The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-04-29
THE COTTON TRADE AND SOUTHERN PROS
PECTS.

TdE IhAU6 ANV oO011AD1sN @&seS-
PECTS.
Under this heading, the New York Shipping and
Commercial List has an article demonstrating the
truth of the proposition that the Southern people
ean maintain an independent position and preserve
the balance Of power by judicious conduct in tho
arrangement Of their crops. 1t is perhaps too late
10 change the programe 50 sea % planting cotton
and corn ore concerned, but We desire to convince
our readers thoroughly Of the folly and stupidity
Of planting cotton exclusively. The article in
question merely states facts they exist so far as
the writer's knowledge extends, and We hope that
its predictions will be verified by the results of
large provision crop and an improved method of
agriculture. We make the following extracts:
The high prices of cotton during the past six
months have stimulated the planting interest
South, and no doubt as large q breadth Of land
will be seeded can be afforded under the necesi
ty of on increased devotion TO food crops. In
view Of the many difficulties which surround cot
ton culture, the leading Southern journals are Civ
ing the farmers and planters the very practical
advice not to place all their trust in the great sta
ple There is an abundance of land in the South
to raise an abundance of food for home consump-
ton, and cotton enough to supply the whole world
but unfortunately, there is an inadequate supply
of the right kind of labor. Still, competent
Southern authorities are of opinion that, with an
ordinarily favorable season, the next crop will not
unlikely reach 100000 bales, and may 60 to
$3.50 600 bales. Southern opinion with regard to
free labor, too, has been very sensiby modified Of
late.
Thus, Mr.. Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, lately re-
marked that the South has been more than recon-
pensed for all the trials, suffering and losses Incl.
dent to the war, by the overthrow Of slavery, and
substantially the same sentiment IS reiterated by
some of the prominent Southern journals. To the
nation nt large, the resuscitaton of the old indus
tries of the South and the inauguI alton of new
ones is Of the highest importance, and the quicker
they become vitalized and quickened, the sooner
will national, financial and commercial prosperity
be reached. Enabled to commence the new year
with handsome results Of the product of last year
business, the South may well in 1869 grow crops
and raise the necessaries of life in such abundance
as to place it in independent pecuninry circum-
stances. The idea has taken frm hold of the
planters that under the new condition Of things,
smaller area Of land better cultivated must be the
order Of the day. Again, it may fairly be assum-
ed that the freedmen, having little recovered from
the exaggerated ideas naturally entertained upon
their emancipation, will work moro steadily than
heretofore, while the planters will have learned
that fair wages are, in the end, more profitable
than the cost OF labor under the old regime.
While the cotton crop will be The great product of
the South, there will be increased manufactures
erected, and with them will spring up innumer-
able towns and villages, bringing in their train,
without doubt, higher state Of prosperity inevi-
tably than has ever hitherto been reached.
The New York Express, on the other hand,
argues in favor Of ON increased attention to the
cotton crop, and forcibly urges the vulue and i'm
portance Of the great Southern staples. This jour
nal looks upon the negro race as doomed, and that
there must be substitute for negro labor. While
omitting its argument on this latter point, as a
matter Of consolation to those planters now "decp
in the mire'' of cotton, We copy the following:
Just now, the people are wisely discussing what
proportion Of their land and labor should be given
to cotton, sugar, and tobacco. and what to corn,
rye, wheat and outs. Cotton is as natural @ pro-
duct Of the South wheat is Of the West, and un-
questionably pays much better. So of tobacco and
sugar No crops raised, acre for acre, can compete
in value with these three. If all parts Of the
country acted wisley, and in spirit Of mutual,
good will, the West would supply the South with
breadstufs and pork, and the East furnish the
South with manufactured goods. nnd with most Of
the land and seq carriage for taking the three great
productions of the South to the seaboard and to
the old world. OF course, it is not wise to aban-
don at once or entirely the planting Of corn, and
plenty of it at the South but the greatest possible
attention should be given to those shree vast re-
sources Of vealth-Cotton, (last year yielding
$780, 0o0 0O0 Sugar, the product Of which becomes
Of more importance than ever in the present eoni-
ton Of Cuba, and Tobacco, always o crop Of inrs
mense value It is because the Soath is adapted
to these crops, and particularly because il has the
best cotton lands in the world that they sheuld
have superior care over oil other cultivation. AI
else is Of secondary importance so long as it is
probable that food Gun be raised cheaper
Let the South, then, never sbandon its greatest
source of wealth but at once prepare its lands by
improved cultivation to yield more than ever be-
FORE This must be done, not by exhausting lands,
but by studying their capacity, and, as it were,
feeding the soil. The final exit Of the negro, and
the present uncertainty Of his labor make this DOW
absolutely necessary.
- The fifteenth amendment to the Gossttetion
Of the United States has been adopted by twenty
one States. Five more, it is believed, will rstify
the amendment during the present yeari and vir-
gina, Mississippi and Texas, under the act just
m osod hy ConOress must rntify before thew CON