The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-08-26

Open Markets and Free Competition
the Salvation Of the Country.
At the recent summer meeting OF the
State Agricultural and Mechanical
Society at Orangeburg, Ex-Congress-
man Dibble made the following inter-
esting and Instructive address on the
tariff:
MIR. President and Gentlemen Of the
Stale Agricultural and Mechanical
Society: | appear before you as sub.
stitute for one who would have enter
tanned YOU more than l can, he being a
man of gifted speech and close stu
cent OF this great economic question,
and confess that in the short time l
have had to consider this subject under
the circumstances in which l appear
before you it is difficult to embrace in
the limited closing hour Of this meeting
the subject to such an extent as to be
of ary very practical benefit to MS. 1t
is subject that is so broad and has
consumed so much in its discussion,
has so many ramiications entering into
all the ayocatons of life and affecting
every consumer, and incidentally every
producer, that it is very hard without Il
great deal of time and care in prepara-
ton to condense in a few remarks what
is to be said on this subject even as it
affects the interest of the South Caro-
lima planter.
In the 5Oth Congress such Of the de-
bates as / was able to collect IN the
Senate and House on the Mills bill
were compiled in three volumes, each
the size of this which l hold in my
hand. Of course all this subject OF
taxation interests US, and
THE TARIFF IS A TAX,
and under our system of government
the matter OF Federal and State taxes
has been distributed under the Consti-
tuition in such way that the power of
tariff taxation has been exclusively
vested in the Federal Government.
That being so, it is necessary to have
tariff for the support of the Govern
ment, because, in a measure, at least,
the other fields of taxation should be
reserved to the State, and the Federal
Government should not go into ell the
! fields of taxation. The State should
take some and the Federal Government
others. Under the Constitution the
customs duties are especially releG,ated
| to the sphere Of Federal influence. The
operation of the tariff, considered in It's
relations as an economic question,
should be adjusted in such manner
that the interests OF every SecLlon OF
the country and of every class OF its
population should be as nearly as pos
sible equally conserved; that IS to say,
that in the proper adjustment Of this
burden j! should be arranged IN such
way as to give an equal chance to the
producer and to the consumer as Tar as
possible
THE MARKETS SHOULD BE OPEN.
Now there is no possible harm to
come to any class Of consumers IN any
part OF the country where a tariff tax
! is TO be levied on the Importation OF
goods where the consumer has the
privilege. which every freeman ought
to have in free country like ours, OF
the competition of those who have that
merchandise to SELL The Constitution
cf the United States says that every
thing that IS not expressly granted to
The General Government is reserved to
the States, and further, reserved to the
peolpe, and the individual right CT
every man to purchase the goods where
he can purchase them to the most ad-
vantage is one of the dearest rights OF
freeman in the protection OF his pro-
, perty, and unless there is something IN
The Constitution which deprives one OF
that right then it is one of the reserved
rights under the Constitution, and
every individual American citizen IS
entitled TO its exercise.
Therefore, in the first place, any tariff
duty which is prohibitoIy and excludes
| any citizen in any part OF the country
from the privilege of buying foreign
goods IN place Of American goods II ne
chooses to do so, is in my judgment
violation of the Constitution in IFS let
ter and in its spirit.
Again, on the other hand,
FREE TRADE WOULD NOT SUIT
oar section OF this country, to say moth
ing of other portions. If We lad no
custom house at all then that source OF
revenue to the Government would be
taken away entirely. In the llrst place,
We would have the objection that 1t
would interfe very materially with
the burdens which the State has TN
posed for the support OF It's GoVerh-
ment. by doubling the taxes IN some or
those fields, and II direct taxation were
lesorted to then, under the Constitution
and under the principle for which our
forefathers fought i'll the American
! Revolution. taxation and representa-
tion must go hand in hand, both Of
them based upon population, and IN the
same manuer that South Carolina has
in the Federal councils about one
| tiftieth of the representation she should
have TO bear under the Constitution
one fiftieth OF the direct tax burden OF
the Government Therefore, If direct
taXes were levied as State taxes arr
levied the quota OF South Caroline
would be, with all expenditure Of
5O.OCOOUO a year, about S7,O0O,OOO or
SlW0W0 for each Representative III
Congress. That would be burdenSome
and destructive to us, SO that tree trade
with direct taxation would not suit lis.
HOW TIE COTTON PLANTER Is
SQUEEZED.
1t seems to me that the interest
which We represent here TO day Is Que
that is entitled at least 30 fair conaldr-
ration from The one TACT that IN inter
national exchange We furnlSi! the larg-
est value annually exported from tn"
| United States to the markets CT the
world. The cotton crop of this couu-
try pays larger part Of the money tor
the goods imported into this country
than any Other, The breadstutfs coming
next, the provision crop next AMI Pc
| trulcum and kerosene and things IT that
sort, and next to that coming tobacco.
We furnish very nearly one-th'rd Of
tie entire export value in the article
OF cotton alone. and exceed breadstutfS
by very considerable amount. Now
We are certainly entitled when we send
our cotton crop for foreign consump-
ton to have a fair chance If VIZ desire
to make purchases of foreign articles in
no trrif ic t0-1av If 2f.