The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-01-25
THE COTTON QUESTION.

The COTTON QUESTION.
1t is subject for congraulaion that there arc
q few men. and portion of the journals in the
interests involved in the solution of the labor ques
ton in the South, and We hail with satisfaction
the promulgation of sound, practical views among
those people where there is constant effort made
to produce false impressions and insil erroneous
ideas into the public mind as to the policy of the
Government at this time. The Boston Journal has
the following commentary upon the cotton inter
est and its alliance with the future negro popula
ton of the South. Coming from that self-righte-
GUS and narrow-minded yicinage, we think 1t
worthy of perusal by our readers, as in striking
contrast with the visionary and impractical views
so frequently emanating from that peculiar sec
ton:
Our imports are enormous and according to all
present indications, will continue SO and yet, so
far as we hear, little or nothing is doing TO supply
ourselves with the only article which is sure to be
in demand for export, and which we have always
depended upon mainly for the settlement of our
balances with other countries. Surely, in view of
HeANSsiON ''A-S~
so legtimately within the notice of our COM
mercial organizations as that of the future supply
of cot TOM and, important as the subjects now
pressing upon the attention of Congress, no one is
more worthy than this Of the most careful con-
sideration, and of the most prompt aud vigorous
legislation.
We haverno desire to disparagc the claims of
other measures before Congress and the country !;
but which of them ALL like this involves the in
dustry of millions of people, and the lives Of per-
haps hundreds of thousands ? Not now TO mention
the welfare of the white population of the South,
which, by every call of duty and interest we OF the
North and the Government especially, are bound
to promote in all proper ways, the happiness and
prosperity yes, the very existence of the colored
race, require at once that the relations OF labor be
organized and defned that idleness and yagrancy
be couneractcd, and that industry be encouraged
and sustained The estimates of the mortality
among these poor creatures, who were but just
now rejoicing in their newly acquired freedom,
are most affecting and alarming.
In some portions of the South twenty-five per
cent of the manumttcd slaves arc said to be dy-
ing; in Georgia the proportion is believed to be
still larger. Is it too much to suppose, in view OF
all the information now coming to hand, that
throughout the Southern States ten per cent. of
the freed population will have gone to their graves
before next spring? This would be four hffndred
thousand equal to the number of inhabitants OF
Boston and all its suburbs. Can We fold our hands
and be Indifferent while this dreadful mortality Is
going on Are we not responsible, in some meas
urc, for the lives of those men, women and chill
dren whom we have virtually taken under our
guardianship; and who, throughout the war,
looked SO Loyalty toward the Government, aud so
expcctanty and trustfully to us 1t was a noble
utterance made in our .hcaring not many weeks
since, by the highest authority in the land, that
the trucst humanity is tho safest political econo-
my By helping to save the laboring classes OF
the South from needless and uutimcly death, we
shall assist in saving untold wealth to the South
and to .ae North; and We shall contribute largely
to the speedy and satisfactory solution of difficult
political problems which now threaten to become
more difficult and unmanagcable by the aggraya-
ting circumstances of poverty and perhaps of an
| archy.