England, while building up her man
ufactures, which have since been the source
ofan her wealth and power, not only i'm
posed export duties, but prohibited the ex-
portatien Of many articles entirely. The
expectation of wool or sheep was prohibited
by both common and statute law, and pun
ished with heavy penalties We annually
buy millions of dollars worth of manufae-
tured cotton goods from England and pay
the bulky and perishable productions of the
farm, instead of sending them to foreign
markets where the cost of transportation is
almost equal to their value The protection
and development ofour national industry is
a matter of vital importance to the nation
The prosperity throughout the North in
duced even in the midst of civil war by the
incidental protection afforded by the gold
premiums and the revenue tariff has given
our people an illustration of the prosperity
that may be created by judieious protection.
1t can be increased ten-fold all over the
country or quickly destroyed by congression-
al action. We are already suffering because
the Incidental protection of the gold premi-
um is everyday decreasing Prompt action
by Congress at its next session, either by re-
dueing taxes or increasing duties alone, can
save our industrial interests from suffering
materially. We hope to see these matters
receive prompt and careful attention at the
next sessio1lof Congress.
THE COMPLEXION IT is COMING TO-