The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-04

We have heard much of late about
the elimination of the negro question
iron, Southern politics, and the conse-
quont upbuilding of strong Rcpubll-
can party in the Southern States, based,
as the rumor runneth, on the further
ancc OF our material intercsts-as
though adherence to Democratic prin.
clples would rctard our progress.
Assuming for the sake of argument,
and shat only, that the race issue IS
eliminated, and that the Southern pco-
pie are now entirely free to pursue
their "business' interests, they can
scarcely bo expected to sacrifice those
interests by adopting the economic
policies which, from beginning up to
this date, have characterized the Re-
publican party.
1t is a serious mistake TO suppose
that sentiment alone has controlled in
making the North Republican aud the
South Democratic. Aside from war
passion, now, happily, abated, the Re-
publican party has always adopted an
economic policy that was distinctly
sectional and hostile to the South. Its
first task was the abolition of slavery,
and no sooner was that accomplished,
at fearful cost 10 the South, than il be-
gan its high tariff policy, which was
less open, but equally effective,
method of carrying on an economic
war against the South scarcely sur
passed in material hardship by the Re.
publican pension policy under which
the South pays her proportionate te share
OF $l50,0O0,0C0 annually to the COM
mon treasury, only to see it paid out
among bcncliciaries residing mostly
beyond her borders. Being in the mi
norlty, she could offer no successful re-
SiStancc.
Previous to the civil war the average
tariff rate varied from 5 per cent. in
1889, to 20 per cent. in 1916; to 40 per
cent. in 1928 (known as the "larifr of
Abominations'D, to "a per cent. in
1912, to 27 per cent. in lS47, and tn
25 per cent. in 1857.
Then came The Le ,,ublrcan tariff uf
1861, about 3G per cen :, nI ISGl Gj
about AZ per cen :, OF 1890 about 80
per cent, and iinalIN The DInglcy ta'iH
OF 1897, estimated at about 81 per cenl.
This Republican legislation, cspcc-
Tally in its inception, was not intended
to benefit the South. Had it borne
equally upon all sections it would have
failed, i'll large part, of it's purpose. 1t
was framed by hostile, sectional
party that took special care Of its own
local interests at the expense of the
minority section, though in later years
there has been an cagcrncss to enlist
recruits by sheltc1ing few Southern
products, which are certainly entitled
to equal favor in whatever discrimina-
ton is 10 be made now or in the fu-
turc. The Federal Congress, with It's
North' III majority, will never pass a
tariff bill in whose special privileges
the South Will be permitted 10 partici-
pate ON equal terms with the North.
Our best hope lies in cutting down the
special privileges rather than in trying
to grab our share of the spoils.
Whatever benefits the South may
have derived from the uniformity
clause OF the constitution in reference
to taxation, they were wholly dispro-
portionate to the benefits received by
the North. This disadvantage. was
not due to any fault or want of wis
dom oD tho part of the generation Of
Southern people then in life, but to
our social, financial and material en-
vironmcnt, created by forces operating
before that generation was born.
1t is important in this connection to
bear IN mind one Of the simplest and
plaincst truths Of political economy,
namely, that tariff Oh imports is in
effect tax on exports.
Whether q gwen tariff rate on i'm
ports produces an exactly equivalent
burden on exports may be opcn tc
doubt, but that a tariff tax levied on
goods coming into a country lessons
the eXchangcable value of goods going
out of the same country is not denied
so far as l am aware, by single rep
utablc thinker or writer on the sub
ject. Any business man can make his
own practical application of this truth
From that truth it necessarily fol
lows that tariff on imports falls will
special severity on those particular in
dustries which furnish the export,
given in exchange for the imports.
What industries have borne thu
special burden?
In 1920 agriculture furnished 81 pc
cent. Of our total exports, and will
slight variations it still furnished il
1880 as high as 1926 per cent. On
of the most important items was tn
South's great contribution of her ray
cotton, which from the first was es
sentlally all exported product, an
which was greater in proportion tha
the exported product of any other sec
tion.
1t is easy, therefore, to fix the statu
of the cotton grower as q burdcn-bcal
CT under the tariff.
But in recent years we have turnc
to manufacturing our raw cotton, an
havo already gone beyond the capac:t
of the home market. In 1900 our c>
ports of uncolorcd cotton goods, sue
as we generally make IN tho Soutl
amounted to $l3,229 ,443.
OF the same kind of cloth we in
ported only 1857 ,G0i, mere bagatell'
showing not only that our mills nee
no protection in this line, but that