The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-09-29

The incapacity Of the present Congress
to legislate inteligently upon subjects Of f.
nance and taxation is again illustrated by
the arrival of delegation Of Southern and
Western cotton merchants and dealers in
Washington to procure modification of the
regulations imposed under the law taxing
cotton three cents pound. 1t appears that
If the law should he enforced according to
existing regulations II will delay the trans
portation of the new cotton crop, and pre-.
vent the bulk of it from reaching market
for another year. The New Orleans Cham
Der Of Commerce took the subject up and
adopted memorial to the Secretary Of the
Treasury, that was published in the Com.
merc,ai Advertiser some time since. This
memorial sets forth the practical difficulties
Of the present Treasury regulations, and
suggests the means for remedying them. In
the first place, the tax Of three cents a
pound, amounting to nearly one-third the
price Of cotton before the war, falls heavily
upon the planters, who are required to pay
it before the cotton can be removed from
the respective revenue districts, or else put
it through tedious and expensive bonding
process.
Now II turns ont that in many parts Of the
South there are, as yet, no organized revenue
lectors. The payment Of the tax or the
bonding Of the cotton, in such cases, are i'm.
possible, and if the cotton should be removed
or sold without either of these preliminaries
it is liable to conGscation. Railroad compa-
MES and transportation agents are liable to
heavy fines in case they transport cotton
that has not gone through the official routine.
Then, again, in the organized districts it often
happens that the planters have only single
chance in year to get their cotton to mar
ket. The steamers go up the rivers at wide
intervals to bring down the cotton, and if it
is not ready the planters lose q market for
that season. They are, therefore, put to the
trouble and expense Of hurrying off scores Of
miles, more or less, to the residence of the
officials, and pay the expenses of the latter
to the plantations. The inconvenience of
this system may be better understood by
supposing the effects of a law compelling
Northern farmers to pay tax on hay, grain
and garden produce, or put them through q
bonding process involving the trouble Of
hunting up United States revenue officials
to stamp the commodities and receive the
tax before they could send them to market
Northern people would not tolerate such a
system for moment, and yet this is precise
" the kind of legislation that Congress i'm
poses upon the South in the absence of rep
resentation from that section.
Fortunately for the South, it is matter
of national interest to bring the cotton crop
to a market as soon as possible. The pro-
ceeds of the cotton crop are useful for ex-
change and other purposes, and are as good
as gold and better than greenbacks. Any
delay or difficulty in realizing upon this val
liable crop is very serious affair, involving
considerable arrangement to the commerce
Of the country.
A great many persons, both North and
Sonth are therefore interested in the trans
mission Of the new crop to market at the
earliest possible moment. Even Cincinnati
and Chicago merchants can join hands with
New Orleans and Mobile in procuring-not
a modification of the law, for that can only
be effected by Congress-but change in
the Treasury regulations that will some
what mitigate the evils complained Of A
delegation of representatives from the lead
ing cities in the South and Southwest has
arrived in Washington, and presented the
facts to the President and Secretary of the
Treasury. Their suggestion is that oil the
cotton-producing States shall be converted
into single revenue district so that the
cotton may be freely moved and the tax
collected at any point.
In other words, it is proposed to transfer
the payment of the tax from the interior
districts Of Louisiana aud Georgia to New
Orleans, Mobile. or Savannah-from the
planters to the factors. The advantages of
this change are quite obvious, and Mr.. Nc
Culloch is favorably disposed toward it. But
he is doubtful whether he has power to make
this sweeping alteration in the mode Of col
lectlng the tax, and has referred the qucs-
ton to the Attorney General for his decision.
The principle involved in the request Of
the Southern merchants is not detrimental
to the il 'crcsts of the country. 1t is merely
proposed to release the cotton planter from
the payment of the tax and make the pur.
chaser liable. 1t appears almost inconceiv.
able that an impracticable law such as this
cotton tax could ever have been imposed
by any body of men claiming to legislate
for the wants and interests of a people. 1t
is, however, logical sequence Of our absurd
system of taxing production, that is proba.
bly, destined to continue in operation until
the people select representatives competent
to deal with subjects Of finance and taxation
in practical, common-sense manner.-N
J.. Commercial Advertiser.