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

main idle. Mississippi, owing to its teeent geo.
rt logical formation, has minzs Of coal iron
gold, or silver. But IN her magni fee ut for.
ests of the best timber in the world IN her
many rivers and smaller streams abeunding
with Water-power sufficient to run the maehin-
cry to spin and weave all the cotton she grows;
IN her fertile soil, some Of it the most pr0due-
tive IN the world; in her saiubr4oals cline
and in the variety of the useful productions
| capable OF being raised there, embracing
oranges, sugar, cotton, corn, wheat, oats.
barley. rance, and jute, the best grasses, the
best grapes and fruits, she possesses natural
B | advantages which need but to be utilized to
make her people wealthy and prosperous. In
Marshall County there is stream over which
the Chicago, Saint Louis and New Orleans
Railroad passes with sufficient water-poBer to
propel the machinery TO turn out each year
more than $1,000 900 in value of cotton aud
woolen goods, There are many other similar
streams in every section OF the STATE.
You have aided other sections BY fay9riug
tariff laws; ask you to aid Gs uow. Protective
laws as against Europe do US no good; they
are rather an injury than benefit 10 Us.
We pay the high prices; We get none Of the
protection; we have none of the home mar
kefs which are SO profitable and attractive 70
| those farmers who live IL the manufacturing
regions. The competition which troubles us
is that which comes from tie superior capital
and the long-established enterprises q the
North and West. Wecannot get and do not ask
protection against these. All we ask is that
allow US with our small capital in the incep.
ton and infancy of our manufactures to buy
| machinery where alone We are able to pur-
| chase 1t. Unless we can do this. the magnif.
cent picture draw1 by the Senator from Inli-
ana Mr.. Feorheesl a few days ago with re-
| ference TO the future of the South will not be
| realized for many years.
Mr.. President, / appeal to Senators to con-
slider this amendment in a friendly, caIiRlic
spirit. If adopted it will hurt nobody, but
will benefit millions in the South 0s both |
races and viii speedily raise that section into |
| a prosperity and advancement which will |
gladden. the hearts Of all who feel an interest |
| in ali sections OF cur country. | make his |
| appeal in some confidence that it will be re- |
/ sponded 10, if only it be we'll and fairly con- |
| sidered. Ny intercourse with Northern and |
| Western Republican Senators since | have |
| been a member of this body has tended TO con- /
vince me that they desire the prosperity and |
| advancement of the South. From them l hear
| friendly expressions toward that section which
| | believe are sincere, and from them also l !
| have received that assistance in the discharge
of my duties peculiarly valuable in my in
| experience as O member Of this body. Many
| of them too have contributed by their votes
and influence to the popu!arizing the idea of
| Government aid 10 the Ievees oa the Missis-
sippi River. Yet they seem to think that the |
greatest blessing now needed by that section
is the predominance of the Republican party
in It's borders
viii not discuss dispute about the pro-
Drlety OF IlaG sentiment now. Dut L VIII say
this: if yoa desire to have the South join the
Republican party show your friendship by
benefeent acts of legislation. President Ar
thur, by his liberal and patriotic message on
the Mississippi levees, has done great deal
toward producing a more kindly feeling to-
ward the Republican party on the part OF the {
South So have the concurring votes and voices | I
of Republican Senators on this floor. l do {
not object to your making the RepublicaR | {
party popular in Mississippi by such acts |
olp Da1a | nY YNn0 tn in hut |
love my State and its people more than do
any party. If you can make her Republican | a
by adopting policies which aid her people to d
become prosperous and great / shall be CON S
tent !
Mr.. President the State of Mississippi now 4
raises about $50,000,009 worth of cotton each
year; she is capable of raising $500 100000 '
worth. But this increase in her crop is not r
desirable at present. 1t would reduce the [
price in the present state Of the demand and u
supply far below what it would cost to raise
it. But she has in her borders now umem b
ployed labor, consisting of those who are un- s
fit for work in her cotton fields, sufficient to e
manufacture, with proper machinery, the s
larger portion of her crop. In ordinary goods p
the manufactured would be worth thrice the a
raw material, ma king her cotton crop, if all Il
were manufactured, produce $3.50 0O00e0 n
This great gain is denied US by reason of 81
our inability to buy the necessary machinery. h
Repeal the duties on it, and not only in Mis- n
sisslppi but throughout the South and West Z
would grow up factories giving employment n
to unemployed labor, and home market to | &
productions which can be easily raised Is il
there any reason why this should not be done? t5
Other sections have had the benefit of the pro- 81
tecting and fostering legislation, of favoring b
tariff laws. Till the present time the South II
has borne tie burdens and received none of
the benefits of protection. p
The result is that the North IS immensely ST
rich and the South remains poor. 1t is time e1
to change this system. We ask no advantage d.
