The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-16
CTTpHENr TOPICS.


,o,t If tbe situation as presented i'll our last re-
viev off The worm continues 10 be the 6ee no"
of most of the cotton planters. If not as ta'r as
tho moon, OF as bright as the sun, he S more Ter
rible, according to current accounts, III the tefii-
tories of King Cotton sufficiently deJect ana
bankrupt, in all conscience, without TINS Nisl''
tion--than many armies marching with p'i''e'' D
Should the reality OF losses by the w"rin Prov "
be one-half OF what they now appear aee"r""
to the representations ct the 7uiioieiS VI"
would be fully justified in expec'ine D" al
most unanimous abandonment on then part
NJ tbe cultivation of cotton Scarcely any conul-
lion oF mind short of stark insanity could 50 bolster
nm bone and courage as 10 induce the'o planters
IN stake heavily on another cotton crop aeal''V
,he faarfnl contingency Of tho wo' m but, as
celebrated Democratic Journalist Used 10 say When
Ia believed that his party, in the final result,
wond belle present adverse 1ppearances-nous
rerrons. We venture to go fur her and to say that
we do not anticipate general abandonment OF
cotton cultivation by those who have sunere1
from the worm. Many planters, hoWever-We
hope so at least-will be persuaded by the peril OF
the worm, added to variety Of economical con-
siderations. to reduce their breadths OF cotton,
and give proper tionate increase to food
products, so that whatever may happen to
that staple they can be assured OF SUD-
sistence for themselves, their families ana tnen
EMPLOYEES, without piling Pelion upon ossa IN
q crushing accumulation of debt. Planters must
come down, or come up rather, to the farming
system, before they will find themselves III con-
Portable accord with the exgencies OF the new or
der of things. They cannot afford to raise COTTON
on borrowed capital, in present circumstances
with the prospect of having to devote the bulk Oh
its proceeds to purchasing corn, meat horses ana
mules. They cannot always stave OIL the dav oi
reckoning. They must strike balance anu square
ND at last or somebody else will do 1t for then
And, they may rely upon it, the sooner they COM
mence thework oflberatng themselves from depen-
dence on external sources of subsistence the more
easy will it be to adjust their affairs on heaity
basis the more credit will they have with the
banks and factors and the better prepared Will
they be for The profitable cultivation OF cotton.
Without such conditions, hardly RorHscHILD,
we're he now planting in the Southwest, could
afford wear after year, to take the risk OF the ca
prices of labor, of the uncertainties OF seasons,
and of the yisitations of the worm.
FROM AN interesting account Of the pawnbrokers
of Paris we make the following extract All
classes we have said resort to the Mont de PIete
or to one of its branches; but of course the artl
sans more frequer tly become borrowers than pro-
prietors and the attendance of the poor ls larger
than that OF the rich. OF 1909 customers, 73U were
workmen, 112 small tradesmen and manufacturers,
"a proprietors, or persons having funded property
SO clerks and hired help 81 professional men, and
soldiers But the richer classes borrow more In
proportion to their numbers than the poor as will
appear from the analysis of loans to the amount
of 1000 francs. The small tradesmen and manu-
facturers borrowed 367 francs; the propretors and
holders of property 156 francs; professional men
61 francs clerks and employers 56 francs; soldiers
10 fra1lcs and workmen $50 francs. 1t will be
seen that the latter class borrowed less than
the small tradesmen aid manufacturers, al
though seven times as numerous, as ap-
pears from the statistics given above. This dis
proportion Is in part explained by the fact that OF
1880 900 annual loans, 1,O5OOOO are for sums be-
tween three and ten francs. The number of loans
made actually by means Of the Mont de Pete in
various parts of France is S40O,O 600, amounting IN
value to $4,000, 600 francs. Payments of loans and
the consequent redemptions OF pledges are about
$500, 900, exceeding in value 43,OOO,OOO francs.
Pledges sold in default of redemption or renewal
of the contract, are under twentieth part OF the
whole number originally made amounting in value
to about two millions and half OF francs. The
average duration of time for which articles are
pledged is seven months and half. OF the whole
number of transactions made annually, as stated
above, 1,SOO, ,OOO representing sum of 25,0OO 600
francs are made through the Mont de Piete in
Paris.
TIE n Y. TIMES thinks the prevalent gloom at
the South unnecessary. Tt is an error to suppose
that it must pass under the domination OF the
freedmen The white males amount to 2,l38,3 1863,
che freedmen to 1893 941. There is at this time
majority Of freedmen in Mississippi Of 237O, and
in South Carolina of 6439. But there will be
large white emigration thither and no black, SO
that the supremacy of the blacks will be tempo
rary. The South should learn it is no longer
an equal section Its staples, however, are indis-
pensable to the national want, and we must
90 into levee building in order to preserve our
cotton and sugar. 1t insists on the South
expanding its commerce with the tropics,
and building up its manufactures. Much of its
territery is mountainous, and should be devoted
to forging iron and spinning cotton. 1t suggests
that the colored women become operatives. The
freedmen's expenses are far greater than before,
this necessitates home manufactures or excessive
impoverishment. On the subject of city govorn-
ment it claims that no proposition is more likely
to meet opposition than the one which concen-
trates the power in the hands of the mayor now
given TO commissions. The question Is whether
departmental efficiency is possible, when these
commissions are brought under the local popular
vote. Those advocating the commissions claim
that New York is an exceptional community; that
its fundamental law should be fexile to accommo-
date itself to incessant changes, and wonld give
the legislation ample power for that purpose. Few
responsible citizens desire the abolition OF the
Health Board and Metropolitan Commission.
BEFORE THE AUDIT Board Mr. FERNANDO WooD
appears in a new character, namely, as private dis
burser of public funds. One William HAYES
brought before the Board his claim for s2205.37
"for services rendered in Corporation Attorneys
Office" from September, 1868, to February, 1865.
Mr.. HAYES testified that he had been performing
such duties in the Office of the Corporation Attor-
ney since 1860, but could not tell by whom he was
appointed or by what authority he acted; had re-
ceived nine hundred dollars from MIR. FOWLER,
who was then Corporation Attorney, on back ac-
count; one MCKINNEY performed similar duties in
the Office; had received money from MCKINNEY,
but nothing on this account; was not employed by
MCKINNEY nor was there any arrangement be-
tween them. Mr.. FOWLER testified that during
The period specified he was Corporation Attorney;
that he did not appoint either HAYES or MoKN-
SEy; did not make any appointments; all the ap-
pointments were made by FERNANDO WOOD, who |
sometimes delegated his authority. Mr.. WooD |
rented to the city, at very handsome rate, the |
Offices which the Corporation Attorney and his as