The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-03-16
THE TRUE POLICY OF THE SOUTH.

HE True FOLtCY OF The SOUTH.
Ma. EDlroR.-I see a Cotton Planters Con-
vsntion recommended and strongly urged in
ZONE quarters as a panacsa for hard times and
the low prices Of cotton. The effect of this
move, If carried out, would, | doubt, be equal
to that Of the laborof the mountain, in The fa-
BILE.
The planters have the remedy in their own
hands, however; but the great difficulty is in
bringing them to apply it. To do this, it is
necessary to break up old habits and bring
them to vary the monolOny Of the eternal
cotton crop, by introducing into their system
a more varied course Of farm culture; by Civ
ing more encouragement to the mechanic arts;
and by al! means fostering The growing spirit
for working up our raw material at h me to
a great extent.
1t was but this morning that | saw a drove
of fine fat Tennessee hogs passing through
my neighborhood for sale; and this is the case
every tall. Millions OF dollars annually, that
are made by raising cotton, at from 20 to 80
cents per day, go to pay the mechanics OF Old
and New England, at the rate Of rs cents to
So per day, for making our shoes, hats,
coats, harness, carriages, and 4" numerous 9th
or articles too tedious to iiention," which
could just as we'll be made by our own me-
chanics, our farmers making food for them, in
stead Of having these articles sent to US from
a distance of 1000 miles, and, indirectly,
paving the Northern and Western farmer for
furnishing them food while they are doing
il.
But for our farmers to send from 300 to 500
miles for pork, horses, and mules, and to New
York for -four, and to be paid for out Of the
proceeds of the cotton crop, when we should
make those things ourselves, and be improv'
ing our land at the same time, not wearing
it out, all for the benefit of others, at the same
time oversupplying The cotton market, to ouT
own injury, is about as reasonable asholding o
Plarter's Convention" to remedy one folly by
committing a greater.
The evil lies in the habit and constitution
OF the agricultural community; and the remedy
lisa radical change of our system. Let every
farmer raise everything that Will grow IN thin
climate for the ordinary supply p { H. ia mil!
and plantation from his peas 10 his wheat, ant
from a chicken to a horse; and let very qnt
who has spare capital invest it in some of tn
various branches Of manu- actnra instead o
buying mole negroes to i"cGease still more tht
the over-supply of the raw material; md there
by still further depress the prices OF our pro-
, duet, while they enhance the demand for The
-. products Of other countries.
And further, instead Of making ready made
gentlemen of their sons, by forcing them fo
@ ak months in a law Office, or eighteen month";
q in some hotbed Of mushroom physicians, (doc
tors.) let our farmers train their sons to som'
honest trade or occupation, whereby they can
n earn their living as becomes a man and a goo'
it citizen, and be>a real benefit to the communIt.
n instead of a drone to society.
New England, with an adverse soil and eli
ii mate, prospers by this course why not GooI
= Ola with these things in her lavor!-Souther
CulhUGtOT.