Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-10-12
nnrTnN-ANDo COTTON N0MORE.

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 pxrs-~.<nessus..uzs.zssz [ ssssss'sss ooTToN--AND COTTON NO MORE.
 The truth which the journalists Of the country endeavored toenfcrce upon the people in the beginning Of the year .s being strikingly cxempliiisd this fall. Then the farmer was urged to plant corn and other grain thereby in asgurating system of agriculture, that would deliver him from the hand of tho capitalist, and reuder his occupa- ton more than self-sustaining. He was also told that 1t would not pay to raise cotton with our present imperfect systcm of labor even though it brought much better price than las been oo- tained this season. That the duty Of the sgrieulturalist was clearly to cut loose in q great degree if not entirely from co.ton--yes notwithstanding all fhese warnings from sources that ought to have been needed, the people Of the South have passed them by---their broad acres. have been planted in cot tcn and the result Is, what2 an increase of debt and we fear the breaking up of many who staked their last dollar on this ficklc staple. In the early Spring many farmers planted heavily in cot ton urging IS . reason .iaat they were in debt ana that good crop ot cotton witch would certainly bring 2Qc per pound would enable them to pay out, and render them Independent. before the world. But their hopes nave been Slaeted, and as was predicted. their tex- pectations have not been realized. X remarkably late season interfercd 90 materially withthc planting that poor e.snd was secured and now the staple raised, picked, baled and in market. is selling for fully one-fourth less than was expected by the planter in the be- ginning of the planting season. We are asked, why this falling of in price? vhenihc crop falls so far below ex- pecsation. We answer. tie quantity grown in other countries, the reduc- sion Of manutactorirs arc the principle causss. The consequence of the short crop Is as VIC have stated7 before, the farmer will loose money this year, all nay not, but taken altogether the rais- in& of cotton in Arkansas has this year been an expense instead of profit. Will not our people let the lesson thus taught them Ge so conclusive AS to lead 10 an entire change of our agricultural policy. Cotton at present prices will not bring us ont of debt, it cannot, and ;he probability is the price ia as good this season as it will be next. Then whst shall we do to pay off onr in- debtedness and regain our pecuniary Independence As an agricultural peo- pie we say---lot the science of ag,icpl- tare be our chief study. Give to wheat and other products, that have hereto- fore been neglected, the attention ihst cotton has received. Let quality and not quantity be our aim and the end yir soon be attained.
 Our readers may solno of them think sn article Of this kind premature. but we cannot help speak of it when . policy has proven itself so evil to the good of the country ill it's financial in- provemen., ss has this snicidal devo- ton to cotton. We must animadvert upen it and do hope the people win see their error in this matter. and turn their attention to anch things as will be substantially profitable to them- selves and those that come after them. Our climate is as well adapted to other products as to cotton; corn, wheat and potatoes require less labor and yield more money--this every farmer VIII admit with the experience of this year before him--then why not give heed to the lessons taught us by experie,sce and for which some have paid go dear ly?
 A failure of the cotton crop this year isnot strictly confined 10 this State, noi. i.'is the disappointment of the peo- pie regarding the price of this staple, as will be seen from the following ex- tract from a private letter dated at Montezuma, Ga., to citizen Of this place. The writer says:
 "The depression in business is mi versal, owing to the heavy decline i'll cotton. Tie truth is, unless cotton re acts and gees up to l5c u2k being the price in Macon now), I believe that one half of the planters of middle aud south wes, Gcorgia will fail and many of :hem will be irretrievably ruined. l will instance one case to give you m idea of ,hc condition of the country. X man rented farm down here at sl5.000, hired GO hands at all average of $50 each, bought 50 mules at s2oo each--rooa for hands and stock at high rrices--gsve Bills payable in Bank in October and November, (accepted by Macon Factors secured by mortgage on the cot,on) and the heavy rains have cut his crop down to say l2o baies, These figures show him 10 be rn'nef''
 Many of the Macon Factors " Quis, oe 'oee ruined but their acceptences are piin1 cipally for provisions and the cotton e.lakc will secure them if the plan- sers act honestly"