New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-13


lists, either industrial or climatic, to warrant
prediction Of its proving . failure. Northern
grown tobacco has long been staple of higt
repute, and sugar and molasses are evidently
taking similar rank. Moreover, it is an extra.
ordinary fact to revive which in public memo.
~ required crisis like tho present, that the
region now known as the Middle States was
the original seat Of the cotton culture. This
region introduced it, and from this the South
adopted it.
1t was grown in Pennsylvania. New-Jersey.
Delaware and Maryland, not only in garden
patches, but in large fields. Thence it spread
,ou,hward, tho South even then, century
ago, obtaining all its machinery from the
North. But it was found that grain aud other
products could be raised to better profit in the
Middle States than cotton, while the latter
could be produced moro proftably in the South.
Hence, az the latter extended its cultivation,
tho former abandoned it. Thus upon our con-
tinent the great staple has once changed the
locality of production. The rebellion has Get
the people who inhabit the original seat OF the
culture to thinking whether it cannot be
changed agsin. We have shown that other
staples have suddenly migrated, and 1t would
be unsafe to say that the energetic race which
has now taken hold Of the enterprise will faii
in once more domesticatng cotton IN the mid'
die section Of the Union. Cotton may tor
-
price will stimulate American enterprise over
this wide region, as energeticaly as 1t IS now
stimulating India and all the tropics. A small
cotton crop was last year thoroughly perfected
at Camden, in Delaware, and in many places
in that State aud Maryland cotton has been
continuously aud successfully produced. South
ern Illinois is notoriously coDgenial to It's
growth, and there it will this year be cult-
vated on q gi.antio scale. At present prices
it will pay infinitely better than any ordinary
crop. II the Rebels should burn their entire
stock now on hand, prices would rise for
year or two, even beyond their present unusual
figure, holding out even greater inducements to
Northern cuitivators.
Up to March last, the change effected in the
relative consumption Of American and Indian
cotton in England was most significant From
Jan. / to Feb u, 1862. the quantity taken
by the trade amounted to $4,000 bales OF
American; but in the corresponding period OF
1861 it was 243,500. OF Indian cotton the
trade took, in the same period this year,
l02, 600 bales, against only 1850 in 1861.
The facts show that it ia possible to substitute
other cotton for ours. For the week ending
Feb. q, 1862, the total imports at Liverpool
were 9,273 bales, of which only 636 were
American; and from Jan. to the latter date
the imports we're l25, ,557 bales, Of which only
1916 we're from this country, though for the
same period 10 1861 the import of American
was 6I3,67i bales. These figures show con-
cusivey that England already fluids other cOun.
tr 90 pouring in supplies to make good the de-
fceucy from this. 1t is evident that the
cotton. growing countries Of the world are
scrambliDs for the prize which they believe the
South has thrown nroy. iiesetofors it s~~s
believed that the struggle with rebellion would
be brief, aud that compromise or acknowl,dg-
ment would speedily unlock the cotton crop.
This uncertainty induced hesitancy in the race
of competitions fall in price, consequent on
settlement might occasion heavy losses
among growers. But the long struggle, the
determination Of 'the South to destroy the
existing crop and to cultivate no more
have given confidence to competition, and
ito results are already visible. All these
phases Of the cotton culture have occurred
within a year. Another one will determine tue
great question whether the South, having vol
unfairly abandoned its leading element of
wealth and power. can resume it at pleasure.
But if it should permanently lose tho prize, let
us hope that in the great scramble among the
nations t. secure it, the skill and Industry
OF our own people inhabting the Middle States
will be equal to the tack of seizins the lions
share. That accomplished, and cotton will
cease to be sectional.