The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-04
From the Washington Post.
ALABANyA'S Alohap

ALAbAMNs Alabama made up her
ENTERPRISE. mind long ago to beat
the world in tho production of iron. Hav-
Ing natural facilities superior to any other
locality on the globe. the Alabama iron
men may well feel confident of their abi-
ity to outstrlp competition in any and
every quarter. Not only in pig iron, but in
many OF its refined products. that State
has already acquired leading position,
and is still pushing on. But this does not
satisfy her ambition. The iron region Is
but small part of her territorial area
and all the other parts want to take
hand in some kind of manufacturing Nat
urally, cotton is suggested as the means
OF meeting this want. Cotton factories have
been springing up, as II by magic. II other
parts of the South, and some. but not
enough. have been erected In Alabama In
order to facilitate this kind OF enterprise,
tho legislature has passed and the governor
has signed an act exempting cotton fac
tories hereafter built in the State from
taxation for ten years. The New York
Mail and Express, referring to this enact
ment, says:
This new law Is pregnant with
promise. 1t looks beyond today and
tomorrow. and recognizes the policy
on which is based primarily thu great
ness Of tho North and East-invest-
ment by one generation for the benefit
of its successor. 1t means that the
shirt which Is already responsible for
Alabama's position in tho mining field
seeks new worlds to conquer, and is
determined to place that common
wealth in the van OF Southern pro-
press. Alabama is determined
to surpass Georgia and South Carolina
In cotton. Her example as set in this
exemption law, will awaken and incite
enterprise elsewhere. The tide OF
Southern industrial progress will fol-
low the lines of Southern production
Cotton now sent to England will be
manufactured at home. Prosperity will
follow thrift and the South will gravi-
tate more and moro toward the policy
OF protection, as it realizes the benefits
and necessity of this in its new aud
buster life. II is written In the book Of
prophecy"
a State that has law cNemptlng new
| manufacturing plants from taxation has no
merely 'gravitated toward the policy of
protection" but has landed on that policy
| with both feet. Tile one phase OF protection
most offensive to the opponents of that pol
ley is the bounty system, The one phase
which protectionists find harder than all
| others 10 defend is the bounty system. i
was the sugar bounty in the Mckinley ac
that inspired much OF the opposition TO tha
| measure. The multiplication Victories oil
1890 and 1892 were largely due TO that boun
~ Next to the repeating of the Fedora
election laws. the demolition OF the suga
! bounty was the pieee of work which the ira.
iority In the Fifty-thrd congress most thor.
oughy enjoyed. The holding up by the
administration OF the money appropriated
by congress 10 pay the accrued debt 30 thu
sugar producers--the refusal to nay 1t until
! compelled TO do so by decision OF the su
preme court--was another illustration Of tn.
feeling entertained by -protsc;ioaists
| toward the bounty system.
What is this Alabama law but bount,
act? II Is not National sch ame. to b,
| sure. but its limitation to a Sta.e does no
change Its character And the fact thai
the money is paid indirectly does not affec
] the principle Of the operation. The trut