The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-02
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2. 1869.
"KLNG COTTON" REGALNLNG HIS
GROWN

ABSURD as the idea that "Cotton is king, :" was
In some respects there was substantial
basis for the belief that the Southern portion
OF the United States possessed an immense
natural advantage over any other portion OF
the world for the culture of this useful pro-
duct This belief is no longer a matter of
theory, but a demonstrated fact. Great
Britain has spent millions of money in testing
It, At one time she hoped to gain consider
able supplies from points adjacent to the
eastern coast of Africa, but though the soil
and climate of that region are better adapted
to the growth of cotton approximating in
quality to that produced in the United States
than the other fields of British experiment it
is practically impossible to induce the natives
to establish large cotton plantations, or to
persuade white colonists to emigrate to q
land where certain death awaits them.
During the war great pains were
taken to encourage cotton culture in
South America, and money was literally ad-
vanced to planters willing to embark in this
undertaking; but despite these incentives,
added to the continuance of high prices, the
whole crop of South America and the West
Indies for last year is set down at 253, 800
bales. Great hopes were also entertained of
Egypt, but though the natives of that country
were tempted to risk the dangers of starva-
tion by substituting the growth of cotton for
their ancient staple, wheat the whole quan-
tity produced for export to England last
year was only 1884, 600 bales. India, alone, has
made important contributions to the British
market But despite the vast expenditures
for railways to forward her crops to market
and despite the enforcement of the
cruel policy which resulted in the
starvation of million of her
inhabitants In single year through their sub
stitution of the culture of the coveted article
of export for their usual crops of food, the
largest yield yet attained was 1,840,64S bales
Of less than $50 pounds each, and the Indian
cotton is SO inferior that it could scarcely be
used by the ordinary cottor-manufacturing
machinery, except in combination with
large admiXture of the superior American
product. In one sense, therefore, American
cotton is king, or at all events it can not
only command the markets of the world by
its superiority, but it is not possible for any
other country than the United States to fully
and satisfactorily supply the worlds demand
for this great staple
Our capacity for production has been amply
demonstrated. The whole quantity required
is estimated at 100000 bales, and in the
year before the war our Southern States pro-
duced d, 4,669, no bales. Even this enormous
yield, however, fell far below the real capa-
city of our soil, for but small proportion of
the land well adapted to this culture was ever
utilized, and if reliable laborers were abun-
dant, it would not be difficult, in favorable
season. to double the great crop of 1S59-GO,
and thus to ensure supply largely exceeding
the entire demand. 1t is also now we'll de-
monstrated that cotton can be successfully
cultivated in this country by free labor. The
yield of the present year is estimated at
2,439, ,O39 bales, which at present
prices is worth more than double
as much money as any Southern
cotton crop produced before the war, and
which, in quantity, falls but about half mil
lion bales below the average Southern pro-
duction ten years ago. AS compared with the
crop of 1867-68, however, there is decrease
of more than hundred thousand bales, a
corresponding increase of price, and a marked
deficiency in the supplies required by cotton
manufacturers and consumers of cotton
goods. There is also said to be growing
disposition among the freedmen to prefer the
cultivation of food to the culture of cotton;
and considering their past experience, this
tendency is not at all surprising.
In view of these circumstances, it is evident
that while emigration to the South is desira-
BILE and essential to the national prosperity
on many grounds it is especially necessary
for the utilization of the indisputable advan-
tages possessed by Southern soil for the cul-
ture of one of the most important articles of
commerce. Cotton lands which in the South
sell for few dollars per acre would in al
most any other part of the world readily COM
mand ten or twenty times their present valua-
tion; and if an abundance of laborers is
supplied to the reconstructed States, their
superior advantages for the growth Of this
great staple will constitute an endless source
of enormous wealth.
TOROHLIGHT PROFESSIONS.