The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-01-04
TIE FUTURE OF SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE

The best navigators sometimes encounter
weather of such unexampled badness as to
contradict all signs and battle all calculations
and devices. The best physicians sometimes
meet with types or stages of sickness in which
all remedies are found powerless. The ques-
ton of cotton cultivation in the South is
highly analogous to the foregoing cases. The
difficulties of the situation are too desperate
to admit of either definite diagnosis or GER
tain remedy. The repeal of the cotton tax.
from which at one time much was anticipated,
1t Is now clear would be wholly insufficient TO
lift the cotton planting interest in the South
from its present prostration. Though a last
feather may break the camel's back, it is not
by taking single feather from the back of
the animal, when he has sunk under his bur-
den IN the wide desert, that he may be re-
stored to his feet and enabled to resume his
journey. Onorous as the cotton tax is in
itself, it has become almost insignificant in
comparison with the disastrous accumulation
of other evils upon those who have, within
the past two or three years, devoted their
money, their lands, their time and their ac
tivity to the production of cotton in the
South. Hence there is now, on the part of
Southern planters, an obvious diminution of
interest with respect to the discussion in Con-
gress Of the repeal of the cotton tax But
elsewhere the subject is still regarded as one
of great practical Importance The st. Louis
Democrat for instance, earnestly advocates
the repeal, as measure eminently favorable
to the agricultural interests of the West. The
Democrat says:
Political antpathies ought not to be taken into
account The South is part Of our common coun.
try. u is both our duty and our interest TO pro
mote lis prosperity. Senator Henderson, ia an
able speech, Tor which the West and the South
VIII thank him, pointed ont the close nter.iepe D.
dence between the two sections, ard showed mat
TIE farmer OF the West was much Interested in
this question as the planter or laborer of the
south. For, II we prevent that section from cul.
tvatlng its most profitable crop, we deDrye IL of
the means Of buying the products of the North.
wett, al force Il to employ its labor and capilal
IN work less profabe-the raising OF neces
saries OF lfe-thus cutting of our own best mar.
ket. We Injure the South and iniure the West
aud diminish by many millions the surplus pro
other laHds;.
The people Of the Northwest feel deeply in this
J
But we believe that they would not permit their
own interests 10 govern, if they were not con.
yineed that the measure proposed would belef.
the whole country. The cotton States are a part
OF ia, country. In other times, they supplied |
more than halt of its products for export. they |
are now IN Danger Of becoming almost wholly IN |
productive, at least for years because we persist
imposing upon their only surplus product Ak |
Nh ca VIII owe fatal TO that branch of industry
10 thls country tax contrary 20 plain rules OF |
Pohueal economy. We cannot believe that the |
Northwest Is mistaken in urgently demanding ia |
No southerner would grudge the farmers of
the West the satisfaction of regaining their
former marketiin the South through the re.
yIyed prosperity of Southern cotton planting,
and every Southerner would rejoice to see the
whole country benefited by the increased and
profitable production of the great Southern
staple. But, while the repeal of the cotton
AK would tend to promote such results. meas
res infinitely more profound and compre-
lensive are required to accomplish them. In
he absence Of these other measures, which it