The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1867-11-08
Cotton.

Cotton.
Cotton is "a gay deceiver," says the
Galumbia Is. CO. Chronicle. Down.
down. from fifty cents poucd." says the
Chronicle, 60 thirteen cents a pound -
The Chronicle asks what it means, and
dcOceeds to answer the Gu. stion as fol
lows
Simply that we have lost control Of the
staple Of the world, and been deIuded by
the belief that all mankind depended on
the South for what they wear aud tear No
mistake ever was more grievous. England
has developed the resources of India to a
degree which made her almost independent
Of the South during the war, and she cou-
tinues to grow more SO every year. Mag
nifccut railroads, one thousand miles iu
length, enable her to penetrate the heart
of the India cotton region, where labor
can be had for five cents day. Maguif
cent lines of steamers communicate weekly
with the Indian ports, and nearly a million
of bales are now in course Of transit to the
Liverpool docks and warehouses.
DIllu ~ GuCSE l6CtS5 Jul pCOpiC IdfO
gone on making cotton, trusting to the
chance of weather, rust, and caterpillar,
hoping to realize small fortunes quickly !;
crops have been mortgaged in advance to
obtain funds. and large outlays made, in
the confidence that the high prices to be
received would more than balance the ac-
c,unt. Now, what disappoln tment!-
Few planters are likely 10 realize their salt
Half the crop has been ruined in many 10
calites. and the remaining half mast, Fer
force, be Immediately sold to meet the de-
mands against plantations by factors.
In all this there Is lesson, and that les
son should teach the importance of chang
ing our style of agriculture, and grow
crops that will pay. and are not subject to
the immense speculative fluctuations Of
trade. Let our farmers turn their atten-
tion to earn, wheat, to groundnuts, fruit,
vegetables, to the growth of sheep, cattle,
and horses, and 10 manufactures. Let the
cotton we grow be made up at home. We
can save fifteen per cent. in its manufac-
ture alone, and probably thirty per cent.
which now goes into the pocket Of the
Northern Spectators.
We have gone through enough purga-
ton to have learned some sense. and it IS
tine to use it.
We reproduce these views as those, not
only of intelligent and practical people of
the South, but Of the North.
Cotton cannot be relied on much longer
as the great staple for export, Enough
may be made. in patches, to supply the
South. The radical policy is to eradicate
the cotton culture, because it can only be
/ pursed with advantage upon large planta-
tions, the efficient management Of which
will render necessary a certain degree o
control over the freedmen who may be en-
ployed by the planters.
Small patches of cotton may be cultiva-
ted by whites in some parts of the South,
and are so now. When the negroes get
homesteads in the cotton region, as they
are promised, they make one bale, here
and there to every fifty hands.
Cotton for export will not be purchased
in adequate quantities to have much effect
on the market Some cotton was imported
/ last year for domestic manufacture, and
more will be in future. But the South, II
/ is hoped will direct earnest efforts to man
ufa5ture and become the consumers of its
own cotton and its own fabrics.-NatiOR0I
Ltelligencer.