The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-01-06
Southern Plantations.

The great question OF the preScnt lay
Is the war. But greater question must
come up, AMI Inventors should be the first
to consider il, aud it is not now too soon to
begin How are the Southern lands to
be worked when the tailoring force, always
inefficient, becomes barely willing to min
lister TO its avn uncultiva,ed wants? We
do not give political opinion in this case,
to exile dislike in our readers of either
party, but we take for. granted-what
seems to be expected by both parties
that slavery is weakened, if not ended
and we take the experience Of the English
and French colonies as evidence that, in
future, the ncg,ors will not do all the work
that is waited, Moreover, the planters
are mostly ruined i; the Iands-wlll be idle
or sold aud who will pr,vide capital and
machinery tn work them, is the greatest
question ever presented to the Intelligent
spectators and inventors aud engineers o.
this cou"try. More millions may be mad,
ny machinery 20 work these lands than
have been was ed by this LraiDless war.
We have been told by geologsts, mete-
orooglsts, essayists, orators, and other au-
thorI,les in whom we have not implicit
faith, that the world must depend ou Amer.
can cotton, because no other country has
climate suitable fer the growth of cotton
In opposition, we are now told by closet
authors in England that other sources of
supply are being opened, and will render
Europe Independent of America, or at least
reduce the future price of cotton. We
are also told by men here, whose political
opinions and feelings probably bias them,
that the cotton lands have been exhausted
by nnthrifty slave labor; others tell US
that deeper blowing will restore them
How much truth there is in these views
is not to be learned without methodical
investigation; but our opinion is, that the
cheap labor and parching climate of India
will not successfully compete with machi-
uery working on our cotton lands. AS for
Egypt, the cotton is said to be good, but
Egypt has not land enough to affect the
market. Stuned cotton grows in Ita,y =,
about Naples, but labor there is not ener-
gstlc or very cheap; and it is wanted for
silk, wine, and other products. Algeria
and Western Africa are talked of as great
cotton fields. Finally, men who never
have looked at the 6bres through micro.
scope, aud know nothing of spinning, talk
OF making fax into cotton, which is as
reasonable as to talk of making bristles
into wool. All the facts indicate that the
American cotton region must rule the cot
ton market, at least for good qualities, e. en-
If the demand does DOT increase. But the
increase in demand is one of the great phe-
n"meDa of the age, and is not likely to
slackcn while the general power of produc.
ing what may be exchanged for cotton
goods is increa ing. This growing de.
maud for cotton offers immense returns to
Spectators who will organize with capital
sufficient to unite with them in one body
all the inventive and engineering genius
IN the market. Such force will revive the
fertility Of the exhausted surface by deep.
er cultivation, and will work with profit
even in competition with the labour of
India, that earns only the cheapest feed
that can keep up the race of laborers.
We urge, on the authority of the best en-
gineers, that a pound Of coal under boi-
Ter will do more work than three pounds of
rice consumed in rearing ard sustaining In
dian aborers, uoIe than three pounds of
feed tor horses, or any other force OF mere
muscles; and the directing intellect of
white men will add more to the product
than will pay the cost of machincry.-
american Artisan