The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-16
COTTON CULTURE AND LABOR.

COTTON CULTURE AND LABOH'
The partial failure of the cotton crop last
year. and the certainty of q short crop this
season, growing out of the fact that where the
army worm and caterpillar have not committed
their ravages, the late rains have occasioned
serious iniury-should make our people reflect
seriously on what can and should be done to
increase our material prosperity. The abo-
lition of slavery, while it destroyed large
part of the money capital of the South, and
was a very heavy loss to individuals, while 1t
has changed suddenly the system of labor, and
in changing has, to a certain extent, paralyzed
our industry, will not prove a disadvantage to
the South, if she can preserve her labor. Her
peasantry has not been destroyed. On the con-
trary, it is stimulated to labor by the fact that
the stomach requires food, and that food can
only be obtained by the labor of the hand; sick
ness requires care and medicine, and that care
and that medicine can only be obtained by indus
try in health; old age requires shelter and com
fort, and that shelter and comfort can only be
produced by the sweat of the brow youth and
strength, by industry and economy in the early
years of life. It is true that the Freedmen's
Bureau operates at present against this, but the
Freedmen's Bureau will not be permanent in
stitution, and education and his own necessities
will teach the negro the lesson that the white
man learned ages ago." In the sweat Of thy
face shalt thos eat thy bread"
There is another reason why the abolition of
slavery will not be disadvantage. SmaH'in-
dustries largely increase the wealth of COM
munity Where every individual is obliged to
support himself, where soil and climate COM
bine to render that support easily obtained by
industry and prudence, small indus
tries will flourish. There may be fewer great
plantations than under the old system, but
there will be more general, wider spread
There is third reason, which will operate
largely to the advantage of the South. Be-
fore the war it was considered part of the
duty of gentleman to plant, and
the pride of the planter was to increase the
number of his acres, and add to the number of
his laborers The surplus produced by plant
ing went either to the purchase of moro ne
groes or more land. The planter never for a
reflected that q small plantation care
fully cultivated added more to his wealth than
did large body of land, the larger part of
which lay waste, doing nothing but consuming
interest and wasting capital. To-day the sur
plus will be applied to investments in manufac-
tories, railroads, mining operations, and the
general development of the resources Of the
State. Every dollar not required in one indus
try will be applied to another; labor, which al
ways follows capital, will be obtained for any
and every purpose for which it may be re-
quired, and the wealth of the State will be
largely increased
These views make us hopeful for the future;
but while hopeful, we must look at things as
hey are. We must not shut our eyes to facts,
nor must we deceive ourselves by persistently
refusing to stare the truth in the face.
The development of cotton production in
other parts of the world during the war has
operated to deprive the South of the monopoly
,f that article. It is true that the Southern
staple is superior to the staple produced in
,ther countries. 1t is furthermore true that
,ur staple can be used to greater advantage,
put it is also true that machinery has been
changed and adapted to the staples of other
countries Looking at these facts, it Is idle
or US to imagine that cotton can be kept at a
high price. The cost of production must form
he basis of the value of an article to the pro-
lucer, but supply and demand form the only
,ass of price in commerce. If the supply is
greater than the demand, the price will neces-
arily be low If the demand is greater than
he supply, the price will certainly be high.
f the cost of the production of an article is
10 great as to make its value greater to the
than is the commercial price, then
he production of that article is only ruin to
he producer, and must be abandoned. There
vas time when indigo and tobacco were the
taples of this State, when as far-seeing
statesman as ALEXANDER HAMILTON, then
secretary of the Treasury, recommended, in
eport advocating protection, that cotton should
ot be protected as the South would never pro-
uce enough to supply the wants of the country.
,l;oo oop,a in nornpafifioD tho conoa
icle from the East, and tobacco turned out not
0 be the most profitable industry to this State
indigo and tobacco were abandoned, and rice
nd cotton proved to be sources of unbound
d wealth to us We do not believe it |
robable that the cultivation of cotton will have
) be abandoned in our generation, because we
o not believe that when labor is properly or
anized, the cost of production will be equal to |
8 commercial price.
We must, however, open our eyes to the fol-
wing facts Our planters are paying too
uch the use of money. With interest at the
w rates ut which it rules elsewhere, it is i'm
ossible for an article which is produced !
y money so obtained, to be for any length of |
ne competitor in the markets of the world.
may be asked what can be done? The an
wer is, sell your surplus land, and if that does
OF give enough to plant the rest, tAen sell the
hole to some one who has money and can
lltivate the land more cheaply, and apply your
Elf to some other occupation. If you fail to
o ono of these two things, your lands, now
lortgaged, will, in few years, be sold under
'reclosure. You are now merely an overseer,
orking for very small, and very precarious
ages, although nominally master of your pos
essions.
The cost of production of cotton, is to-day
igher than was the market price before the
ar, even when the planter is not obliged to