The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-10

| OptIhtlVOo INV Cu808O4 ~ 80 uAuuuAhNtuV.-
Such state Of things would BIZ deporable, and
in the end injurious TO the grower His inter
csts, and those of the manufacturer, are best
subserved by regular and reasonable prices
The first thing to be done by the convention,
should be the adoption Of plan for ascertain
ing the extent OF each years crop. This is es-
sential to all judcious and efficient action. |
propose to effect it by the agency of planter 8
associations, to be organized 10 every county IN
the cotton States. By districting the counties,
and distributing the labor among the memters
the crop of each county can be ascertained by
the middle of January every year. The county
societies should Immediately thereafter report
the amount Of the crop to committee, or some
officer, residing at the seat Of the State govern
ment, who should report the aggregate crop of
the State to central committee, to be appointed
by the Cotton Planters convention; upon which
central committee should also devolve the labor
of obtaining all attanabe information respect
ing the probable demand by manufacturers at
home and abroad-the supplies which may be
expected from other countries---and, generally
all the information in its power, connected with
the production and consumption of cotton.
The information referred to- and the reports
from the State committees, may be in possession
of the central committee by the lst April IN
each year, and should be published and the
planters advised what proportion of their re-
spective crops should DO sold, and what re-
tanned.
| But iDasmuch as considerable portion of
the crop is annually sold before the report Of
the central committee could be made, | propose
an agreement among the planters, mot to sell
more than two-thirds of their respective crops
before receipt of said report, and not to sell
any for price less than agreed upon" And
| further "not to sell moro Of the reserved one
third, than shall be advised by the central com.
mittee." For illustration ofmy meaning: Sup
posing the crop 100000 bales, the sale of two
thirds would amount to ,800O00-leaving
100000 bales on hand. Ii advised that the
consumption of American cotton would be only
100000 bales, each planter should then sell
only four out Of every nine bales, which had
been reserved, and retain the remaining five
bales under his cotton shed, to await future de-
mand, or supply deficiencies in future crops.
Experience has shown that crop of 2, 700,-
900 bales, thrown upon the Market will reduce
the price ofcotton to about five cents; whereas
a crop of only 100000 bales will raise it to
thirteen cents, or more. These are extreme
prices the first not remuneratve to the planter
the last tending too much to stimulate produc
ton elsewhere. The interests of all parties
producers, manufacturers and consumers, vii
be best served by moderate and regular prices
say, about ten cents per pound. AT that
price, two-thirds Of his crop will put more
money into the planters pocket than would the
whole crop sold at six cents
have said that the difficulty of obtaining
concert of action among the planters, so widely
separated from each other, is great hut my
confidence in its practcability is based upon
their obvious interest," and their good common
sense Although less expert at figures than the
spectators in their staple the least informed
among them can see that ten bales of cotton
sold at ten cents will yield more ,mony thar
fifteen bales, sold at six cents. And, aided
by past experience of the evils resulting from
want of organization, it demands no cxtraordi
nary faith in their good sense, to believe thai
concert may be obtained.
The only objection ever made to this plan is
8 that the planters will not act in good faith
but will secretly sell more than their portion
heir crops" Now, without claiming for cotto,
planters higher character for honor and integ
rity, may say that they possess as much 0
those qualities as any other class of our popu
ation And although some may, and will &C
basey, the number will be small, and their un
taithfulness will but little affect the result
may say the same of another small class found
in every community-Solomons in their owr
ccnceit, who make it a point of honor never to
think, or act like their neighbors; and who will
perhaps, refuse to enter into the argument BIT
if the plan suggested be tried, breaches of faith
will be fewer and fewer every year; and where
Il sense of honor will not restrain, fear of ex-
posure and shame will. Without some general
concert of action, no plan can succeed and that
now proposed presents as few objections as
any other. 1t proposes no advance of money
no risk of loss-and no change in the pursuits
of the planter. If adopted, it must do good 1t
can do no harm. You have, in the preceding my
| plan for regulating the price of cotton.
| There is another subject connected with the
cotton interest which have much at heart, and
which, in the shape of resolution, submitted
to the convention | know not whether it was
adopted, having left the meeting upon discovery
of the determination of the small number pres
ent to force the question upon the adoption of
the substitute. My resolution recommended
the erection of cotton manufactures in every
| county in the cotton States. These factories to
| commence with spinning, and afterwards con-
Meeting the business of weaving into CLOTH
Spinning requires little skill in the operatives;
and yarns sell for double the price of raw ma
terial. The facility of obtaining yarn from
neighboring factories would enable our planters
to cIothe their families and servants better and
cheaper than now. There are, upon every plan
tation, servants who, at times, would be nefIi
Gent in the field, while perfectly able to work
the loom. This however, is the least of the
benefits which would result from the system of
manufacturing. Millions of pounds of cotton
yarn are annually exported from Great Britain
to the continent of Europe, and to other por.
tons of the world and the business of spin.
ming is said to be more profitable than that of
weaving. Our Southern factories would obtain
the raw material at least twenty per cent cheap
er than those of England and Southern yarn
ard cloth would monopolize both the foreign
and the home market. Let each county com.
mence with factory of one thousand spindles
and let the planters agree to invest, annually,
ten per cent. of their crops in the extension of
such factories; and in a few years they would
manufacture the whole crop of the country, and
export it in the shape of yarn and cloth. Such
a course would double the value of our exports,
odd tn flo