Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-23
something About Cotton.


where, and the prospects for future produc-
ton that shall equal the demand.
The cotton crop of lS60-6l, was about
1000, 900 bales less than that of the preceding
year. and Massachusetts spinners-being cog
infant of the fact-laid in full years sup
ply. The consequence was that they were
enabled to run their mills till late in the fall
of 1862. when the high price of the raw ma
terial would have compelled Them to close,
had they been obliged to buy from month to
month. Subsequently the high price of the
manufactured goods warranted them in con-
tinuing to run even at the advanced rates for
cotton.
More than half the spindles in the country
were stopped before the first of January, 1862.
In July of the same year only few over
100000 spindles were running, out of
4,746,000 previously employed i'll the whole
country, but the need for cotton for the use
of the government, together with the in
crease in the value of the manufactured
goods, gave an impetus TO the manufacture
which increased the number l6l 900 from
June to November.
1t appears that the decrease in the opera.
tons of the cotton mills in this country has
caused no distress among operatives, like that
felt in Lancashire, England. The army, the
government workshops, the thousand new
channels for mechanical labor opened by the
war, have given employment tothe men, while
the women have found work on wooden goods,
shoes and clothing. 1t is found that in Low
ell the deposits in the savings banks have
considerably increased over last year, and
some of the mills have paid large dividends.
Mr.. Atkinson shows that Indian and other
foreign cotton cannot compete with Ameri-
can in the production Of fine yarns, which is
what the English looms produce, that,
as heretofore, the bulk of such cotton
imported into England is Immediately ex-
ported to the Continent. The cost of chang
ing the English spindles in order to work up
this coarse cotton, with the extra amount of
raw material required per spindle, prevents
the English manufacturers from attempting
to use 1t extensively. Under no circumstances
CAN'T ever possibly take the place of Amer-
can cotton. Mr.. Cassell, in report upon
cotton in the Bombay Presidency, published
in 1862, says:
'sIndian cotton may be improved in clean
ness, and somewhat reduced in cost, but the
general characteristic of its staple will not be
altered. In so far as this quality of cotton is
a.',i-eebl4. ta.tle peanut qtllrers. at Epglande
adequately supply it. 1t seems evident that
Indian cotton must continue to hold subur.
dlnate place in European markets, and there
is point at which its competition with other
growths entirely ceases"
1t is evident from all these facts that the
control of the cotton market by America can
never be disputed by the rest of the world, for
the single reason that nowhere else is suffi-
ciently fine staple produced.
The question Immediately arises. whether
free labor can produce American cotton.
There seems no doubt that free black labor
can, and little, if any, that free vhite labor is
equal to the emergency. The latter propos-
ton is hardly worth considering, however, in
view of the large number of free black labor
ers that will be on the cotton fields during the
next season.
Mr.. Atkinson shows that so small a propor-
ton of the cotton producing lands of the
south have been under cultivation that their
comparison with the remainder of the slave
territory is actually ridiculous. A map ac-
companying his report gives only 634 .lOOOth
per cent of the lands so used, and he saws =
''Upon showing this map to one of our old
est merchants, he said it reminded him of the
statement made by the late John Bromfield.
after an extended journey in the south, in an
swer to an inquiry regarding the amount of
land cultivated i'll cotton. why, sir, if |
were 20 mark 1t upon your map, you would
need powerful magnifying glass to find the
spot" And he thereupon forcibly saws =
1.-The absurdty ofthe claim ofthe south to ex-
tend slavery cannot be made more manifest
The true state of the case was that free labor.
which in 1850 made One-ninth part of the
crop, was, under the stimulus of high prices,
slowly bat surely working the overthrow of
slave labor, and the true plea for rebellion is
free trade an negroes, in order to maintain the
system OF compulsory labor
The average cotton crops from l84l TO
1850, inclusive, were 2,l7O,O0O bales. and
from 1851 to 1860, inclusive, 3,25I.9lI bales.
per annum, but this large increase was not
able to supply the demand. The only means
OF meeting the increased demand were by the
natural increase OF the slaves, and by the in
troducnon OF free labor, and the importation
OF free laborers from abroad But free labor
could not enter into competition with slave
Iaoor-lt could not and did not Hence the
necessity Tor free trade in negroes; for
Tree slave trade from beyond the seas, the
natural tecundity Of the servile race not
equaling the demand for labor. This neces-
slty was apparent under the barbarous system
OF the SOUTH The rebellion-raised by the
slave owners-has rendered it impossible,
ana the question now is if free labor-with a
vigorous system Of culture, and an emigration
nun tue north to meet the requirement for
i@oorers-will be able to do the work.
M atkinson thinks that, at the probable
price OF cotton for years to come. an indus
~ious Tree laborer can raise food enoupb for
ms lamlly and, at the same time. produce a
crop Oh cotton that shall give him al tho o,h
er hecessaries and many Of ,,o -.
life 1t is stated that one man cam E ~ Of
raise 5000 pounds per wear rnh; ;A '''i' way
cents per pound, would be wor,h O. a. 20
aside from the food crops Of a farm T-''OO'
n ar a.