The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-09-23
THE BRITISH PRESS ON
COTTON.

The British press continues W pe
very much exercised about the supply
of cotton. Every day or two there are
leading articles and any amount Of cor
respondence on the subject, and there
is hardly any conceivable plan for in
creasing the production of raw material
that is not discussed The insufficient
supply is termed calamity, and is said
to be owing to an increase of the con.
suming power at time when the raw
material is decreasing. A writer in
the London Times takes very sensi-
bic view If the matter when he argues
tnat the true way to increase the pro-
ductinn of cotton is for the manufactu-
rrrs and capitalists of England to CO.
operate with tine grower. That is, we
suppose, to employ their capital in con-
ncction with tn, labor of the planters
in order to stimulate larger growth.
This writer reularks, too, that it would
be folly for the American planters to
grow i've millions nf bales at double the
expense Of aud vpd labor when the
same profit can be realized from halt
that amount. But where are the Eng
lish manufacturers and capitalists to use
their money IN cooperation with the
growers? India and other countries
have been tried, and Vast a rount of
capital has been sunk in theexperiment.
There is, however, one place in the
world where raising cotton is not an
uncertain experiment, and where plant
ing never fails to be successful and pro-
ftable. Iu our Southern States there
is vast area Of cotton land uncultiv--
ted. If there were capital and labor
enough ten millions of bales or more
could be raised. This is the country,
for the British to invest inf they would
get az ample supply Of cotton aud a
handsome return for their capital.
" r Herald.
The English press seem to under.
stand the true interests of the Southern
cotton planter much better than many
of the planters themselves. 1t strikes
the nail square on the head when it de-
clares that "it aooutd be fully Jor the
american planters to gror .foe mil''ons
ofJales at double the expense Of landand
laJor, phen the same pratt can be real
ized from half that amount." Will those
planters, who arc straining every nerve,
and ransacking all of Europe aud Asia
to procure additional labor necessary to
produce the five millions of bales duly
consider the probable consequence of
their success in producing this addition.
al labor? The production of 100000
bales at thirty cents per pound would
be far more lucrative to the Southern
planter than the production of FIVE mil
lions of bales at fifteen cents. They
would receive the same gross amount
for their total crop, and save the extra
cost for labor, provisions, mules, and
wear and waste land necessary to be
expended in raising the extra two and a
half millions.
Besides, with the production of two
and half or three bales the South can
easily raise her own corn, provisions
and stock, 30 that the cotton crop would
be net profit, after deducting the cost
of labor. We may be in error, but the
lights now before us, taking into con-
sideration the condition of the cotton
market and cotton manufacturers
throughout the world, We believe the
true policy of the planter is to keep the
production within rather than over
three millions uf bales.
Instead Of Investing the profits of the
crop iD increasing the area and amount of
production, We urge our planting friends
to put their surplus money in manu-
featuring enterprises Let the South
become, as she ought long ago to have
been, the great ccntr OF Gotten manu-
featuring. 1.-THE Manchester and Lo-
we'll spiuuers can make profits on the
manufacture of cotton, why may not the
South d. tie same and indeed much
more ? The Northern and English mer
Giants have to pay the heavy expense ne
cessarily incurred iu getting their sup-
plies of raw materi from the South, and
then the additional expense in the way of
freight, commissions, insur; nee, &C., In
returning the manufactured gnods to