The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-22

| empire. From this we learn that England has
been making extraordinary efforts both to in
crease the production and to improve the
| quality Of this most valuable article. These
efforts have been successful. too, in increasing
the production; for it is estimated that over
hundred and twenty-five per cent more will be
produced in the Bombay presidency this year
than in the year before, without taking into
account the increasing production in the
provinces Of Berar and other parts Of India
The yield Of clean cotton is nearly three hun
| dred thousand bales, reckoning, % we do, four
hundred pounds to the bale, in the Northern
division Of the presidency alone, for the year
1867. Where thirty pounds an acre only
| were formerly raised seventy pounds are now
obtained through improved cultivation and
better seed But the report Of the Cotton
Commissioner states that the efforts to accli-
Matte the Sea Island, New Orleans, Peruvian,
Egyptian and Dharwan cotton have all failed,
40 compared with the native Hingunghat and
Berar. Tho Commissioner says that cotton
production has already gained such position
in India as will enable it to bear the full force
Of commercial depression and the lower prices
that must come. He has 'sno doubt that
well directed means and energy will prove as
successful in the long run" az they were in the
Southern States of America
While we need not be alarmed at these
efforts of the British to compete with us in the
production Of cotton, and to make themselves
Independent of us for this prime article OF
manufacture and commerce, il will be well to
compare the shortsighted and injurious legis-
lation of our stupid Congress in checking The
cultivation, with their liberal and farseeing
policy in stimulating it. Our war. in cutting
of that supply Of American cotton from
England upon which she had mainly depended,
has been the chief cause Of the attempts to
produce it elsewhere so as to make her inde-
pendent of this country. She had, however,
for years before the war been looking for new
cotton producing regions and stimulated the
cultivation wherever there was q prospect Of
success. Millions Of pounds sterling have been
spent in these efforts. British statesmen are
farseeing and do not let the petty prejudices
of party politics or faction interfere whenever
national interests are in question. See how
different has been the conduct Of our Congress
in taxing the production of cotton at a time
when it needed all the encouragement possible.
|. The cotton States had been desolated by war
their labor disorganized; their capital gone
their machinery and implements Of industry
worn out their plantations in many parts un-
protected from river overaows-yet, with al
these and other obstacles and drawbacks,
Congress laid . heavy tax on the pro-
duction. We put . check upon the growth
Of an article more valuable to the republic
many times over than oil the gold and silver
Of all the mines in the country. To this article
we had to look chiefly for paying the balance
Of trade against US abroad, for paying the gold
interest ON the national debt held in foreign
countries, and for keeping specie at home.
Nothing would promote the general prosperity
and commerce of the country or bring US to
specie payments sooner than large crops Of
cotton; yet our sapient legislators have bur-
dened and checked the production. We know
Of nothing in the history Of legislation more
shortsighted and stupid.
Sill, a. we said, we need not be alarmed,
with all these depressing circumstances, that
the cotton trade viii pass from us or that Eng
land can successfully compete with US in the
production Of the material. Nature, and not
man, has decided this matter. The cotton
Commissioner in India is in ecstasy because
there they have increased the production from
thirty pounds to seventy pounds the acre.
We raise, from a fair average crop, four
hundred pounds on an acre. Besides, the
cotton of India is much inferior TO ours.
1t is the short staple kind, not suited,
without being mixed with ours, for the manu-
facture Of the best materials. And they have
failed to acclimatize the American varieties in
India. Nor will England ever be able to do
this, unless she can turn the Gulf Stream which
sweeps along this continent to the coast Of India,
or can find another such Gulf Stream with its
climatic influences elsewhere. II is this won
derful and bencfcent phenomenon of nature
which gives us the necessary showers Of rain
alternately with the warm rays Of a semi-tropi-
cal sun, that reaches a certain belt OF our
country, the great cotton producing region OF
the world This il is which brings 10 such
profitable maturity that beautiful and valuable
annual plant which clothes the world and
covers the oceans with the sails Of commerce.
This is beyond the competition Of British CAPT
tai or British national pride. We have, in
years before the war, produced over two hun
dred and fifty millions of gold dollars worth of
cotton annually, and if Congress does not ruin
the South and the production OF cotton, by
its absurd and dangerous legislation, we may
exceed that amount hereafter. The demand
will be increasing continually, I. civilization
advances, and in spite Of what may be done
in India and other cotton countries, we can
always command the markets Of the world.
The Rebel Spectators Co ming to Grief