The Portland daily press., 1867-03-20

DtcNcHo, WOttu say Iuaue d SLaDcmenL IN the
Houte some time since, calculated to mislead
persons who have not seen the elephant. He
said that cotton can be raised for one cent
per pound. 1t may be SO where he has been
in the habit OF cultivating it, but it can't be
done in this country. The labor and food for
laborers in North Carolina will alone involve
an expense of 1-2 cents to the pound, even
ifa good crop is made, say two-thirds of
bale to the acre; but suppose man is not
fortunate and makes only half a crop, his la
Dor and its feeding, will cost him IS cents on
the pound. The real fact of the case is, that,
to raise two thirds of bale of four hundred
pounds TO the acre, will cost about fifteen
cents per pound in greenbacks, exclusive of
the tax-leaving profit of about five or six
cents per pound at present prices, provided
the party owns the land he works. Suppose
the planter gets 66 bales of cotton from 100
acres, bales weighing 400 lbs each, and that
would be a good crop anywhere except in
some highly favored sections where the ex-
penses are very heavy; his net profits would
be 1854. Suppose he cultivates 400 acres his
net profit is $6336, if he happens to be for
tunes bosom friend. These calculations are
exclusive of rent and purchase of stock, and
farming implements, which on a large farm of
400 acres land II any one thinks that isn't a
large farm to cultivate in cotton, let him
come down and try it-and find out) would
consume every cent of the profits calculated
for the party cunning the land. -....'..
As 1 understand it, the cent Der pound
tax on raw or lint cotton was imposed by
Congress under the supposition that it would
come out of the consumer, though many
members foolishly said, and perhaps voted on
that idea-that the tax was intended as a
punishment to the South, and for the purpose
of making King Cotton pay the expenses of
the war he had created. But the opinions Of
New England manufacturers to the contrary
Notwithstanding, the facts show that the tax
really comes out of the producer; and more
over it is very oppressive discouragng
and troublesome to to him. N, t, .5.....z ~,
The tax does not affect theNewYork or Liv.
erpool markets in the least degree; on the
contrary, soon after its imposition, the price of
cotton seriously declined i'm both places,
which shows that the producer is the sufferer,
and the tax comes out of his pocket. If the
tax were SO imposed that it should really
come out of the consumer alone, he would
not feel it; as cent per pound tax on lint
cotton would increase the price of calico
scarcely more than 1-2 cent on the yard.
Though rapacious manufacturers might make
it cover large profit. On the other hand
the small planters-consistmg in a great
measure of "Poor Whites" who took no vol
untary part in the late rel ellion, Northern
men who were most of them soldiers in the
U. S, Army, and the negroes lately freed by
the Government and thrown upon their own
resources, who are working for themselves, or
for others on share of the crop-in fine all
those classes of planters who make from to
80 bales OF cotton, are seriously affected, in
jured and incommoded by what Mr.. Blaine
Justly calls "the most extraordinary tax ever
laid by an intelligent Government" "A heavy
direct tax upon a staple production of-the
soil, necessary to the comfort of the poorest
individual, is poor policy, but Mr.. Blaine has
shown much weightier reasons why the Gov
ernment should repeal it. If 1 thought the tax
was put upon the South as a punishment
for rebellion. 1 would urge that the wealthy
planters who as a class are responsible for the
war, either don't cultivate cotton at all, or
raise from 100 to 500 bales and this direct tax
is not so oppressive to them as it is to the
small planter, who perhaps always was, and
always will be, the friend and supporter ofthe
government. ...ft-..-,. ..-..... .r..
Before small planter can ship a single bale
Of cotton TO New York he is obliged to paw
out from $12 to $15 according to the weight
of the bale, 25 cents for weighing and from SO
to $40 for cost of transportation and insur-
ance. / am personally acquainted with freed
men who have worked the past year for a
share of the crop, whose share amounted to
bales OF cotton. The Tax on that amount is
$50 on bales of 800 lbs, which will purchase
corn enough in the antumn to keep a negro,
his wife and child ten years old, twelve
months. This is avery important item to the
negro. Now if the negro only made bale Of
cotton of 400 lbs. and so bushels Of corn,
which is as much as most of those who work
ed on shares made last year, let us see how
he stand at the end of the year. Suppose him
to have vile and four children, not under
six nor over twelve years old. He will con-
sumo in that family As bushels of corn in
year; and lbs of bacon per week at 25 cents
per pourd (which is what planters charge
hands for it) will cost him SILT. One bale Of
cotton at 27 cents per pound, (Which is near
ly as much as it brings in New York now, but
which was about what negroes got for the cot
ton here, in the early part of the winter) is
s1OS; 2 bushels of corn for sale at S1.5O per
bushels, So, total Sill, leaving him So in debt,
and not rag of clothing for himself or fami-
ly. This is about the way of it down here, so
far as the negro is concerned. The direct tax
on cottOnhas proved a great injury to North-
ern men planting i'm the South, and among
other causes will operate to drive many o'
them home again. This is poor. poicy, ior IL
is highly important to the Government to
have n sprinkling at least OF patriotic men in
tbe Soutb 1t is also important to the coun-
try at large to have cotton extensively cutiva-
ted for various reasons well stated by Mr..
Blaine. If it was put to vote in the South
whether Congress should lay unequal and op
pressive taxes upon the people OF the South,
the friends of the Government as well as its
foes, or confiscate the property of al classes
ofrebels worth over $4,000, to help pay the
public debt, the majority for the latter propo-
sition would be astonishing, to the $4,000
fellows. Twill append few figures to show
how the direct tax affects planter who raises
so bales of 400 lbs, the usual weight.
Direct tax, s6o),3o
,ar rIn ha,n insurance 10 Nc" horA 5000
Weighing bales, -
Total. ...,.. s@2,s0