Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-03-21
The Duty Of the South.

AOOCAey Va LILO OOllOUs
The New Orleans Picayune has
the following remarks upon the
agricultural situation of the South.
They are eminently worthy of
the attention of our people: Is
Assessor is past and another crop
Of cotton has been added to the
records, but as far as its visible eff
fects can be seen on the wealth of
the Southern country, it had as
well not been made. A million
bales has been counted, worth at
least a hundred million dollars.
But it is has gone-gone glimmer-
ing to help other people, and en-
rich other pockets. There is moth
ing left of it. No more money
is in the South than before it was
gathered. Some may ask, where
is it? We point them to the huge
heaps of freight and produce daily
landed at the wharf, and which,
the moment it touches the shore,
is wheeled away to the railroads
and coast steamers to iced the
farming people
There is the answer to "Where
has the cotton gomez" Verify,
we are working only for our vic
tuals and clothes, and unless a diff
ferent policy is adopted by our
country people, and the agricultu.
raj situation is changed, that is all
We will ever get.
Isit not possible for us to learn
wisdom from past experience
Has not fifty years OF experiment
pointed out the proper course tc
follow? Look at the thousands Of
millions worth of the Southern
product that was paid for in gold
and how much of it remained al
the time of the unfortunate sep
aration of the States. Not ever
enough could be found to satisfy
the desires of the peoples Butler
Is this always to be the case, Of
is there a time coming when the
clink of something pure, some sur
plus will be left to delight us with
its glittering and charm the cal
with the now almost forgotten
sound? strS -
To every man the way is clear
to wealth. All know the route, fol
there are no crooks in it, and il
can be easily followed by those
who are determined. Everything
that is needed foT success is given
by the Creator. The richest land:
in the world, and a climate suited
to the growth Of everything, is the
heritage of the Southern people
No people can be selfsupporting
half so easily as the people of the
South. Everything that is need.
ed can be easily made here. L
we would improve on the present,
we must make our bread and meat
first, and then give the rest Of our
time to cotton. In that way only
can any advance be made.
There is no other way, and we
might as well begin to travel it al
once. We have trusted too much
TO cotton. Our hopes for years
were based On nothing else, and
even now, when what once did
seem reality Is vanished like a
dream, We are still hugging the
strange delusion as an idioac
mourner slowly dying of grief at
the grave Of lost friend.
In the name OF common sense
let our planting people grow their
own corn and make their own
bread and meat. Do this first and
give up the exploded idea that
''Cotton Is King" And when
home wants are supplied then
grow cotton, and the country viii
grow richer.
If the whole South could be in
dnoed toadopt self-sustainiDg pol
icy by making their own food and
and give the balance Of
their time to the culture Of cotton,
DO people On earth would be as
rich as We would soon be. But
# our planters are determined, a.
they seem to be, to follow the old
route, there Is noihing more TO
hope for than we have already
got. In that case orr history is
,rrT-.oa Who wants she Ts5rasEfraS