The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-03

the reduction or repeal OF the PrGseIlo 80
Jriv on rico. believing that any aDntcmenI ol
fine present tariff will render the ciIuto oi NJ
stapIe unprof able, thereby deprN1lS 'ae
State of ono of its chief resources, anu !le 40,
Iebitants thereof Of one OF thelr. prlncipal
so,,rces Ot snstenance; al the same time deny
;np the county ut large reasonable luxury
wb5;ch tbe inferior articles from foreign markets
cannot afford. :.
some length. Previous to the war, no said,
South Carolina sent to market three times the
amount OF ri Q produced IN Georgia. North
1860 amounted to 10000 tierces, Of which South
Carolina raised 100000, Georgia $4,000, and
North Carolina 10000. Reckoning twenty-five
bushels to the tierce. it would amount TO
3,3O0,000 bushels which, at one dollar per
bushel, afforded revenue OF So, 30O,O ,O0O. Inree,
fitths Of the rice lands of tho State were at
present out of cultivation-a loss oil agrlcultu-
raj resources of no little Importance.
The proposition to repeal the import duty
has been for weeks under consideration or the
appropriate committee i'll Congress, and there
was reason to fear that, before the action OF
the convention could be consummated, that
committee would made decisive report. Ihe
rice culture as it now stands ls protected by all
import duty of two and nine-tenths OF cent
per pound in gold. While this to some might
seem an excessive tariff, the experience OF the
past few years demonstrated that it was wise
and lust Against 100000 tierces produced IN
this State in 1860, there were produced 10
1856 $4,000 tlerces; in 1867, only from 25 600 to
80 900 tierces, abont one-sixth OF the former
average yield.
The increased expense in the production OF
rice by free labor is proportlonately mucn
greater than that of cotton, and being asource
Of revenue to the State and General Govern
ment, il was eminently proper that the planter
and laborcr should be equally protected. nan
coon rice can now be laid down at 7a cents per
pound. Repeal this duty, which now amounts
to 4a cents, and you have the same artlcie at
g.! cents Could the rice planter possiDly com n
pete with that price? No cne would attempt
to do 80. Repeal the duty and it would de-
prive the State of twenty millions OF dollars
worth of tayable property, and sixteen thou
sand inhabitants Of preferred means OF eIn-
ployment: n.,
After further remarks by e. Byas, of Berke-
ley, the question was taken. decided IN the al
firmative, and the resolution was ordered TO be
engrossed and forwarded to the President OF
the Senate and Speaker OF the House OF REPRE-
sentatives at Washington.
The unfinished business was resumed.
Section 10, providing that the State shall not
subscribe to, or be interested In, the stock Oh
any company, association or corporation, was
stricken out.
Sections ii, 12, 13, II and Is were passed to
their third reading. They are not Of special
interest. The lqst-named section makes the
fiscal year commence on the first day OF No
vember.
Section 16, arranging for tax of two mills
on every dollars worth Of taxable property,
&C., were stricken out.
Section II ditto, because it prevented
county from subscribing to stock, or lending
credit to any Incorporated company.
Sections 1S and 10 were then amended and
passed to third reading, and, the hour of six
having arrived, tho convention adjourned.