The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-20
The South and Free Trade.

The Philadelphia North American prints
an article from the Winnsboro' S. c., NcecS
upon the subject of cotton manufactures.
and accepts it as an indication that ''the
"Southern mind is beginning to approach
6" the idea OF protective duties as more bene-
Z" fetal than free trade, even to agricultural
communities" The NORTH american then
says:
SIT is a little curious to notice how the South
Carolinian, with all his prejudice, comes really
to the very ground we have long defended.
He Is in favor Of introducing manufactures
here rather than feeding them abroad. This
is the argument we have made time out OF
mind. He alleges that there are peculiar ad-
vantages in this country for manufacturing,
that render it expedent and necessary. He
finds that as the manufactures increase immi-
grafton will do the same, and be Of better Or
der. He alleges that manufacturing is better
for community than simple agriculture, and
anticipates popular understanding Of the
matter soon, and favorable action following"
1t ought to be unnecessary to point out to
the North american the wide difference be-
tween the Protection of which it is the
champion, and the Free Trade advocated by
our Winnsbor6 namesake. The Winnsboro'
NeuS urges the establishment Of cotton man
ufactories in the South because yarns and
coarse cloths can be manufactured more
cheaply in the Southern States than in the
North or West. And it said emphatically:
"IfH acre not true that we have margin
Z" OF profit OF five cents on each pound in our
"favor over all the world in this branch of
manufacturing soe acould not urge it,"
The establishment of cotton manufactories
in the South is urged and recommended, be-
cause, by that means, the Southern people
will I've able to buy cotton goods at lower
price than that at which New England and
British yarns and cloths are selling. We
all appreciate the value of mills and facto-
rieS in giving employment 10 labor and ac-
tivity to capital, but 'the greatest good OF
I" the greatest number" is the cardinal max
i'm of Free Trade; and unless we could man.
ufacture cotton goods in the' South so as to
sell them at lower price than the New Eng
handmade goods, we should not have word
to say in favor of cotton manufactures in
| the South.
We may add, for the information OF the
North american, that we need no Protec-
ton in South Carolina. We can sell the
South Carolina yarns at the cost Of the
Northern yaraS and make profit OF fire
cents pound, and we have sold South Caro-
lima yarns in England 50 as to yield net
profit of FOUR AND AoUARTER CENTS pound.
This is profit enough More than this, it is
proof that our people, because OF the alb
sence Of cotton mills in the South, are losing
four or five cents pound upon all the yarns
they use. New England does need Protec-
ton, or the South in time will drive her
from her chosen field. Can il not, then, be
arranged, by new constitutional amendment
or otherwise, to put Protective duty OF five
cents pound on Southern yarns, so that
none of them shall be sold to the disadran-
tage of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Z
What the South demands is Free Trade.
Give us our implements and our machinery,
our metals and tools, free OF duty; throw
open to our people the markets of Europe;
and we will soon show the world how much
latent life and energy is possessed by :leSe
quiet people of the South.