Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-02-01
From The WisSiSSIppial
Communication.

1htSSfSStpptht.
Communication.
The necessity of diversfyng the labors of the slave
States is apparent from consideration wholly distinct
from those that have been urged. The area of the
whole slave States is 1924 square miles Assume
the present slave population to be 35000000 and that
its future increase WILDE the rate that has atten
ded from $780, when the first census was taken, until
this time and in less than hundred years shall
have 56,oooo0o of slaves, that is slave population
of II to each superficial square mile. But when We
reflect that this calculation embraces the whole area
of the slave States, and that large portion sof the
surface is rrecaimable swamp, barren sand hills not
t for cultivation, in the whole amounting to probably
one fourth may reasonably assert, that the child is
born, who wilsee slave population equal at least
to S5 to the square mile average, for all that
portion of the slave States, suited to agriculture The
slave population however will not be equally dused
the slave States 1t is rapidly concentrating
the rice, sugar and cotton States. By the census of
1910 the States of North Carolina, Mississippi, Ten
nessae Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Louisiana and Arkansas, contained of slaves ,527,-
SIS. Their entire surface is but 433S02 square miles.
The entire slaves of the United States double in
fraction % years. Now let be supposed that by
bringing slaves into the sugar and cotton region, they
double i'll those States in twenty years, will have
in those States this time 1921 .362. Let it then be
supposed that importation into the sugar and cotton
States entirely and also that the period of
duplication will be increased to twenty-five years,
neither of which suppositions can be realized, and in
hundred years. those States will have slave popu
lation of 3666I ,7S2, S4 to each square mile. Yet
much of this country is swamp or sand hills The
slaves then will be equaat least hundred, for
each square mile of land suited to cultivation The
population Of Massachusetts, with all her manufacture
ing towns and villages, her cities and small farms,
does not equal this. Where then, in hundred
years, shall find space for our increase of white
population and employment for our slaves! Can they
be employed in the cultivation of cotton as now -
Can they be employed i'll agriculture 4! Must they not
be employed in every pursuit. to which their labor
be directed and must not commence this division
OF labor now Many will say, hundred years ahead,
is too far to lock- We will take of ourselves, and
let those who come after take Of themselves
Well, be it so Let us take of ourselves. II we
really do So shall do all in our power for posterity
How then take of ourselves Only la
d{r9rting kaOr from the cutiUatioR Of c0toR In 1885.
produced l360S25 bales of cotton, the price was
10 cents per pound, and brought us Sl03,4l3 lO0.-
The price being high, from wear year increased
its production. In I639 the crop 2l77 $50 bales.
the price gradually fell from the former rate viz: -
cents to 10 cents nearly half and the produce Of
the whole SS67, $500 Thus by increasing our
crop 900 bales, lessened income to the ex-
tent $lG,3Jl,700. We bindly continued TO increase
productions, until we increased the crop to, say
.aal- halas and rcsluecd tA price
which viii give 600000O0 OF dollars. b. Increasing
product I,I40,000 bales beyond the crop of 1895,
we reduced our income, lost 49, 100000 dollars in
year. The cotton statistics show, that from 1888,
down to the present day the larger the CROP the small
Ter the does it produce If we allow that ivo bales
to the hand, Is full average it will take 100000 hands
to produce this 100000 bales, and if the hands will
average in value $500, it required, and there was an
investment of Sl3500000 in hands alone, exclusive
OF mules. horses, farming tools, &c, which additional
investment, by increase of productions results in
annual loss of 43,400000 dollars the cotton plan
ters. lad they thrown this Sl3OOO0OO into the Mis-
sssipp instead of investing it in additional labor for
cotton fields and thereby kept down the excess of pro-
duction, they would have secured to themselves S43-
100000 per annum, by the higher price of the reduced
quantity.
This makes it manifest beyond doubt that the plant
ing of cotton should not be ncreasedbut it should be
greatly reduced If third of the labor now direct
ed to cotton raising should be diverted other agcul
tural employm9nsto the raising of stock corn pota-
toes turnps OATS rye, &c. and the making such arti-
cles as each planter consumes, and could abrcae for
himself, the income from cotton would not be dmin-
ished but would greatly increase, whilst the money
paid out by the planters would be less by millions of
dollars annually. But if we proceed step beyond
this and purchase from merchants all such
articles as they can supply, and portion of our
capital III manufacturing cotton and woollen
goods leather shoes, and the many other things for
which have all the needful material and means,
the benefits arising, will be speedily felt, ncalcu-
liable extent.
All the foregoing is true, if slaves and slave labor
were not on the increase But slaves increase indie
pendent OF importatons, at greater rate than one
hundred per cent in each five and twenty years This
being the case, if do not divert their labor from cot
ton, and Immediately engage extensively and actively
in other pursuits, the increase of cotton will proceed
at the same rate with the increase of slaves We have
that by the increase since 1885, we have reduced
the sum nearly forty three and half millions of dol
lars per annum. Thirteen years more, will give an in
crease OF about nifty per cent the present produce
and 1t Is easy to that ruin and speedy ruin awaits
the cotton producer if he does not appropriate large
part of his capital to other pursuits and contribute by
all the means in his power, the introduction and pro-
secution of every branch of industry, to which our
SOIL our climate, our water power, and forests in
vite the enterprising.
Success and eminent success is certain if we only
will it. and proceed to the execution of our purpose
with half the zeal and perseverance with which we
have prosecuted the cotton planting Have we not
waste land in abundance suited the raising of sheer
and they supply mutton for tables and for the mar
ket, and wool for domestic use for the manufac-
ture of jones, lnseys and fannes for our use Have
we MOI land and labor end all the means needfll fo,
the raising of and and also for bermuda anc
other grasses? These will raise our mules horses
cattle, hogs and poultry-supplyng us abundantly
with beef and hides, bacon, butter, &c. Have we moi
forest OF oak, and streams of water without limit =
These, with the hides of our beeves now almost WHOLLY
lost, will furnish tanneres with all that is needed
for the prosecution of that business and will not ou
slaves make tanners and can they not, when supplied
with the MATERIAL make peg, and other shoes canno
our slaves make ploughs and harrows, &c. The New
England States cannot make and send us brick ane
framed houses and therefore have learned that ou
slaves can make and lay bricks and perform the worl
| OF house Joiners and carpenters In fact we know
that IN mechanical pursuits and manufacturing cottor
and wooilen goods they are fine laborers
What Is there to encourage to engage in the man
utacturlng of cotton and nseys! For the for
mer and for the choice of the latter we raise the raw
material, and wool we can raise TO any ev+ent w.