Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-12-07
(Thursday Morning, Jan. 16, 1862
The Cotton Tax.

(Thursday Morning, JAM Is, 1852
The Cotton Tax.
Last year the wisest and best men
everywhere said to the people. PLANT
less cotton and more grain" and had
the warning been needed by all 1t
Is admitted that our condition would
have been far better than at the pres
ent time. The seasons were favorable
in most sections to grain crops and the
wheat crop yielded abundantly from
the small quantity sown. II planters
had made no money with which to pay
existing debts. they would have at
least produced enough provisions for
themselves and their laborers for
another year.
The warning is again repeated from
every quarter and we hope with the
sad experience Of the past and the
gloomy prospects Of the future that
some regard will be given it. Cotton
Is now at such low price that II un-
taxed by the government it will not
pay the cost Of production. One Of the
most intelligent cotton factors Of this
state (not a cotton buyer) writes:
The new year opens with little pros
pect Of an advance in cotton. The
depressed condition of the manufactur-
ing interests and the large supply Of
eastern cotton in Liverpool will keep
prices down to a low figure" 1t is
against this eastern and South Ameri-
can cotton that our planters have to
cotton was stimulated during the war
and sections where experience has
fully proved that it can be grown
profitably at the present low prices.
Many will no doubt plant cotton un-
der the impression that the present
tax Of two and one-half cents per
pound will be removed. Our own
opinion is that the smaller the amount
congress upon this matter the better
it will be for those interested. The re-
moval Of the tax has undergone some
discussion already in that body and
we can discover from it but little
likelihood Of the expected relief being
granted. The house passed a bill, it Is
true. repeating the tax on all cotton
after the present crop but the measure
met with violent opposition and finally
assumed the shape Of a political dis
cussion. The bill went to the senate
and a substitute was there proposed
and adopted suspending the tax on
| cotton during 1868. but insisting at the
same time upon the continuance Of the
tax thereafter and also to exempt the
importation Of cotton grown elsewhere
from any duty at all. Even should the
suspension become a law 1t will only
be such in all probability to induce
the planting Of full crop and before
it goes into market the tax gatherer
| will again be after the planter de-
manding one-fourth of the value. We
have no confidence in congressional
ington correspondent Of the Charleston
Courier gives the following account
of the senate discussion on the repeal
Of the tax:
| The discussion upon this measure
exhibited in it's most disgusting forms
all the distinctive features Of the
Yankee character. In the beginning it
was set afloat by avowed northern
spectators whose only object was to
get back the taxes already paid on the
crop Of 1867, supported by others who
had advanced money upon that Of the
present year. The former got a vote
today in the senate very nearly suf-
ficient for their purpose and may yet
succeed. The latter were quite sue
cessful as will be seen. 1t was anus
ing to witness how the gentlemen who
are interested in the manufactures
which contain the fabric. squirmed
at the views Of western men and again
with what evident disgust a portion Of
the Radicals. especially the northern
wing, viewed the suggestions Of the
southern renegades as to the necessity
| of permanent repeal in the interest
of the poor negro" One Of these
latter gentry (Mr. Fowler Of Tenn.,)
went so far as to say that without any
tax whatever 1t would be found i'm
possible to make cotton growing
a profitable pursuit that not only the
monopoly but the successful competi-
| tion with the rest Of the world fell