The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-17

of Illinois, delivered in the House on the
4th instant, on the subject of the cotton tax
and other taxes, which have been bearing
SO heavily on our industry Mr.. Baker has
said much on the subject in few words,
for which our people thank him. We take
it for granted the cotton tax will be repealed
1t was imposed at a time, and properly i'm
posed, when the article, on account OF the
high price it was fetching, could we'll bear
it; but every consideration now urges the
repeal of the tax. We may also add,
in relation to the article of tobacco,
that the tax should in every case be
adj oaLorem, or according to value. 1t
is unjust in itself, and injurious to the in
terests of the government in raising revenue
to tax the coarse article at the same rate
with the fine. But we shall soon have rep
rcsentatives of our own in Congress, when
these and other matters can be fully and
thoroughly explained, and relief administer
ed by that body from full knowledge of
our situation and wants.
Mr. BAKER. Mr. Speaker, desire to
state in the bricfest possible form the sever
al considerations which make it entirely
clear to me that the tax on cotton ought to
be repealed, and the reasons why think
the repeal should not apply to the present
crop.
l. It appears to me that the power to le-
w such a tax may not be perfectly clear
The Constitution provides that no tax or
duty shall be laid on articles exported from
any State" Now, when we reflect that an
immense preponderance of the cotton crop
is exported from the country, and when we
reflect that the object of this provision of
the Constitution was to foster our exports
by relieving them from the burden of = tax
or duty" is appears to me. in the absence
of special investigation of the point, that
there is room for a possible doubt as to
whether this tax was laid in conformity
with the object and spirit of the Constitu-
ton.
2 1t is a tax upon the production of labor
in its primary form a species of taxation
which depresses labor, which impedes the
creation of wealth, and which ought never
critical and imperative occasions.
s. 1t is "A tax which loads our commerce
with dead weight in its attempt to COM
plete with the foreign production and sup
ply of cotton, thus tending to lessen the
gross quantity of our annual exports, and
to increase the balance of trade againt US
and in favor of foreign countries. 1t is need
less to say that such result must be injur-
Gus to our whole people.
4. 1t is a tax upon an article eminently
necessary and of universal consumption-an
article which contributes immensely to the
great mass of the people. The production
of no such article should be taxed, except, it
may he, on occasions of extreme public ne
cessitv.
s. 1t is in effect direct tax upon the ag
ricultural labor of IA poverty stricken section
of our country. l hear much by way of re-
port, and know something by observation of
the pitiable poverty of an immense portion
OF the people of the South, whether white or
black. This tax upon their productive la
Dor ought to be removed. whether we look to
considerations of humanity Or to considera-
tions of sound public policy.
As to the time when the repeal should
take effect think the committee have solv-
ed the problem about as wisely and justly
as possible under all the circumstances of the
case. Not forgetting the interests of capital
as invested in the culture purchase of the
present crop. 1 look mainly to the great
body of the laborers who have produced the
crop. The latter is the largest fact in the
case, and should exert controlling influence
upon our legislation affecting it. And con-
sidering first that labor has already produ-
ced the present crop for compensation gra-
ded down in reference to. the burden Of the
tax and secondly, that large portion of
the crop has already found its way in the
hands of purchasers, under purchase prices,
in like manner graded down, agree with
the committee that the existing crop should
not be included in the operation of the pro-
posed repeal.
will add that in my judgment the re-
moval OF this tax will not draw with it the
necessity of making it up by an increase of
taxation in some other direction. On the
contrary, by proper retrenchment-whichI
may probably be extended largely to every |
branch of the public service-by limiting |
taxation to the actual needs of the Govern |
ment. including the surplus in the Treasury, |
and by looking to the growth of population
and increase of wealth for the future re-
duction and payment of the public debt
we may very materially reduce the general |
scale of internal taxation.
TRUE, FOR ONcE.-We understand that |
the Radical paper in this City charges the |
Editors of the Sentinel with having express
ed a preference for a negro candidate for
Congress. That is so, under certain circum-
stances. If Radical reconstruction prevails, |
we are for Booker Hutchings against the
field, and six Others = of the same sort" from
the remaining Congressional Districts. We
vastly prefer voting for such to having a
similar number OF men with white skins,
who consider themselves the equals of the
negro race-SentineL.
The Sentinel says it g understands" &C.
Now, every one knows that the Editors saw
with their own eyes the article referred to-