Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-02-03
COTTON AND THE TARIFF.


there must be an average adequate
revenue, the duty ought to be so
laid as to strengthen the public safe
ty and welfare.
At the beginning OF the Civil War
the Confederate government found
itself without ships OF war or mer-
chant ships, without ship mechanics
or seamen, without iron or steel
works to make the material to make
transportation facilities, without fac
tories to weave cloth to uniform or
otherwise clothe the soldiers. How
could country which finds itself in
this condition endure in war against
one which possesses these means of
offense and defense? Any of these
deficiencies ought to be removed by
tariff If possible and by positive pro-
hibition OF imports If they cannot
be cured in any other way.
When the Union was half slave
and half free, when the Northern half
was devoting it's energies largely to
manufactures while the Southern
half had become agricultural, thore
might have then seemed an unequal
division of the tariff. 1t then SEEM
ed to slit the agricultural South to
depend upon English ships, to have
revenue raised by direct tax rather
than by a tariff on imports-especi-
ally If laid in way to protect Amer
lean manufactures, practically all of
which were in the North. This view
was one Of the consequences of slav-
cry. But it transpires that slavery
was not only morally wrong, but
economically weakening. The peo-
pie Of the South have totally changed
their ante-bellum views about slav-
cry. There are few who appreciate
to what extent they have also aban-
doned ideas and views which belong
ed to slavery and come back to those
held by their ancestors before the
time Of slavery had become a domi-
mating influence. We find that Henry
Clay, of Kentucky, was pre-eminent-
ly the leading protectionist in his
day. Washington and Calhoun in
the early days of their statesman
snip, and many other leading South
ern men, were protectionists. The
present movement in the South is
not new one, but is only renais-
sance and is part of the necessary
readjustment of our economic prin-
ciples to fit free institutions in place
of the ones which were formulated
to fit slavery.
1t is very important that besides
being laid to do the most good that
the burdens and benefits Of the tar
iff should be equally distributed over
the whole country.
Here in the South we boast of a
monopoly in the production Of cot
ton.
We have pursued such economic
policies as to destroy any advantages
in this climatic monopoly. We have
neglected movements which would
diversity the pursuits of the people.
1T is only lately that such diversified
tioil Dccll bcSull ana IL is InlS
diversification which has relieved the
cotton farmers from excess depres-
sion. Under the influence of be-
ginning in factory development the
price of cotton has been doubled.
Perishable farm products have been
given values. Land has increased in
value and every result has been adj
vantageous. One of the most i'm
portant influences in bringing about
this conGition is the tariff on coarse
yarns and cloths. The advantage is
not alone to the factory, but the
greater part of the advantage falls to
which 10 years ago yielded $780,
100000 now yields 5000, 100000.
The factories have drawn operatives
enough off the farms to relieve the |
former cut-throat competition in the |
production of the so-called "monop- |
oly.' The factory becomes a con-
sumer instead of extending produc- |
ton. Competition is not always the |
life Of trade. 1t may become the |
death Of trade as it did in the South |
when everybody raised cotton and |
nothing but cotton.
Any just economic policy which !
brings about such a change for the |
better should not be interfered with. |
Therefore the present tariff should |
not be disturbed. There are some |
who say that as we make eXnort |