Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-09-12

1867.
is enjoined on each officer to commit to memory
his part of the initiatory ceremony.
The council rooms should be made attractive BY
embems and ornaments and by a supply Of read
ing matter. If any person belonging to the order
cannot read, he must be instructed.
REVENUE FROM RAW COTTON.
This staple has rapidly assumed place as an i'm.
portant source Of public income, and last year IT
yielded the second largest amount received from
one source, on the list of manufactures and pro
ductions. During the war, of course, but little
cotton could be reached on which tax could be
levied and collected, and it is, therefore, not sur
prising that the aggregate receipts for 1865, on
cotton, exhibited an increase over those for the
preceding year, amounting to oyer seventeen hun
dred per cent ..
The. attention of Congress was directed to the
subject as early as the year 1852, and the law Of
lst of July Of that year provided, that ION and
after the first day Of October, eighteen hundred
and sixty-two, there shall be levied, collected and
paid, tax of one half of one per cent per pound,
on all cotton held or owned by any person or per.
sons corporation or association of persons.
h In imposing this low rate it was probably be-
lieved that q much larger quantity of the article
would be reached than was reached. The amount
of revenue collected under this rate between Octo
Der 1st, 1862 and June 3Oth, 1868, was not much
more than three hundred and fifty-one thousand
dollars, which represents something above seventy
million pounds The law of June 30th, 1854
however, increased the tax to two cents per pound
and the total receipts on the staple for the fsca
year, 1865, amounted to considerably more thar
one and three-quarter millions, representing abou
eighty-eight and half million pounds The las
named rate continued in force during the entire
fiscal year. 1866, but during that year, the war hav
ing terminated, and the whole Southern section O
the country being accessible, allowing the estab
lishment of the excise officers therein, the revenue
upon the entire crop was collected, realizing to thu
Government nearly eighteen and q half millions
This was yielded too, by partialcrop, cultivation
of the product having been seriously impeded By
the lack of implements and laboring hands.
The law of 18th of July, 1866, declares "tha
on and after the first day Of August, eighteen hun
dred and sixty-six, in lieu of the taxes on unman
ufactured cotton, as provided in an Act to pro
vide internal revenue to support the Government
to pay interest on the public debt, and for othe
purposes, approved June thirtieth, eighteen hun
dred and sixty-four, as amended by the Act o
March third, eighteen hundred and sixty-6ve, Their
shall be paid by the producer, owner or holder
upon all cotton produced within the United State
and upon which no tax has been levied, paid o.
collected, tax of three cents per pound, as here
matter provided; and the weight Of such cottol
shall be ascertained by deducting four per centuu
for tare from the gross weight ofeach bale or pack
age"
It will be seen from this, that while the rate o
tax was advanced from two cents per pound t
three cents per pound, an allowance of four pc
cent for tare was granted, which was but just ant
proper, and which, undoubtedly, should have beel
conceded from the beginning Of the system.
Of the eighteen and half millions paid int
the public Treasury last fiscal year, Louisiana con
tributed four and three-tenth millions; Alabama
three and three-quarter millions Georgia, thre
and half millions; Tennessee, two and seventh
millions Texas, one and fourteenth millions; Mis-
sissippi, seven hundred and ffty-six thousand
South Carolina, seven hundred and thirty-tw
thousand Missouri, two hundred and forty-sevel
thousand North Carolina, two hundred and twelv
thousand Arkansas, two hundredand three thous
and ; Kentucky, one hundred and twenty-on
thousand; Florida, ninety-eight thousand, and tn
balance by other States. '
The estimate from this source for the curren
year was probably twenty-five millions and mucl
more would have been collected had the crop o
last year been half crop; but it only averaged
one-third crop, in consequence of the ravages o
the wet and the worm and other causes.
Last November it was estimated by commission
merchants and cotton planters in some quarters
that the years crop would amount toa million ant
q quarter bales, averaging FIVE hundred pounds t.
the bale. Others were assured the yield woult
reach two million bales. But the official estimat
made at the Department of Agriculture, baset
upon careful county estimates received from all tn
cotton producing States is in our opinion, entities
to most consideration for accuracy and reliability
This estimate provided for one and three-quarte
million bales, of four hundred pounds to the bale
This crop would be worth, at New York prices
over two hundred and thirty6ve millions, allowing
four per cent tare which is unnecessarily liberal
the true tare being about two and half per cent
Allowing for this latter tare,. the crop would bt
worth nearly two hundred and thirty-nine millions
According to the accounts which are being re
ceived from all quarters, there is encouragement t.
believe that the crop for this year will be very
favorable one. We are led to hope that every acr'
of cotton soil which could possibly be cultivated
with chances for successful yield, was planted will
the staple, and that the coming crop will make
heavy total.
The present condition Of the South is the con
sequence of violent disturbance that would have
entirely broken up any other country. 1t is fas
becoming improved, much faster than the majority
of the people believed practical @--~-
Let her in justice to herself give her sincere ct
forts and attention to the establishment of salts
factory labor system, and produce by that system
crops that will be much more profitable than thos
under her old system, and speedily restore her an
cient state of plenty, comfort and wealth. Th
garden spot of our country, she enjoys advantage
Of soil and cline that place within her hands tn
power to raise crops with one-third of the actua
labor which is demanded by cultivation in less ia
vored regions of our land. She should rise to
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