The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-21
Export DUTY ON Cotton.

Export Duty ON Cotton.
If the New England faction main
tains its present power. in Congress,
we can look with some certainty for
the imposition of an export duty on
cotton to the tune of ten cents per
pound. If the South had the upper
hand instead of the North, and, if
Goldfish had the same estimation
abroad that cotton has, an export
duty attached to that sinking fish
would raise thunderous yell from
Maine to Pennsylvania, and the
Christian world would be invoked to
curse SO dastardly measure. We
are we'll aware that our ancestors pro-
hibited Congress from framing any
laws of export duty; but, they were
old fogies and could be taught flank
movement or two by our modern
Lycurguses never dreamed of in their
simple philosophy. Very wisely did
Congress the right of laying export
duties, knowing full well that one
section in the ascendant would inevi
tably Cypress the weaker section.
Honors, however, change manners
andrevolutions change Constitutions.
Wherefore, we confidently anticipate
an export tax on cotton of, at least,
ten cents per pound. In an admirable
survey of this question in DeBo,D's
Rcriear. Mr.. Boyce, of South Caro-
lima, thus cogently states the ques-
ton: Suppose cotton is selling at
20 nn,to nor. ,,O1,,,I. 1,n1ocC COTTON
should rise to 40 cents per pound the
producer of cotton is the loser. Will
cotton rise to 40 cents? It is not to
be supposed it will. If we suppose
the price 80 cents without any export
duty, this price Of 80 cents may be
assumed to be its fair value in the
markets of the world, the result of
the amount Of cotton produced every
where, including the United States,
and the demand for it. This tax of
10 cents per pound would fall only on
the portion of the cotton supply
raised in the United States. All the
cotton that is raised elsewhere than
in the United States, can, as the
market price proves, be raised profit
ably at 30 cents per pound. An ex-
port tax of 10 cents per pound cannot
permanently raise the price of foreign
cotton 10 cents per pound over and
above the point of fair and remu-
nerative profit. Two causes will pre-
vent such great rise as this. The
first is the increased amount of
foreign cotton which will be pro-
duced, and the inevitable tendency Of
%ha 70 nfr To -
place of cotton with some other and
cheaper fabric. Asan export tax on
cotton cannot raise the price to the
extent of the tax, it must fall on the
producer. None can be less able to
pay an undue share of taxes than the
cultivators of cotton at the South
They are poor indeed, with scarcely
any capital but their land. It is
slrl rising, too, that those who favor
the tax should be the special friends
OF the free blacks, whose only imme-
date hope of profitable employment
is in the high price of cotton. If that
is struck down, a most serious blow is
struck at the prosperity of the blacks
"Another objection to export du-
ties on cotton is the stimulus it will
be to the foreign production of cot
ton. The increase of the cotton cul-
ture in India has been a favorite
policy of the English Government.
We would be playing into their hands
most generously.
eve should regard the imposition
of export duties as one of the most
disastrous measures that could be
adopted, and we sincerely hope the
Constitution may not be tampered
with in this particular, but remain
as it always has been, forbidding such
duties.-A'xgusta Constitutionalist.
BISHOPS OF THE METHODIST Ep1sco-
PAL CHURCH. Nashville Advo-
cate gives the following account OF
the Bishops of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South: Bishop Soule
was at Nashville on the 9TH inst, the
sixty-irst anniversary of his itinerant
ministry. He was enjoying comfort.
able health, though aged eighty-fve.
He resides near Nashville.
Risbop AD1raw now ooct I,;e