The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-23
Cotton Production.

Cotton Production.
From the Herald.
We recently published an interesting ac-
count from the Times, of India, of the cotton
crop in portion of the British East Indian
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 BeFar and other parts of India.
The yield Of clean cotton is nearly three hun
dred thousand bales reckoning as 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-
matiZe the Sea Island, New Orleans, Peruvian,
Egyptian, and Dharwan cotton have all failed,
as compared with the native IIingunghat and
Berar. The Commissioner says that cotton
production has already gained such q position
of commercial DEPRESSION and the lower prices
that must come. He has ''nO doubt that well
directed means and energy will prove as sue
cessful in the long run' as 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, it 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
OFF that supply of American cotton from Eng
land upon which she had mainly depended
has been the chief cause of the attempts to
produce it elsewhere, so as to make her indie
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 a 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 posi-
ble. The cotton States had been desolated by
war; their labor disorganized; their capital
gone; their machinery and implements OF in
dustry worn out their plantations in many
parts unprotected from river overAows-yet,
with all these and other obstacles and draw
backs, Congress laid heavy tax ON the pro-
duction. We put a check upon the growth Of
an article more valuable to the republic many
times over than all 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.
Still, as we said, we need not be alarmed,
! with all these depressing circumstances, that
! the cotton trade will 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 ecstacy because
there they have increased the production from
thirty pounds to seventy pounds the acre.
we raise, from fair average crop, four
hundred pounds on an acre. Besides, the
cotton of India is much inferior to ours.
~ Is the short staple kind, not suited, without
pelhg mixed with ours, for the manufacture
Vi lhe best materials. And they have failed
10 accnmatlze 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 lind another such Gulf Stream with its
cllmalc influences elsewhere. It is this won.
derful and benefcent phenomenon of nature
which gives us the necessary showers of rain
alternately with the warm rays of a semi.
tropical sun, that reaches certain belt of our
country, the great cotton-producng region o.
the world. This it is which brings to suol
profitable maturity that beautiful and yalu.
able, annual plant which clothes the world
and covers the oceans with the sails of com
merce. This is beyond the competition o
British capital or British national pride. w,
+ have, in years before the war, produced ovel
two hundred and fifty millions of gold dollars
9 worth of cotton annually; and if Congress
does not ruin the South and the production 0
Q cotton, by its absurd and dangerous legisla
! ton, we may exceed that amount hereafter
r The demand will be increasing continually, a
, civilization advances, and, in spite OF wha
g may be done in India and other cotton coun
D tries, we can always command the markets
? the world.