The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-06-03
Another Cotton Tux.

United States. MERCHANT.
Another Cotton Tux.
MIR. EDITOR In looking over the
"Appeal to the Honorable, tho Sen
ate of the United States, by General
Wade Hampton, and others, one is
startled at the amount of taxes pro-
posed to be raised under the new
Constitution.
II the taxes are imposed by the
Legislature, how are they to be
raised? I suggest that q tax on
cotton be imposed, of ono dollar per
hundred, or four dollars per bale of
four hundred pounds. This would
relieve the tax on land very consider
ably, and it would afford the white
and colored Iaborers, whose names
are "not on the Textbook, an oppor-
tunity to aid the enterprises of the
State.
It may be said that the colored
people will rise in rebellion against
such measure. But why should
they? Many of them have been pay
ing, without complaint. two dollars
and fifty cents and three dollars per
hundred on cotton, for the last two
or three years, to the United States,
and why should they murmur at
paying only one dollar per hundred
to meet the expenses of their own
State and lessen the burdens of those
who supply them with land and
stock to secure living for themselves
and families ? The whites, to whom
the largest share of cotton will fall,
will be more likely to protest against
O tax on cotton than the colored peo-
pie. But, why should they? The
whites and blacks, who own no land,
enjoy the benefit of government, are
protected in their rights, and ought
to pay something for that protection.
Why should the land-holder or pro-
perty-holder object to paying small
tax on cotton, in which others, who
hold no property, can help, thus re-
lieving the land and property holder
of NIL tho burden of taxation
From the census of 1850, we learn
that South Carolina produced 400, 900
bales of cotton Qncking 100,) of 400
pounds ench Now, if the State will
raise, this year, the half of that
amount-2O0, 600 bales, or 100000
pounds-a very handsome sum
would be realized, by tax of one
dollar per hundred pounds. A tax
of $500. 900 on the cotton crop, with
the fall tnx added, ought to lessen
the Tux on land and other property
very considerably.
It may be asked-why not Tux
wheat, corn, rice and other products
of the soil, as we'll rs cotton :? Be-
cause cotton is made, not directly for
the support Of life or home consump-
tion, but for the market, for the
money it will bring. Those who
raise no cotton, might be called on to
pay a small tax on wheat and corn,
thus helping to defray the expenses
of the Government. During the
war, we paid. a tax on the products of
the field, as we'll as on land and other
property.
Many may not wish to see these
halcyon days of taxation returning,
but, as very heavy tax is to be
imposed on the State, if the new
Constitution is to be carried out, why
not adopt some plan by which nll
might help to support the Govern
ment, whether they own property, or
not 1?
If the Legislature, before the war,
had imposed tax of one dollar per
hundred on cotton, or "tnx in
kind, I'VE would have had the new
State House finished, and would not
have had debt of six millions and
more IN our feeble shoulders. II
bnrdensome tax is to bo imposed, let
some plan be adopted, by which
every man will do something in help.
ing to raise it.
1 throw out these suggestions, TINT
they may be considered and dis
cussed by the wise men of the State,
by tho new Governor and the Lcgis-
lature. The State can't afford to pny
much more than the half of the tax
spoken of in the "Appeal," and not
that, unless there is tax on cotton
and other products OF the soil, rs
we'll as on the soil itself. II.
a gentleman just from Washington
informs an exchange that cruel
joke was perpetrated on Butler Qoicn-
yune) and his family, the other day.