The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-12-18
COLUMBIA.
Wednesday Morning. Deo. IS. 1857.
Tho Planning Interest.

we QeVote considerable space to-
day to some matters of interest to
our agricultural friends and readers.
We have already referred to the sue
cessful efforts being made by Eastern
countries in the production of cotton,
the large increase in quantity and the
improvement in quality of the article
now exported by these countries. It
has been shown how this production
has been encouraged and stimulated
by the Governments Of these coun-
tries, including Egypt. the Ottoman
Empire, &C., by bounties and pre-
miums, in the shape Of remission of
duties on the necessary agricultural
implements, and freedom from taxa
ton of all lands used in the nnlt:=a..
ton of the staple. The contrast be-
tween the facilities offered by these
Governments, in increasing the Gull
tivation Of this great article of COM
merce, and the oppression to which
the people Of the South are subjected
bJ vipdiictive legislation, is7strikingly
unhappy, especially in the present
condition of the South. Like most
of our cotemporaries; we have coun-
seled patience, fortitude, industry
and energy, and have seen these vir-
tues faithfully exercised under the
most detecting circumstances; but
there was still q hope Of q brighter
day. Now the prospect is gloomy in
the extreme. Nr
The economic aspect of this ques-
ton is ably presented in an article in
the New York Shipping Gazette. It
suggests that stock companies be
raised, combining Northern capital
and Southern skill, in running the
plantationseof the, South, and this, it
says, will be the beginning of anew
era in the South, and IT, takes the
ground that stock companies thus
organized-the position is very
plausible-will have solid basis. the
best lands of the country constituting
their capital; and thus the invest
ment will not only be dividend pay
ing stock, but will have essa41est. essa41esta. AMI AMI
stable value, not liable to the fuctua-
tions of fancy stock, which have
merely o speculative value. The
commercial journal referred to says.
very truly, that the South is bank
without money or the requisite
credit-and, therefore, is powerless
to move forward with necessary
;alacrity. It, therefore, insists that
Northern men, with Northern CAPT
tai. must come to the rescue by COM
bination and associated companies,
incorporated under the facile laws of
New York, and this end, it is be-
]ieved, could be easily accomplished.
This sort of illusory argument and
vague theories have been the con-
stant song since the close of the war,
but nothing has been done in that
: direction yet.
af peace. were fully restored and
the Southern States received again as
States Of the Federal Union, even
with the enfranchised labor of the
South, these suggestions would
doubtless be both practicable and
profitable, but the question now can
not be separated without reference to
its political connections. Relief and
recovery through the agencies sug-
gested would doubtless be attainable,
under ordinary circumstances; but
while the Southern skill" is abun-
dant, and eager for employment, and
while the best lands in the South
could be procured at moderate prices,
it is idle to ask capital to venture
South until order is restored and
these States relieved from MI inter-
ference with their labor, all associa-
tions and expenditures of knowledge
Y,or,ot ,>roua ,,nouo.l;n~ Tl,.o II. -