The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-08-21
The ton Culture in this
Stnte, -

hot"ec VI ueceSSlty important changes
in pursuits, and what those changes may be is now
the question of most absorbing interest. That
pursuits will become more varied, and that much
of our labor will be withdrawn to employment in
the arts and enterprises collateral to agriculture is
reasonably certain but what, thcn will be the cf-
feet upon existing interests and particularly upon
Investments in plantation culture is q most impor-
tant question. These interests, in tho seaboard
sections Of the State at least, vast and it is Of
vast concern whether under present circumstances
VIC can sustain them. Plantations are peculiar
forms of agriculture. They are seldom seen except
in slave or densely crowded countries. They are
exclusively devoted to single product and through
such devotion raise it ut range of prices quito
low for any other form of competition. Such en-
terprises require for their order discipline
and constant and efficient labor; and under pres
ent circumstances they get it? So far ut least
the experiment has boon unsuccessful-the late
disturbances have been quite too great for discip-
line or labor, and the culture therefore, for this
year must prove failure. But will the next be moro
successful 2
It is not within our province to predctermne n
point of such Importance; but from the lights We
have, we venture to affirm that the indications
against it. To entertain reasonable PROS
poets of success, the planter must start. the
year with all the labor necessary for the place.
At every step that labor must be at hand :;
it must be prompt to every occasion; patient
under hardships, and do everything that is
to be done in an efficient and perfect manner.
Without this it were vair. and visionary enter
prise, and OF such labor the negro furnishes no
assurance They work well under the stimulant
OF excitement-well under the pressure of superior
authority-weI even in pursuits accordant with
individual inclination; but experience has yet given
evidence of their ability to undergo distasteful
labor under the stipu1ations of a contract Such
labor is generally Observation-Disclosures to whites
as well as blacks. It is monotonous, constant and
severe, and it is to be questioned whether even
white men will ever furnish the necessary labor at
any rate of compensation which such culture can
naturally offer. In fact, plantations have rarely
been successful except in slave countries OR coun
tries whose populations dense that the pressure
oil want is as stringent the pressure of authority
And in accordance with these views has been the
experience Of planting interests in the West Indies
and on the Main. In English Guinea particularly,
their lands wero in high and profitable cultivation
Prior to emancipation, the labor was efficient and
entirely manageable But, after emancipation, it
became insufficient. A part left for towns and
Vllages-a part took small tracts upon the borders
OF estates-some formed small communities and
purchased estates which they divided between
them. Proprletors, anxious to sustain their cs-
tates, gave extraordinary inducements to retain
their labor-eStraordinary wages to induce it.
Competition commenced AS the labor became
more expensive, it became more scarce and less
efficient; the expenses rose as products fell, and
struggling on for poriod Of eight or ten
years-hoping still for some change-importing
Portuguese from Barbados and Coolies from |
China, and trying every species of labor-saying |
machinery, and exhausting their capital and credit
in the effort to stem the current of their adversary
fortunes,-they had at last to yield to the ruin |
which, We believe, engulfed every estate in that
province. The experience Of planting interests in
this State may not necessarily be the same. 1t is
hoped that the want of negro labor, as fast as it
may occur, will be supplied by emigrants from the
North or Europe. But they also had the parent
hive in the United Kingdom to draw from. Emf
grants were then going in vast numbers to Aus
trala, Canada, and tho United States-some per-
haps even to that colony-but not to plantation
culture And so here, there is large emigration
from Europe, and We will doubtless have q large
accession to our population and enterprise from
abroad. We may reasonably hope that this will
infuse the energies of life and progress into every
pursuit to which voluntary labor flows; but whie
such pursuits are open, it is not to be supposed
that it will flow to plantations The life is not so
attractive; the average of inducements are.
not 30 great; the pursuit will not be
commended by the charm Of habit and
associations; and though it he true the pro-
ducts Of onr cotton and rice plantations, for some
years at least, may be exceedingly valuable, and
such plantations, therefore, may pay high for
labor, and by such prices tho system may be
forced along for period but every thing at last
must find its Lowell Cotton and rice cannot continue
permanently in disproportion to other products: the
demand will diminish; the supply from other sour
ccs increase; the price Of other products will rise
also, and here the problem may be again demon
strated that plantations cannot bc successfully
cultivated by voluntary negro labor
1t 10 not intended to establish that planta fiona
Will henceforth cease to be of value On the con-
trary, it is quite probable they may be of greater
value than they ever wero before. That form ~
culture abandoned, each may become the home OF [
prosperous community Of farmers; and such a
community, properly ordered, and mutually sup
porting each other, and making enough for subsis.
tance;-enough for rent, and surplus, small or
great, for rmarket-mayyield more to the proprietor
than did the successful prosecution Of his planting
enterprise. .r.h. .s..,.i ,..,t's
It is not conended that the colored race will not
be ready for the ordinary labors of the State. On
the contrary, We hope they will be more produc-
tive OF permanent interests than they ever have
neeN. We have reason. to hope they win enter into
tradea spd the arts; that they will become thrifty
farmers; and as competitors for property and con-
i, suners VI pleauets, will contribute much to the