The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-08-02

ton
Ma. GEORGE said: .
Mr. PRESIDENT | submitted some days ae
an amendment which | desire to have read a
the basis of some remarks | desire now TO sui
nit to the Senate.
| The PRESIDENT pro tempore The amend
ment viii be read
The ACTING SECRETARY. 1t is proposed t
add as new section the following:
SEC. -. That all duties and imposts MOI
| laid on machinery for the manufacture of cot
| ton or WOODEN goods, or goods composed Q
| hemp, jute, rance, and on all tools of mechan
| les suited for use by manual labor, and on al
agricultural implements, and on all iron tie
| commonly known cotton ties, including tn
hoops, be and the same are hereby repealed.
Mr. GEORGE. Mr.. President, believe tha
| the adoption OF the amendment which | hav
proposed will greatly benefit the people 0
this country, and especially viii some Of it
| provisions benefit the State which has com
missioned me as one of her representatives il
this Chamber. The amendment first proposes
TO repeal all duties on machinery for the man
ufaeture of goods composed of cotton, wool
hemp, or rance. If adopted it will certainly
give a great impetus to such manufactures
The increase of the manufactures 9.
cotton would greatly add to the wealth of tht
country.
We now export about three-fourths Of oul
raw cotton 10 be used in the factories ol
Europe, thereby greatly adding to the indus
tries and wealth of other nations. 1t can and
ought to be all manufactured here. The rails
ing of raw cotton has not been a profitable in
dustry for some years. TAe manufacture of il
has always been and is now very profitable
In the work pertaining to this great staple, so
necessary for the comfort, so essential to the
commerce and manufacturers of the world, we
of the South perform that part in which there
is the least profit, and surrender to others the
greater portion of that part from which great
wealth IL acquired.
said that the production of cotton had been
in the main Improbable of late years. |
shall not 90 into a calculation of how much it
costs to raise cotton and how much is received
by the producer to show the truth of this state
ment prefer to rest on the result of expe-
rience and observation. They teach me tnat
nine-tenths of those engaged in cotton-raislng
are in a condition now not much better than
ten years ago. As q rule, cotton is raised on
mortgages or liens given for supplies before
the crop is planted.
In many instances the proceeds of the crop
are unequal 10 the amount of the supplies fur
nishel. 1t is a fact within my personal
knowledge that merchants engaged in the sup
ply business have In many instances become
overburdened with the land, cultivated farms,
which have fallen into their hands by fall
ure of the crop to meet their demands. | have
been engaged in cotton-planting eversince the
close of the war, and the result is loss in the
whole period. [ know that to be true with
reference to most of my neighbors and ac-
quaintances. The public history of the
State OF Mississippi shows this to be
true in large degree throughout the State.
| state the fact shall not go into an exami-
nation of the causes now, further than to say
that one of them, and a most potential one, is
the uusuita bleness of the work necessary for
its production to a large class Of our popula
tion. women aud children, who must neyert1e-
less be supported from it, and the want of suit
able employment for them and OF home mar
ket for such agricultural productions as can
be raised by their labor.
These causes would be removed in a great
degree by the establishment of cotton man
ufactories in our midst. It will be asked
Why are they not established? l answer
Want of capital and the consequent
inability TO compete with the established
capital, together with very large portion
of our best and most efficient labor was de-
stroyed by the war. Every resource OF the
State was embarked in it and lost and more
than one-fourth of the most active and ener-
getic young men were either killed or dis
abled.
At the end of the war not only all our money
was gone, but our farms were dilapidated, our
cattle consumed, and our work animals had
been taken and used up by the contending
armies. The strain on oCrresourees was such
that most families in the State were destitute
of the ordinary household goods and planta-
ton implements; blankets and carpets had
been sent to the army for the soldiers; spades,
shoyels, axes, wagons carts, and the gear for do
mestic animals had all gone in the same direc-
tion.
After the war we had years that v ere equal
" devastating and unfortunate. In 1856, 1861
and 1868, we had the worst of seasons. Small
crops were made and all supplies were at en-
ormous prices In 1865, as soon as the war |
was over, this Government sent its agents to
oil oaf nd fhar mn nj ton
been sold to the Confederate government. |
These agents seized ard carried away what |
ever cotton they Judged had been so sold |
There was no trial provided for in case of dis |
pute. Their judgment alone, influenced by |
being allowed q part of the spoils as compen- |
under the impression that cotton raising was
profitable, levied on US an onerous |
cotton tex amounting in the aggregate in |
to over $l0,000,000.
Then came the era of reconstruction, with |
all its horrors and all its disasters. do not |
refer to this in any patisan spirit nor to cast |
blame on any one. am only speaking OF Its |
effects on our industries and on our finances.
You may say, if you please, that We were to I
blame It makes no difference as TO my ar
gument whether this is so or not; | Iam speak
ing of financial results, not discussing the /
Justice OF injustice of the measures which |
contributed to them. In Mississippi the re-
suit was universal ruin to the non-ofhcehold' /
ng classes and sudden and great wealth TO
hose who gathered the spoils.
In 1871 the first year after reconstruction.
he State tax was increased 400 per cent;
n 1872 $50 per cent; in 1878, go per cent,
md in 1874, ], 400 per cent. County and local I
axation was increased in the same and in
many places even greater ratio. S3larles,
'ees and all official emoluments were largely
None hourished but officials. In
me county a sheriff saved in four years over
200. .00o, which he now enjoys in a northern
.ity. This was but sampleof allsothers.
State Senator organized company, OF which
lie was a member, and secured for it200OOO
lcres of land belonging to the State without
paying a single dollar. In the mean time all
ralues were daily diminishing. The assess-
nent for taxes, embracing all properly OF what
Yer description, from 1S7l to 1919 decreased
more than S42, ,0O0,000, being less of about
5 per cent. And In that time was forfeited
o the State for taxes over 6,500,09J acres OF
and, being more than 10000 square miles,
nd about n per cent. of The total area eI the
State, and being territory larger than Con-
lectieut, Delaware, and Rhode Island COM
lined, larger than Massachusetts and Dela-
Eare combined, Larger by l,'O1 square, ,a mics
han New Jersey, and nearly as large as Mary
and. This had been private property, much
f il improved and yet IN the short space of
our years il had al been o0nfscated By an
taxation. In addition to this
debt was annually created larger by % per
u
his the people had nothing except the SUM OF
so 900 donated to railroad company. No
,ublic works were undertaken. The taxation
md debt were pure plunder and official brig
Indage. II
,een q great improvement; but still We ind
/ diffcni4 10 advance with satisfactory rapid
II Without capital and without manufaetnr-
NJ. Now, sir, as il seems 70 be conceded that
ur tax laws at least within reYenue stand
lard shall be 50 I'D jHsted IS TO encourage and
oster American industry. American manufac-
uring, ] appeal with confidence to the Senate
q give SsuiheRn and Western manufactures
he aid asked for In this a1aendnsent Ne
rant the privilege of buying machinery for
manufacturing bolton and wool whore We can z
nv ii cheapest. Unless We can do this We
annot put chase at all.
an able to state IS 4 81 gnifnant faet on this
ranch of the subject that know of I've large
aet0ry Buildings in Mississippi, vel adapted .
3 The cotton and W0nlen manufaature, which
re now idle for the want Of capital to bay
aachinerY 70 place ii them. Il one of these
was st one tine interested. 4 is NEST
aaenifcent building and capsule 81 accom-.
asaating maehlasEY which wgald spin md /