Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1868-03-03
10 The revolutionary o

10 L he revolutionary phase
which the system of planting in the
South is now undergoing, is correla
lively affecting the industrial inter
ests of the North. Hitherto, cotton
has been the all-powerful motor 70,
infusing life, activity and prosperity
into the manufacturing and CONNER.
cial classes of that section, but the
South is no longer able to waste its
energies in the production Of SO pre-.
carious and non-remunerative a staple
as cotton has got to be for the benefit
alone of spectators and Northern
manufacturers. The cultivation of
cotton on an extensive scale will no
longer pay our agriculturists. Re-
peated failures, disappointments and
losses have finally driven them from
the old beaten track to try what viz
tue there is in raising their own arti-
cles of sustenance instead of being
continually dependent upon remote
localities for supplies of the same and
at such ruinous cost.
This change from suicidal policy
to one more consonant with the die
tates of common sense and the de-
mands of necessity, comes better late
than never, although the great pity
is, that it was not sooner adopted.
Many have been Incidentally ruined
by delaying the change too long.
The exorbitant prices Of articles of
food is severity no less felt with us
than with those of other sections,
and is tending elsewhere as here to
a greater diversion Of labor in favor
Of alimentary farming. The Boston
Commercial Bulletin thus refers to
the subject:
There can hardly be doubt, in
view Of the scarcity and relatively
high prices paid for most articles of
food, that the industry of the country
during the coming year will be
largely stimulated in the direction of
those branches of agriculture which
are the special source of food sup
plies. While the commercial events
Of the past year fully establish the
fact that there has been considerable
over production in most branches of
skilled industry, it is equally plain
that the cereal and provision crops
Of the country do not bear their rela-
tive proportion, SO far as quantity is
concerned, to the other products of
labor, and are wholly inadequate to
the present exigencies' Of commerce
and consumption. Hence, in many
instances, they still maintain the ex-
geme prices current during the war,
while nearly all other commodities
have been greatly reduced in value
some of them below the actual cost
Of production.
This state Of things, indicating
a departure from a we'll balanced
and healthy system of national in
dustry, cannot long continue with.
out working great mischief to the
general welfare of the country and
all its material interests. We need
not stop to investigate 1inutely the
causes which have led to this I'M
equal division. of labor. Upon this
point it is sufficient to say, that our
ate civil war, by creating an extra
ordinary demand. and high prices for
manufactured products, turned an
undue share Of the labor and capital
If the country into that particular
channel; and now that this tempo.
,ary stimulus is withdrawn, and our
'eturn to peace basis has vastly ,
changed the conditions Of many
branches Of productive industry, as
we'll as the wants of popular con-
our manufactures are in
urn depressed. {
We do not say that there must q
reeds be a general revolution in the
business pursuits Of the people, and
hat capital and labor must BE- largely i
from home manufactures q
md transferred to the department of {
Igriculture. But 1--WE do say. that G
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