The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-09-30
From the Liverpool Courier.
Direct Trade with the South,


,ket, 80 it is inadvisable in national
policy to be dependent on one customer
or friend. The monopolist of trade or
friendship may turn his favors into new
channel, in which every serious detriment
may result to the discarded victim
Great Britain and the United States,
however, appear to be putting themselves
within this peril in the mode of conduc-
ting their respective trades. The COM
emerce of the two countries flow through
enc channel, in which there happen to be
numerous distractions, serious leakages,
and not little hostility. The whole sea-
board trade of the United States is con-
centrated in New York-thither the raw
cotton of the South. is transported for
shipment to- Liverpool; the manufactured
goods of Lancashire through the same
hands en- route to the American customer.
On the eastern coast New York enjoys q
monopoly of American commerce, and it
<is-clcarly to the interest of this country
tc break the exclusive power lest it be
welded against us to the national detri-
ment.
On the ground of economy. too, there
are reasons why wider and freer inter-
course should be fostered between the
two countries The Southern States, now
steadily recuperating, will soon again be-
:. come the great cotton field of the world,
and it is important that the raw material
should find its way to British mills bur-
dened with as few imposts as possible.
The prevailing system makes the New
York middlemen rulers of the market,
and adds needless charges to the grower
and manufacturers. But the policy of
New York and the rest of the North is
antagonistic to free trade. Massachusetts
and it's congeners desire to foster local
manufactures by a high protective tariff;
they would drive foreign competitors out
nE the field by diferential taxes, and give
non-natural stimulus to their home mills
until they are strong enough to stand on
their merits. This country has already
felt the evil effects of this repressive poll
ey In the diminished export of fnanufac-
tured goods.
Nothing can be done, we are afraid, to
alleviate the burden of the protective
tariff until. the Americans recognize the
fact that imposts fevIed upon the foreigner,
who produces more cheaply than tho
home manufacturer, are extra charges up
on the retail consumer. The system COM
pels the, public to pay more for goods
than they would be required to pay the
cheaper commodities OF foregners-who
work under more favorable auspices
were admitted freely into the market.
The Americans are really taxing the COM
rnunity for the advantage of class, but
rs yet the folly has not been made clear
to their understanding. The North is
chiefly, perhaps solely, favorable to this
tahacious principle, its interests being an
stagonistic to those of the South. The
former is manufacturer desirous of secu-
ring the exclusive right Of supplying the
people, and seeks to promote this policy
by subjecting foreign rivals to burden
some charges The South, being grow
or of raw manufactured goods at the
lowest possible price irrespective Of the
locality of their production but the
North, for the protection" of its own in
terest, levies different tax on foreign
goods, which falls with undue severity on
the South.
This state of things cannot be altered
at present, but it sexstence is another
otiobS iSooOb W uCSOieSS CIafScS
should be avoided on trade with the cot
ton growing districts. There is no posi-.
bic reason why raw cotton should be
exported, and foreign goods imported
through New York. 1t is a circuitous
route, involving waste Of time and need
less expense These may be avoided
by the establishment OF direct trade be-
tween Europe and the South. Let the
raw cotton be exported direct from New
Orleans, Savannah and Charleston, let the
Manchester manufacturers and the Liver
pool brokers deal direct with those ports
or better still, with tho planters in the
country. And in the same way the man.
ufactured goods required for the consuml-
tion of the Southerners should be landed
at the nearest port, not shipped TO New
York, and thence reshipped to their desti-
nation. All this unnecessary handling of
articles Of trade enhances their selling
price, and ultimately falls on the con-
sumer.
The people of the Southern States are
awakening TO theimportancc of establish
ing direct trade between Europe and their
own ports, alike as matters of economy
and selfinterest. A Commercial Convcn-
tion has been formed at Memphis, whose
policy it is to bring prominently and in
practicaLform before European capitalists,
the profitable field for employment of
capital in the Southern States. The as
aoc;stion ia stated to represent "all the