The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-11-20
Plan for the Crtp Of 1899.

rience taught them in the lesson Of 1867 |
is not forgotten, they will first of all deter
mine 10 grow more largely than they have
yet done OF provision crops. Notwith-
standing their resolve last year to rely upon
their own productions for supplies of grain
during the season about TO close, vet it is
notorious that many of them calculated wide
of the mark and were forced to look else.
where for the supplies they could have ca
silly produced at home. We fear that the
ssms folly will be repeated the coming year
in their desire to raise cotton, stimulated
by the fair prices which it is now comman-
ding; and that from this spirit will grow
the extravagant folies which utterly wreck
ed so many fortunes and hopes 10 the years
1867 In 1865 cotton sold at from 35 to
45 cents per pound. The consequence was
that planters were induced to furnish labor
ers with their provisions and. pay the year
round, in 866, from $40 to $I5, and even
as high as S18 month. The crop failed,
| prices went down, a high tax was imposed
| upon cotton, and the money invested in the
! foolish adventure was forever lost. Still
untaught. the desperate endeavor was re-
| peated by many 10 the same way in 1867.
! And no other recourse was left the unfor-
tuuate victims of their own miscalculalions
but bankruptcy.
Planting the present year has been con
Quoted on prudent system. Labor has
been employed by allottiug to the loborer
share of the crop, or wages in money at
rates more nearly approximating its value;
and this, joined to the wise economy of di
versifying crops, and to The repeal of the
tax, will leave every one in better condi-
tion at the close of the year than at the COM
mencemeDt. The laborers are being prompt
! ly paid for their services; accounts with
merchants are being settled. and in a ma
jority of cases, farmers will have balance
to their credits for Eext years operations.
But this will avail them nothing, if they
repeat the experiment Of sowing the wild
oats of which they reaped SO beautifully in
1867
They cannot afford to pay higher rates
for labor and take the doubtful chances Of
cotton crop next year, than they h ave done
the closing season. No reliable calculation
can be made in reference to the yield o + cot
ton with the present disorganized system.
The result is too entirely dependent upon
the capriGes Of the season to admit Of safe
estimate Besides there are times that re-
quire extraordinary efforts to reclaim the
crop from grass, which experience has
shown cannot be relied upon the system Of
voluntary labor with freedmen. If the sea-
son is entirely favorablee, these efforts are
not required; otherwise they are. and with
out them the crop is lost.
Nor can any calculations as to high pri-
ces be trusted. Of one thing all are con-
vinced, it is that the South no longer enjoys
such monopoly of the production of cot
ton, as to enable her 90 regulate the supply.
India produces three times SIS much cotton
as she did in 1861 The increase in Egypt
has been still larger. That country fur
nished England in 1861 with Al 900, 600
pounds In 1865, with 1T 600, 900; and
doubtless with the exception Of fluctuations
which attend all progressive movements,
tie increase will continue at corresponding
rario until the immense capacities of that
country for growing cotton ara fully devel-
oped.
Our cotton growers cannot be Indifferent
to facts so insignificant as these. They can
not pay fabulous prices for labor to produce
. an article of uncertain yield and still more
uncertain price.
But another enemy is TO be encountered
in the probable restoration Of the oppressive
tax which absorbed the profits of the cotton
crop the past two years. II is known that
this tax, which operated so destructively to
, the interests Of all pursuits, and both races
in the South. was repealed by a very des-
perate effort af,er much delay by the radical
rulers who opposed it. Iu a speech dsiiv-
cred by Senator Ben. Wade, Of Ohio, al
Cincinnati. on the 10Th Of October, the re-
, peal Of the tax on cotton is deprecated as
the work Of democrats. and ''soft-headed
= republicans" and the iutimation is given
out that il will certainly be restored by the
) next Congress. On Wade, more than any
7 othes man. the mantle Of Thad. Stevens has
, fallen, and his utterauces are not to be DIS
regarded. Based upon bis declaration, ii
, is our firm belief that this ruiuous tax will
be revived.
g These considerations should enter into
. the plans which our farmers are forming
D for the coming season.-Jackson Clarion.
g The following very brilliant remark is
attributed TO Edgar A. Poe. who died o
. daiirium tremens few years ago in Balti.