The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-28
The Tax on Cotton.


The New York World copies an article from
the Augusta (Ga.) COnstitutiondlist, on the
proposed five cent tax on cotton, which it is
claimed, Exhibits the view of this subject tax
en- by large numbers of the Southern people"
That the Constitutiondlst and many of its
readers should be ignorant of the first prlncl-
pies of political economy is nothing surprising.
The World cannot plead ignorance, and we
confess to a good deal of surprise at finding
such reasoning as the following copied into its
columns and editorially endorsed. The Con-
stitut;onalist says to the cotton planters of
Georgia.
There is not day to be lost. Look but at
this plain estimate for hundred bales, four to
the hand, and see the justice of this advice
given you, through U.S. by men well known in
this State, whom you love and trust:
100 bales, 45O lbs, at 15c. $6,75OO0
Contra.
Federal tax, Be. perlb S2,25o00
Baling, storage, &c. 10000
Hire 25 hands at$s permonth 10000
Feeding, clothing, &c. 1250.00
Taxes 5000 6,450.OO
Total $4,000
Three hundred dollars to meet State and
county taxes, family expenses, worth OF land,
stock, and implements, wear and tear, &c, and,
where you bank Old borrowed capital - repay
ment of principal and interest.
Let cotton alone. Put the plowshare,
friends, to the sickly stand and then let cotton
, alone. Plant corn Corn is bread and meat,
will keep body and soul together, will satisfy
your hands when hunger begins to pinch em
in the fall win keep you afoat till next year,
and can't be taken away though Capital should
be SO blind as to deny you further time to pay.
The great mass of the North are willing to let
you prosper ifyou can, but they are blind to the
devilment plotted against you, and need an
earthquake to open their eyes. Once awake
them and the Five Cent Tax will sleep with
Hector. They will learn that first lesson in
political economy that tyranny don't pay, and
will demand politically what we again and
again financially advise, beseech, adjure = Let
Cotton alone.
1t is impossible to doubt the sincerity with
which these words are written, and yet all
this vehement indignation is, and can easily
be shown to be, utterly without cause. Tax
alton never falls upon the producer but ulti-
n1utely irrs..ll:ls a.
The internal revenue bill requires the tax to
be paid to the collector before the cotton is
removed from. the district in which it is grown
If cotton at fifteen cents pound nets the
planter only $500, according to the calculation
above, it is very evident and indeed absolute
ly certain, that he will only sell for 20 cents g
pound, which would leave handsome bal
ance of $2,55 precisely what would be re-
ceived if there were no tax. The United
States have very nearly monopoly of this
STAPLE. Cotton may indeed be procured from
other countries, but in insufficient quantity
and of inferior quality. Four-fifths of the
crop are exported annually. Four-fifths of
this tax then, will fall upon foreign consum-
ers. 1t is thus that England will be compel
ed to pay for the depredations of her Alaba-
mas. The remaining fifth will be paid by
American consumers, North and South alike.