The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-12-27
COLUMBIA, S.. G.
Saturday morning, Deoember 81. 1878
Raise Supplies at Home and Ensag.
h In ManufaOturIng.


Raise Supplies AT Home and Engage
In EIanufaOturInE.
The bill to aid and encourage manu-
factures, which We repeatedly urged
upon the Legislature at the last session
tho session Of ls72---!c pass. ss onr
readers know, failed at that time to be-
come law. This failure was serious
disappointment to many who were then
ready to engage in manufacturing. De-
lay and disappointment have, to some
extent. cooled the arsIor Of some, aud
induced others to look for the opportn-
mites aud advantages denied them here
in other States. That was The time to
strike. for tue iron WAS then hot But
while we have to regret the unfavorable
course which things took year ago,
1t is our duty to make the best OF the
circumstances which now surround US.
The bill has ut last become q law by the
signature Of the Governor, affixed u few
days since. It exempts from State.
County and municipal taxation Except
for sohools) all capital invested in manu-
factures uot . woolen. cotton. iron. lime,
paper and agricultural implements. and
excepsa only the ground on which the
buildings to be erected will stand. It is
retroaetiye. too, in 80 far as itapplies to
enterprises which have been com.
menced during the last twelve months,
and to improvements and additions
made to existing establishments during
that period. This exemption is to hold
good for ten years.
Nothing has been more clearly de-
: monstrated by facts. figures and argu-
-mente. than the immense advantages Of
divefsifying our pursuits. The old prac-
tice OF planting cotton exclusively. sub.
jsoting to the risks which attend it's pro.
duotiop, and the uncertainties of re-
ceiting q remunerative price for it.
should be abandoned. The result of
persevering in it has been manifested in
our deserted or ruined homesteads, and
in the necessity of paying an exorbitant
price, in interest and cost, for the neces-
saIes Of life. Corn. four, baoon, lard,
bu4teri hay. implements, tools and work
anit6als, all have to be purchased out OF
thsa proceeds Of cotton. After paying
charges OF rent. seed, lsbot, manage
ment and taxes, it is generally found
that there is nothing left for living, and
for tho purchases which have to be made
OF articles, brought from abroad. The
consequences is embarrassment, thral-
drom, vexation aud unhappiness. It
should be fixed and unalterable rule to
make all these things corn. wheat, hay,
bacon and homo supplies the farm.
Noio4her course will ever secure inde-
pendence, and bring comfort end abun-
dence to the planting interest.
Gpa has given hs the streams. wood
and climate. which, if properly utilized.
wiflIsfoSd ap9ther, and. still better class
Of sprofita from rnanufacturing. We
haYe, choice timbers in our uplands and
swamps, we have the raw material oot-
ton at hand, and, with a little care.
ulSuI tAAhO Ehl66 WOOls we uaV6 Inc
surplus labor, which, though not suited
to cotton planting, is admirably adapted
to working in mills. We have good
railway communication with the great
markets of the world. What we need
in addition, we can now find in this low,
which exempts and protects the capital
from tax long enough for it to settle on
agood foundation and to secure protita-
BILE returns. We have but to look into
other Georgia, for instance-to
to see whnt manufactures hive done for
them. We have frequently published
the reports of manufacturing business
in Augusta, Macon, Columbus and
other cities, and they amount to the
clearast demonstration. we invoke at
tention to this matter. We ask our
people to count the cost of going on in
the old fashion. We urge them to look
at tho figures, to heed the facts, to ex-
anime the balance sheet, for instance, Of
the Augusta Factory. the Graniteville
Foctorv nj tho QolrIo Eaokory fphav