The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-04-01
MISCELLANY.
THE SOUTH AND THE NEXT
CoTTONCRoP.


CoTToNCRoP.
The upproach Of the planting season
in the South, and the policy to be pur'
sued With regard to the next crop, are
matters of more than local interest,"
In fact, the whole community, North
and South, everywhere connected with
the cotton crop of 1869 rs subject OF
the highest importance. Nor is tins
interest confined to our own country
The cotton manufacturers of Europe
and the cotton producers of India, E.
gypt and other places will find their
industry seriously affected for good or
i'll by the prospects and results OF the
coming season. "Kiug Cotton" for a
dethroned monarch, still exercises dc
'cided and positive influence in the world;
and this influence seems to be increas-
ing rather than diminishing. At no
former period have the prospects of this
staple elected deeper or more general
concern.
The action, therefore, of the South in
reference to the new crop is of the first
importance. No backward step should
be taken, but the same intelligent course
which has produced stch remarkable
results the past year should be contin-
ued the coming season. 1t hae abund-
'sHtly demonstrated the vitality of the
South and the possibility of raising
cotton more successfully by freed labor
than By slave labor. All that is needed
now is that the lessons of the past three
years be not lost, in order that the S"u'h
inay retain tSe tV;as1htitase ground it has
gained, and enter upon new career of
Social and industrial development ,and
prosperity. =,
AT the close Of the civil war the #fh-
igle element of labor was about the OILY
means remaining in the South from the
II industrial Ppfesssits4ts,s6n fl which that sec
tion was left. But even this resource
was sadly deficient. The freedmen were
badly demoralized, fhsubordipate and
preteutious; and, at the same time, the
~hite population was exhausted, angry
and jealous. All classes were utterly
broken down in spirits, while there was
no money or credit anywhere. In this
extremity the planters turned to cotton
as their only hope. Prices had been
high, and it was thought that they
wodld continue SO, and on the basis of
the txen ruling rates contracts were en-
tered into and plans made for the year.
1t is scarcely necessary to repeat the
disasters of that and the succeeding
seasons. The result of the policy par-
sued was, That, during The Winter of
1867, cry of famine arose from the
tnost fertile districts of the world, and
the little remnant tie war had left ap,
peared to have been lost Relief was
sent; and the danger PASSED away, lea
wing a severe experience, which has
resulted however in the grcatest good
ID tkst section of our country, enabling
them, in fact, to raise crop Of cotton
at about ten cents per pound, and to
sell it at more than Twenty cents. Over
two hundred and fifty milli0fs of dollars
will pass into the South from cotton
alone this season, placing the planters
in a position Of comparative independ'
ence.
In tracing the cause; USE; Of the success
of 1868, as contrasted With the disns-
ters of the preceding years, ne find the
clearest indications of what should be
the policy of the South in the immedi-
ate future. Failare at first #as not the
result of deficient. crops, but rather of
the acts of the freedmen and the plant
ers themselves. Capital to be sure, was
Shy and distrustful, and could only be
obtained with difficulty at high rates of
interest or on extremely unfavorable
Terms. Ia5or slso Was demoralized. In
very many cases the freedmen, having
hewly tasted the sweets of liberty, re-
fused to work, or if they worked; it was
With a great lack of energy and eficien'
sy., They could not see the necessity
for Work, and it required the bitter hard:
ships Of the Winter of 1S66-67 to bring
them to their senses. The planter, too,
needed certain kind of experience
They had seen cotton at high prices for
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