of fhn I'll, N
Treasury, but that we shall have free trade in
that which is essential to manufacturing. n
ou admit now free of duties the raw material TO
to encourage manufactures. We have the m
raw material; we ask free trade only in the al
instruments of manufacturing. Justice and In
fairness require that our demand should be OF
acceded to. We have a right to equality in th
the favors of the Government. We do not get to
it when we are taxed for the benefit of enter
prises in other sections and are denied the Dc
only relief that can aid enterprise in own. Ia
Another provision in. this amendment de- al
seTYes the approval of the Senate; it is the sd
repeal of the duty on cotton-ties. 1 have ca
shown you that cotton raising has been in the re
past in the main unremuneTative; that taking IL
he whole period since the war it has been a th
less. Cotton culture is the most exacting of m
I'll work. From the beginning Of the year to Ell
5he end the labor is continuous and exacting. al
There are no holidays, no seasons of compara- N
i've leisure. Every day has its duty which ca
must be performed. 1t is also the most uneer
ain of all crops. In the spring there is often dc
a loss of proper ''stand" by cold nights and th
insects. In the summer 1t viii be ruined by IN
excessive rain, and is subject 10 the depreda- de
ion OF the army and cotton worm. sh
In the autumn, when an abundant crop ei
seems almost assured, an early frost viii cut ha
IF the yield one-half; and still later, when tn
he fields are white with its snowy feeees, a hi
leavy rain or a storm will destroy it. t is eY
besides almost as intammable as gnnpoWder OF
md after it has been gathered and
nd mo enaFy from friction match lI
II the pipe of Il careless laborer will nc
consume in a few moments that which Pc
/ cost years labor to produce. 1t may II
De said that the tax on the ties is insig- ri
lifeant, but it will amount to large sum IN ef
he aggregate. Besides being an initial tax tu
eyied at the custom-house it augments the be
,rce in the hands of each dealer by the profits Ia
which he charges and must charge on the ne
Ldvance. The importer has his profit, the by
dealer his, the jobber his, and the co
etailer his. And then there is transporta- he
ion and interest. | know that in actual TIC
course Of trade the price is more than doubled. en-
The repeal of the tax would be great relief
me small sums saved would furnish neces- tn
airy comfort or a cheap luxury to those who Ell
ave very little of either. The little insignf- Re
ant sums which the rich throw away const- gr
ute the treasures of the poor. More than one eq
alf of fhe cotton produced in Mississippi is IN
aised by our colored people, working not for
RACES, bat either as tenants or for share Of ms
he crop. The tax falls heavily on them. Ian
In the main they are WITHOUT property WITH uh
ut land. without work stock, without farm tht
ng implements, and without credit except at po
hat excessive rate consequent on precaFioHs tio
ecurity. They have BEEN enfranehised By pr
be power of the Government, made citizens an
quail ia rights and privileges with all others. TIN
,ui, sir, it seems the care Of the Government tht
Or them has stopped there. They, in common die
nth their white neighb1rs, have been made hu
ae. victims of q taxing system which allows ma
1em but little chance better their condition cit
] life. It is the desire of every thoughtful vol
euthern man that our c0lored population ece
aould acquire property, become interested in
lie country. Ny own opinion is that this is be
ssential not only to their welfare but to the for
afety of the State. Is il too much to ask tai
lat the taxing policies of the Government eni
iould be made to favor ami hasten this desir- dui
Die end stu
Al majority of nv constituents are colored. sit.
Is my duty as we'll nv pleasure to repre- leg
mt their interests here with the same fdeIi- pre-
that Z represent the whises The interests Iar
both races are identical. tax levied on lik