The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-27
"CH A r. l. E S TON.
THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 81, 1869.
The Production of Cotton,

The Production of Cotton,
The necessity of encouraging an increas-
ed production Of cotton in the South is now
forcing itself upon the minds Of those at
the North who take comprehensive view
Of the commercial situation. They see that
the balance of trade is constantly against
the United States, and that only the contin-
ued expectation of nited States bonds is pre-
venting an outgo of specie which would
embarrass the whole country, if it did not
cause the long looked for crash, and they
desire to stimulate the production of cotton,
80 that there may be staple to export and
make payments with when the demand for
bonds is at an end. The South, on the other
hand, is not disposed to strive for enor-
nous crops Of cotton. A moderate crop,
with high prices, will pay the planter bet
ter than an excessive crop, with low prices;
and it is moreover useless to ascribe the
smallness Of the crops Of the last four sea-
sons to any lack Of energy and enterprise
among the Southern people. The New
York Shipping List, for instance, recon-
''and the preservation of ordsr," suggest
ing that the South could have done more
than it has done. This is en- old story; but
it is as well to point out sgain the oiroum-
stances which will make it impossible, for
many years to come, to make crops as large
as those Of before the war.
The labor available for the cultivation Of
i H.
morsality among the negroes, BY the indis-
position of many Of the negroes to work at
| all, and by the general refusal Of the COL
ored women to work in the fields. The
mortality Of the negroes in Charleston is
between twice and three times as great as
the mortality of the whites. In the city
the freedmen have better opportunities Of
protecting themselves than In the country,
where the mortality is at least as great as
it is in the towns. In this way the availa-
BILE labor is diminishing every day; nor is
the gap filed by the children and boys
growing up, for in consequence Of the little
care taken Of them, the negro children die
like sheep. Their parents have no love for
them, and in too many cases look upon their
death as the quickest means Of being rid
of @ troublesome responsibility. The wo-
mon, far more uuruly and hard to manage
than the men, think work disgrace, and
will do nothing save perhaps in tho picking
season, whom they may be tempted by the
offer Of money down to work for few
days or weeks. It is the usual calculation
thAt one third Of our labor has been wholly
lost, end this 10 borne out by every fact that
comes to our knowledge.
Assuming, then, that the limit Of produc-
tion is the quantity Of cotton thst can be
picked in the season, there isr NO good
ground for believing thst the cotton crop
Of this State, with our present labor
system, can exceed 100000 balee, OF
that Of the whole South exceed 2,5OO,O00
bales. And this is with the understand
ing that every effort must bs made to
increase the yield 70 the sere. and that
fertilizers shall be largely used. This lie
the policy in South Carolina, whore the aim
| this year is mot to increase the srea in cul.
tivstion. but to increase the yield per acre.
There is NO disturbing element whatever in
the State beyond the scheraing and plotting
Of the Radical poli:ieians-white and ool-
ored. We preserve order because it Is TO-
our interest to do sc and now, according
to the testimony Of the New York Times,
there is less crime and violence In this
State. in proportion to its population, than
in any Northern or New England State.
When the miserable adventuters who now
control our looel affairs are killed by the
popular ballot, we shall increase our pro-
duction Of cotton to some extent, because
the freedmen will then give up all idea Of
living by stealing, and will buckle down to
their work. The negro members Of the Leg
islature. and the various negro officials, win
return to their forgss and barber .shops--
make horse-shoes instead OF Laws, end
shave ahins In place Of splitting hsixa,
Ths shoussndo who now hops and pray for
''jss one lsetie oflis'' will find In the hoe
their most eiFectuat weapon. and draw their
psr diem from the plough. This viii swell
the production Of cotton In Some degree;
But one thing !snly can make large crops Of
al kinds certain, and that 10 s0aits ssms-
gration.
II the North Id in earnest and does feel
how dependent IL Is ON che South for sn ex-
portable rredns. With whisa TO pay ito
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