The Portland daily press., 1868-01-10

This is a falling off, from 1866, of S72,39
in the revenue collected upon the sales fol
September, October and November, these be-
ing the months in which the sales are made,
the collection coming one month later.
There is no doubt that the present January
collection will fall somewhat below the De-
cember collection Of S22 $50. ,i'i.s
But the above exhibit is far from complete
as showing the condition OF business in this
district, from the fact that it does not take in
to the count the reduction of taxes and the
reduction in the price of goods since 1865.
Let us give a separate consideration to
three items: cottons, woolens and shoes.
In 1865, when the collections in this Dis
trict were the largest, the tax upon cotton
goods was per cent; now it is 5. The rev.
enue collected from this source last quarter
was as follows: October, $31 800; Nov, $40
297; Dec, S13.356. Total, S65,243 At6 per
cent it would have been S7S,291, or s13,O4S
more than now.
In 1865 the tax upon woolen goods was 6
per cent; now its is 2 IL. The revenue col
lected from this source, last quarter, was as
follows; October So 1862; Nov S7,S51; Dec,
S3,O75. Total, sl4,5SS. At per cent it
would have been $35,O1o, or $2O,422 more
than now.
In 1865 the tax upon shoes was per cent !;
now it is 2. The revenue collected from this
source, last quarter. was as follows: October,
S2142; Nov. 50 SOP; Dec, 81 ,203. Total, $5,-
Ql7 ind 9TH ~ fha o1a al q.
S292,350. At 6per cent the revenue would
have been S17,541, or S11,6 ,694 more than now.
Thus it will be seen that, with the same
tax as in 1865, the revenues from cottons,
woolens and shoes, alone, would have amount
ed, during last quarter, TO S130,S42, being
$4,000 less than the whole revenue for the
same period in 1865. This deficiency the
other articles would have made up So, not
withstanding the great reduction in the price
of our manufactures, it will be observed that
the sales, for September, October and Novem-
Der last were quite equal to the sales during
the corresponding months in 1865.
GOODS ON HAND AND FUTURE PROSPECTS.
1t is quite probable that cottonland wooden
goods have about touched bottom. The mark
ct is not flooded with woolens, nor yet with
cottons. Our manufacturers shold, perhaps,
an average Stock no more. The shoe mark
ct is by no means. glutted. Our manufactur-
ers, however, are not looking for large sales
in the spring, yet they anticipate fair busi-
ness. They think consumers will get along
this year, with the smallest reasonable amount
of shoe leather.
FUTURE MANUFACTURING PROFITS.
1t is probably very near the truth to say
that New England manufacturers of cotton
and woolen goods made, on the whole, no
money last year. That, I think, is about the
truth with regard to the manufacturers in
this city and county. But they made aston
ishing profits, as everybody knows, during
the previous four or five years. After their
losses of last year and all their prior divi-
dends, the stock OF most of the companies is
now considerably above par.
do not imagine manufacturers will make
large profits the current year, though it is
quite likely they may do better than last year
since it is not reasonable to suppose they will
lose so much by depreciation of goods. The
present is a transitional and temporary state
of affairs, as look at it, and will in great
measure right itself, only grant time, without
extraordinary legislation or worry. But
there will not be, nor indeed, should we wish
for, the prodigious profits OF the past.
SENATOR sPRAGUE. ..
1t is to be expected that the opposition win
raise clamor about the present state of af-
fairs, and magnify the sorrows of the working
men, That is their trade. But am astonish-
ed at the sweeping declarations recently made
by Senator Sprasue of Rhode Island, in the
U. S. Congress. He doubts whether we have
any cotton interest at all to-day. He thinks
England can make as good cloth out OF the
husky, short staple, India cotton, as we out of
our long staple fibre, and then undersell us
in our own markets in spite of duties. And
two years from now, he asserts that sea
island cotton will be simply thing OF the
past. Now, do not believe Senator Sprague,
though he has millions invested in cotton
manufactures, knew whereof he was speak
ing
1t may be that England has, in great meas
ure, overcome tie short staple difficulty by