Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-05-18
:THE, ,5coTrnusIAx

"S" " 'r 10 QouDG very easily
pass;the Senate, is one7of vital Importance TO
the planters Of the South. The bill adds three
eents:per pound to the cost of producing the
great staple Of the South, and 10 thia extent
oepresses great Industrial interest, .whicl, il
now reeitng under the disasters of the past
iour years. and which ut this time .especially
needs Tie fostering care Of tho Government :.
Under the most favorable circumsionce. ,,a
cotton planter has much to foar iu con,peti.
tion witt. the foreigo. producer. yet the effect
OF 'n'' measure is to stimulate foreign pro-
duetion, by addngto the cost of the home
supply. Mr.. Morrel, the Chairman eff the
house Committee, may enter into q hietap aph ysi.
cal argument TO veil the schemes. of raj pa-
@'ous Legislators, but the pretext is too Aimsy,
Tue unotiYe too apparent, 10 deceive sagacio,,s
practical men. - IT, -'r -
Tie injustice and impolicy of the measure is
clearly set forth in the recent Renort of ll,c
New York Chamber of Commerce. Which
urges the following reasons against the imp osi.
lion Of the Tux: = -.
F7rst-That the cotton interest in India.
brazii and Egypt have eaccunuatedaa large cap.
ilnls from the high prices OF the Inst three
all theirs. ''''
Srcond-That nothing has vet occurred to
arrest the extension Of cotton production in
those countries; and nothing will arrest it short
OF F." material and permanent decline in prices
hird-Phat in the last i've years railroads
have been opening tho traffic in India, and
other means of transportation hove been i'm
proved; and as the Indian Government qua
rantees an annual dividend Of not less than
five per cent. to railway stockholders we must
suppose branch railroads will he made wher.
ever they ore elikely to pay.
fourh-Fhat during the four years famine
OF United STATES cotton in Europe great i'm
provements have been made in the manufac.
ture of yarns and fabrics from Indin cotton. so
that eminent manufacturers who thought for.
meriy That they could only use American in
mixture of four .fifths India and ione-tenlli
American produced the requisite quality; at
least SO it is stated on authority which your
Committee are forced to respect Without being
competent TO Mlorse it. - ?
FJM-That the expenses in the United
states OF producing, transporting, and selling
at the ports. exclusive of tax, must be estima.
ted this year at not less thon l3. cents per
pound. in case Of q yield of 2,5OO, 900 bales,
and about cents more if the yield is less.
The cultivation of cotton in India, Egypt
and Brazil, so far from being failure, has
been steadily on the increase, and The quantity
and quality of this, supply in the Liverpool
market during the past month has been. euch
as to reduce tho price of the staple Is or le
cents. To meet this increased competition we
must stimulate production at home, not give
bonus to the foreign producer, by levying an,
export duty upon the home supply.
The partial operation. and unjust discrimina.
tions Of tile bill are apparent from the follow
ing considerations as set forth in the report:
The bill is based upon the assumption that
thirty four millions Of revenue will he derived
from this tax, and connects with the recon-
mendation other proposed changes in the law,
which are as favorable to the wealthier por.
tion Of our country ns the tax referred tots
oppressive to the South, viz: -, -. =
]. The reduction of taxes On incomes.
q drawback on cotton goods, when ex-
ported, Of five cents per ponnI. thus increas.
ing the county on their production from two
10 five cents per pound. -
3:'Ihe abolition ofSthe tax "f 81 per barrel
on crude and one fifth-of that on refined Pc
troleum:' a. - -. - T..
There is in these and other notifications
suggested in the existing law want of iarar.s
tialty, which. in the Judgment of your Com
miuee, is calculated to provoke hostiTty-at the
south, and to excite in all honest minds ut the
North the hope that such q purpose will not
prevail. 1t is not as though the people of the
South were prepared 10 enter into competition
with The manufacturers of, tile North for the
benefits To be conferred through the payment
Of the proposed boiinty on cotton goods .x.
ported They are not, and cannot be, for
years to come, nnd. the imposition Of dis
eliminating tax which tends to make the rich
Of the fortli richer and the poor of the South
roorer, operates as a encouragement to those
who. with heavy heart but honest endeayors