The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-04-17
I otton VS.. Corn.
Stony PolNT, April s, 1867.

Stony POINT, April s, 1867.
MEssRs EDIroRs: 1t IS from no
iondncss for controversy, nor from n
desire to appear in print, nor We, from n
determination to play "last tag" with
you, that respectfully ask for another
showing in your columns. I believe
the cnd aimed at bv both of us is the
same; but we propose to Use different
means. Surely, nothing would contrib.
ute more to the happiness Of her citizens
than Tor the &onth to become, m every
! respect, sell-sustaiang. | would re-.
I"'cc to see her commence ploughnr
every sea, to hear her spindl"s tw,rlng
III every Cona,y, District or Parish, and
most Of all, to know that her agriculture
was the most improved in Chris,cndom.
Bu, IS all this possible? Can such an
Instance be found in The history Of ma
tons, that amy one people was prc.cmi.
nrnl III the three Sr"a! proofs Of civll-
Htu"n? The ola saw that, lie who is
jack Of all trades is master of none is
as applicable 10 nations as individuals
IL TIC South attempts to hnill her own
ships, weave her own fabrics and grow
her own staples, she will most assured
" iti!. And yet Ibis is The sum and
/ Substance ot vonr advice, [ mtcr from
your repeated publications OH this sub
jcct.
We arc bankrupt people and, nc
lore We become rrsmSc'atcd, we must
rcdcvclop our resources. by drnlnr
them from ic soil We have no COM
l"crc", ana no money with which TO
hnIId I'D manufactures and orr onlc
source Of lacome must be The cultivation
''fcrors; and here is the ront. We
mus; grow those CROPS hat will net us
the most money when thrown into mar.
E'f. Oi 'hiN crop, each planter must
ln'g" for himself \ nclghbor of mine
j ra'S largely OF corn, AMI pays Int lit
ne al nnil"n to cotton, becastSu lis rich
at!lv"! iaA's produce abundan'Iy in
Er;lin Of ali kinds, bur lhrv invariably
rs cotton. 1t wou'd,,oe us suicidal FIR
h'm top'aut II large cotton crop as il
won!i be i"r the Rlcnlanl planter to
depend "poa thc unmanurcd sAnd-hils
al your nslilct Tor a corn harvest. Tx
'r"mrs arr as destructive to agriculture
rs they are to any other department Of
Ute. The avarice oi that pauler who
buys his tour, com, bacon and nloiasscs.
Cor such planter is snrr to stint him
s"'t and fam lv, and grows only c,vton
HAT he may stuff his Golfers, IS abou. as
c'mn'ndabIr rs the folly of hat
othcrrNlrrmist, who refuses to- plant
cotton 10 lear he may have to buy some
! thing 'om the Yankees.
II there are two IDEAS in practical
economy that it becomes out planters
to mcuIcatc upon themselves now, il
ever, they are these: |. PEnt every
! 'h'n@ yon can for market, and. when
harvested, sell it to whomcvrr will pay
yon most Tor 1t. ,. Buy as lllc OF
everything as possible, and buy from
him who will ssll yon chcapcsl. Thn
dcstltu'ion Of our country, and more
particular ~ Of our STATE, is great; but
what would 1t have been had the the
planters. last year grown no cotton s?
| ne universal and almost unprecedented
drought totally destroyed the corn crops
and but for the little cottnn grown,
thousands more Of our citizens would
now be on he charity lSt If the State
rolscd 100, 900 bales OF cotton in 1866,
u has been the means Of supplying Eer
citizens with $4,000, ,000-an amount
that II properly expended, would this
! sprIn& have imported into the State
| hall rs ma"v bnSi,rl5 of corn as is grown
IN the State IN Il successful year. am
| convinced we devote far too laroc an
area to he culture Of corn, and it is an
"old habit and prejudice" which
trw more scorchin@ summers will assur.
"d'y "ShakH off. We speak of corn-
! Indian maiz"-as The staff of life. What
drlnsIon! Nine tcnths Of Christen.
dom never saw a corn stalk, nor an ear
OF corn, In by gone DAYS, Tic greasy
smoke house and wcll.Gllcl crib were
/ indicative OF the quantity Of labor d nc
on the plantation, because the laborcr,
d"S'ltn'" Of care and almost Of lhonght
! lattrn"d like pig when raiionnd h"av'-
IS from each. Such consumers were
heavy tax npon The commlssarat Of the
! plantation but they have diminished.
ana VIII commune TO decrease pcrcrr,.
by. ihonGh ,hc labor of The country
! Should con@uir abundant. Hand and
head, both working to accomplish lbc
same end, will effect more and consume
less nan when manual labor alone is
+, employed.
There arc several points, Ncssrs.
Editors, IN yonr leader" of the 5rh inst,
which almost provoke reply; bu;
must forh"ar for fear Of becoming ,ircsomc
Y