Year: 1867

Tuesday Morning, November 26, 1867.


The Tax ON Cotton.


Practical work seems to be the motto which
Congress proposes to itself upon assembling
for what will probably be the longest contin-
uous session in the history of the country.
Upon the first day of the meeting Mr.. Blaine,
of this State, introduced resolution looking
to the repeal of the internal duty on cot
ton. This tax was fixed at three cents per
pound by the act Of July, 1885, Subsequent
ly it was reduced to two and one-half cents
pound, and has been levied and partially col
lected the present year at the latter rate.
The whole amount OF revenue derived from
this source for the year ending June 80, 1867,
was S23,769,OS7. The manufacturing and in
dustrial affairs of the South are in such a con-
dition that the cotton tax is almost the sole
means by which that section Of the country
can be made to contribute to the support of
the government which its own folly and crime
have involved in SO serious embarrassments.
There are few taxable incomes, no manufac-
cuACu oAtiSiCS VI any Importance diiu OuO hebiS
business that in any way involves the South
in liability to taxation. This being the
case, it might be supposed that the tax ON
cotton would be retained, if all others were
repealed, so long as the revenue derived from
it is required to meet the wants of the Treas
ury. Yet the infuence-and Radical infu-
ence-brought to bear for the purpose of ef-
fecting its repeal is so strong that the first
measure adopted at the present session seems
almost sure to be that which willcut the Treas
ury off from one OF it smost important resources
Mr.. Blaine at previous session secured a
vote, in Committee of the Whole for the re-
peal. but it was subsequently rejected when
submitted to the House. Now not only Mr..
Blaine, but many other prominent members
are fully committed to the adyocacy<Of the
measure. Senator Wilson, in his letter to
Harris, The negro delegate to the North Car
olina Convention, expresses bis views in une-
quivocal language. Speaker Colfax has also
written letter taking the same ground, and
Representative Boutwell,, of Massachusetts is
in sympathy with the movement.


Perhaps the most effective document that
has been adddced in favor of the repeal is the
report just made by the Special Commission
er of the Revenue, Hon. David A. Wells, to
the Secretary of the Treasury, in advance of
his annual report. This able paper resiews
the history OF cotton taxation, and shows by
statistics the manner in which foreign pro-
duction, which received such an impetus from
the rebellion, is likely to be further stimulat
ed by the continuance of the tax The tax,
light as it seems, is estimated to amount to a
premium of at least fifty per cent. upon cot
ton raising in India, the formidable rival of
the United States in the production Of the
great staple. Mr.. Wells believes that our
country can never regain control of the cot
ton market unless all internal taxation is
abolished. There is now au oyer-productlon
of cotton, and we cannot compete with India,
Egypt and the other upstart cOtton-raisers
unless we can produce it under more favor
able conditions than they. The natural
adaptation Of the soil and climate of the
Southern States to this branch Of agriculture
places them in this respect at an advantage
AFdA plOuuCCto, bud tue bdAdtlOu vi tlcIT
crops is more than an equivalent drawback.
Increased production and the consequent re-
duction of prices may in time so stimulate the
consumption that no special favor will be
necessary to make cotton-raising profitable,
but at present the Commissioner thinks that
such favor is imperatively demanded in order
to enable the labor of the South to avail itself
of the only branch of industry that is now
open to it. He therefore has no hesitation in
recommending "the immediate passage by
Congress of an act repeating the entire tax
Ilnnn rasrr It---,----.s=
isting duty on imported cotton-the same to
take effect ON its passage" Even more Iradi-
ties. They would have the act revert to a
time previous to the payment of any Of this
years tax, and thus secure the refunding of
whatever has been paid. The government
can Ill afford to lose so considerable sum,
but still it is possible to relinquish it without
serious embarrassment il the revenue from
other sources is fully collected. If the tax on
whisky alone were rigidly exaeted, it would
make good to the Treasury the loss on cotton
three times over


The spirit manifested by northern Senators
and Representatives in volunteering to re-
lieve the South of the great burden upon its
industry, though their own constituents must
assume it directly or indirectly, shows how
little of malice and how much goodwill actu-
ate them in their dealings with the subjngat-
ed country. 1t is of piece with the relief
afforded to the Southern poor, and the post
ponement of the collection ofthe internal rev.
enue tax levied upon the South during the
war. 1t is only where the sacred principles
of liberty and justice are at stake that any
sternness is displayed by the national legisla-
ture.