The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-04-19
From the Charleston Mercury.
COTTON MANUFACTURES AT THE
SOIJTH.

not very econmicallv applied. will fully appear
from comparison Of official statistical data. For
this purpose we will take the States of Massa'
chusctis and South Caroline. The results sta.
ted in connection with The United States CEN
sns for 1910. anil which apply to the year 1899,
though doubtless embracing some errors, shall
assume to be sufficiently correct for the present
purpose. In hooking over that document, and
summing up the amount of agricultural pro-
ducts for that year. il will be found that the mar.
ket value of the products Of South Carolina did
not exceed eighteen millions of dollars. The
number Of hands employed in agricultural ope-
rations was one hundred and ninriy.eight thou.
sand three hundred and sixty three; thus giving
a trine over nincir.sevcn dollars toeach per-
son employed in that branch Of industry. From
the same data, reckon the market value of pro-
durtions common to both States at the same
marke:, value, we shall learn the aggregate
proceeds of agriculture for the same year, in
Massachusetts, in round numbers, to thirteen
millions Of dollars. This amount was produced
by the labor of eighty-scven thousand eight
hundred and thirty.seven persons; thus giving
10 each person so employed but a fraction short
Of one hundred and forly.six dollars, or an ex-
lars. For this difference some cause must have
existed.
II cannot he pretended that the hard and ster'
lie soil Of Massachusetts is naturally moro pro.
ductive than The soil of South Carolina. In the
latter State, to be sure, are large tracts OF SAN
dy pine barren, hut a great proportion of the
surfare of the State is capable of high cufiva-
ton and of easy tillagc, aud with proper man.
apem MT Yields heavy crops. The rich glades,
the swamp lands, are probably hardly exceeded
as to fertility in the Union. And all these lands
mirb, b, well cultivated with two.thirds the la.
bor at most, acre for acre. requisite for the cul-
,iva,ion Of the hard rockbound snrtac" Of Mas
sochusptts. True, on the banks of the Connec-
ticut there is n large tract of fine bottom land,
and here and there in various paris of the State
a 7irh meadow or in'erva!e. Yet all these
dwinLle into comparative insignfcance when
So, AGAINST the exhaus'css bottoms on the Ca.
tawba. the Broad. the Paco-t, the Encrcc, and
other rivers in South Carolina. as well as OH
their humorous creeks and branches. Besides,
South Carolina, with a population numbering
only twcnty.four to the square mile, has a
oLoncc for the selection Of the best lands for cul.
tira,ion. which cannot be had ny Massachusetts
with a pnpu!aton Of one hundred to the square
milc. For every article named in the schedule
,lIu,,d to. with perhaps the exception Of hay.
n, o,;n,te OF South Carolina is more congo.
Mol ,bon tba, of anv New England State, and
v,;,b nroner cultivation would yield them in
biubcr pcrfrction and greaer abundance. And
Sonb Carolina, too, adds to all these products
Cation and Rice.
r. MANY neop'e the difference above noted is
assinncd to the difference in the efficiency OF
free white labor at the North, and Stare labor
At tho South This reason il entirely t.!iacinus,
80 on,. ono may see at a g'ancr. 4 given num-.
bcr ne slave laborers at the South cultivate
orootor number of acres than are cultivated ny
an oou,l number of free white laborers at the
North. The difference in product results from
tho d;f1sroncc in management, and the dl!trr-
enco in monancment is precisely the difference
botroor Massachusetts, and S. Carolina in the
ocon,n,v of labor. Thus, compared with the
Agricultural labor in MASSACHUSETTS,. ohe''hlr1
mart at least of that in South C"roi'na Is wasted
from tho want of economical application. hut
the reader will perhaps say what mas all 'i.is
discussion abont agricultural labor |" 90 WIN
"Cotlon Manufactures in the South! NY reply
is worry much: and ifthc courteous qr"rIst will
hear with mc while, will cndeavor to show
him how and why.
Lot !, sill be borne in mind, for il is as true
90 that tbcre is sim in the heavens. that labor
is the original capital and the great source "t
wcal,h. Let it also he remembered, mat TO
pro,luce the most profitable result. II must be
suhicc,cd n bc qni.lancr anI control ot the best
skill and judgement Aud now what ar" the
G,c.s To br drdrIccd from the comparison we
have made? We have seen that the SCUM Gar
olina planter receives, on an aVpra g'' ninety
seven dollars for each hand employed, while
the Massachusetts farmer receives one hundred
and C,rty.siy. Thus tho later saves thlry-'hree
and ono third per cent. Of the labor, when com.
narcd with the former, the excess tn be applied
to manufacturing purposes. Ia ''hcr w'rn<'
the onricunri,ts of the South by snhIrciin@ ia.
Dor to ,hc system adopted at the North, would
produce as much as they now do, and probably
more. and save one third part OF the labor.
Thus South Carolina might save The labor OF
s,,y.siy thousand one hundred and twcnty-onc
ncrsons now employed in the field, to be EN-.
ployed to spin and weave the cotton she pr"ll''
crs, and retain in her own hands the profits
now made bv spectators. commission mrr.
chants. &c. abroad, as we'll as those realized
bv the Northern manufacturer. This is no tlc'
ton: abundance OF facts prove inc statement
true.
From the Washington unlon