The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-01-08
a Few Words for Planters.

question of absorbing interest and of
hreat agnitude is pressing upon the at
tentionl of planters throughout the cotton
States. 1t. must be met and decided
within the next few days. Upon an in
telligent and practical solution OF the dit-
ticulty which it involves depends not
snnly tLefuturc prosperity of the'plantlng
interests, but also the much more lmpor.
Z. tanT ard vital question of the ability OF
thesnfanter to work his lands and make 3
bare support for his family. This great
issue, which is being pressed home upon
bur planting friends, is the question
whether they can afford TO cultivate cot
ton at the present and prospective prite :
And. this involves another question which
is equally important: while it is much
more difficult of satisfactory solution =
it-is the inquiry as to what crops shall DC
raised in lieu of cotton if it should De
found chat the price of the latter has tai-
len below the cost ofits production
We aosnots hesitate to declare what the
experience of.nineteen-twentieths OF our
nlhnters proves to be trne, that the price
of.npland cotton has fallen much below
the cost of its production. 1t would be
rninous; nay criminal, folly for our plan
ters to continue its production with the
rates of labor and other necessary sup
plies as high as they have ruicd the past
year This is simply out OF the question.
But the chief inquiry should be, what
prices can be paid for labor with fair
prospect of making a reasonable profit on
the caritul and labor employed, with the
nresent rates for cotton. Ii it should bc
found impossible to allow the freedmen a
sum sufficient for his support and that OF
his family, to secure for the planter Il fair
return for his capital, then necessity will
force the cotton planter to abandon the
cultivation OF this crop, and turn his at
tention to others which may offer TO tul.
6ill,thc. above requirements. Upon the
first part of the inquiry we have no hesl-
tation in saying that cotton cannot be
raised protitubly ut ten cents pound IN
currency, if the labor which produces itrs
naid more than bare and scanty sup
oort, leaving out of the calculation the
cost of, providing for the old and diseased
the women and childrcn-who DO not
contribute to its cultivation. An average
of four balesto the hand is full crop with
,rood seasons, and much more than is re
olizer ON most of the lands in the State.
These four bales. if they net ten cents in
,harket. will .bringS200. The cost ofpro-
ducing them, allowing that corn and for
age will bulnade equal to the amonnt con-
snmed will be $3.50, as follows:-tor
provisions and laborers $50; tools $50,
and for rcnt Of twenty-three acres OF land
SO.
We bcliave the actual cost of produc-
tion will be even more than is indicated
in the above figures and we have made
no charge. for overscers wages, which is
usually estimated at from SD to SzO per
hand. We have also omitted. The item OF
taxes-Fcdcral, Stateand county-which
alone amounts to considerable sum.
If these figures present a fair exhibit of
the cost of cotton raising, there can be no
doubt that II continuation Of its cnltiva-
tion at present prices will very soon bank
rupt all those not already in that condl.
ton. The only question which admits OF
argument, is whether the price OF cotton
will advance sufficiently in the course OF
the next year to make its production re-
inunerativc. We do not believe that it
will. At all events it would be extreme
" hazardous to plant crol with the cX-
pectaton of making it profitable by the
hoped for advance in valne. The only
true basis upon. which to predicate a
sound and reliable calculation is that OF
the present market price. 1t is true, cot
ton may advance lit seqnally true that
there is no reasonable grounds at the
present for the belief that it will. Again,
it is argued by some that the present tax
of 2Icents per ib. will be repealed. We
arc not of the number who believe that
there is much probability OF such repeal !;
but even if it should be done, we hardly
think that the price realized by the Ian
tcrs will advance to the extent OF the tax
thus removed At bcsl such q result is
extremely doubtful, and ought not to be
relied on with any degree of certainty.
If tho foregoing views arc, in the main,
correct, it is quite apparent that planters
should not attempt to raise anything like
81 afull.crop next year. But say some OF
our planting friends "what are we to DO
with our lands and stock if we cease to
grow cotton? we are obliged to do some
thing for Il living" 70 this we reply
that, according to our calculations, the
more cotton you plant, the more labor
you employ, the more land you cultivate,
will onl y increase your expenses without
adding Il single cent to your ability for
supporting your families. We would
suggest the planting of full crops Of grain
corn, wheat, rye and oats-and the cul-
tiyation, to a much larger extent than
heretofore, Of peas, potatoes, tnrnips, and
a,lkinds of provision crops But no one
should attempt to plant larger crops than
his corn and provisions on hand will ena-
bile him to cultivate without purchasing
at the present high prices. Contract your