The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-11-22
A CONVENTION OF COTTON PLANTERT

This idea is acquiring popularity in some
quarters, and we do not doubt that such an
assembIagc would prove useful 10 the South
in some respects. But we do not believe
that it can result in any direct influence upon
the Cotton market. 1t has been tried before
without any perccp,ible effects. Only
few years ago, a convention, composed Of
many of Our NEST intelligent planters and
able statesmen frcm several Cotton growing
States. assembled at Macon. Soue able
speeches were made; an address put firth,
embracing some very valuable information
and statistics, and imparling useful advice to
the Cotton planter; and they were shown by
plausible reasoning, that The Cotton growing
States could control the Cnttnn market of
the world and bring all manufacturing coun-
tries to US to purchase our Cotton at our
own price.
The process Of reasoning on This point is
already familiar to the public. 1t is unques-
,ionabIy true, that if Southern planters would
only make Cotton as surplus product, after
raising every thing they need aud must have
on their plantations, that it is possible to raise
then the production of Cotton would be di-
minlshed and its price correspondingly adj
vanced. The true difficulty is, there is too
much produced, compared with other plant
alton products. 1t planters would diversity
their labor and thereby diminish the demands
on the proceeds of their Cotton crops, they
would feel less of hard times. They would
be less dependent on prices ruling in the cot
ton market. They would have money on
hand even at present low prices, after pay
ing necessary expenses. This remark will
apply only 10 planters cultiva,Ing land good
enough to repay the labor. For unqueslion-
ably there are tens Of thousands OF acres in
cultivation Of cotton, so poor as not 10 pay
for the labor expended on it.
y A Cotton planters Convention would res
ulhin good, by giving some homcIy advice
like THIS, though in more expressive form
of words and with more imposing array of
facts and figures. Such convention would
be in some respects useful in bringing In,elIi-
gent minds in consultation, and in devisIng
schemes for agricultural improvements
They might accomplish good on large scale
in the same way that country agricultural
societies do. But we do not think that they
could devise commercial or financial
schemrs 10 control OF regulate prices. Nor
could any concert oc actiun Ge so agreed up
on, and adhered to, as 20 control prices by
holding up large amounts of Cotton until the
supplies, pressed by sellers on the market
are exhausted.
The amrunt Of cotton is too large-thc
number Of producers too numerous. and
scattered over too immense an extent of
country, and their capacity to hold on to
their crops varies too much, according to
their debts or their surplus money, the char.
acter and location of their lands, and ever
varying opinions of men as 10 when is the
best time for selling.
One reason, among many others, why
Cotton is so low, is that large class OF
spectators in Europe who formerly Y bought
cotton when it reached low price, as a
good investment, are no longer in existence.
The capital once employed in this way IS
wholly swamped in the commercial disaster
of tie last fourteen monts, or embarked in
other investments.
Those staunch friends Of the Cotton plan
ter who used thus to interfere to hold large
supplies Of cotton, and prevent its going be-
low its intrinsic value, now no longer exists
in Europe. Cotton is now left TO be col
troled solely BY the elements of immediate
supply and demand. Prospective consider
atlons have comparatively little influence
In conclusion, we would remark, that
there is a class among ourselves that can do
much for themselves and their feIlnw-rtton
planters. They may supply The place OF
the foreign speculalor. That class IS the