Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-19
KING COTTON.
The south and the Next Cotton Or

TO be pursued with regard to the
next crop, are matters of more than
local interest. In fact, TO the whole
community, North and South, every-
thing connected with the cotton
crop Of 1869 is a subject of the
highest importance. Nor is this in
terest confined to our own country.
The cotton manufacturers and con.
sumers of Europe, and the cotton
producers in India, Egypt and other
places will find their industry Sc
riously affected for good or i'll by
the prospects and results of the
coming season. 'King Cotton"
for dethroned monarch, still exer-
cises decided and positive infu-
ence in the world; and this inhu.
ence seems to be increasing rather
than diminishing. At no former
period have the prospects of this
staple ELECTED a deeper or more
general concern.
The action, therefore, of the
South in reference to the new crop
is of the first importance. Ms
backward step should be taken, but
the same intelligent course which
has produced such remarkable re
suits the past year should be con-
tinued the coming season. 1t has
abundantly demonstrated the vital.
ity 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 South
may retain the vantage ground it
has gained, and enter upon a new
career of social and industrial de-
velopment and prosperity.
At the close of the civil war, the
single element of labor was about
the only means remaining in the
South of recovery from the indus
trial prostration in which that sec
ton was left. But even this resource
was sadly deficient. The freedmen
were badly demoralized, insubordin-
ate and pretentious; and at the same
time, the white population was ex-
hausted, angry Pd jealous. All
classes were utterly broken down in
spirit, 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
would continue so, and on the basis
of the then ruling rates, contracts
were entered into and plans made
for the year. 1t is scarcely neces-
sary to repeat the disasters of that
and the succeeding seasons. The
result of the policy pursued was,
that during the winter of 1867 a
cry of famine arose from the most
fertile districts of the world, and
the little remnant the war had left
appeared to have been lost Relief
was sent, and the danger passed
away, leaving a severe experience,
which has resulted, however, in the
greatest good to that section of our
country, enabling them, in fact, to
to raise a crop of cotton at about
ten cents per pound, and to sell il
at more than twenty cents. Over
two hundred and fifty millions of
dollars will pass into the South from
cotton alone this season, placing the
planters in a position of compare
tive independence.
In tracing the causes of the sue
cess of 1868, as contrasted with the
disasters of the preceding years, we |
find the clearest indications Of what |
should be the policy of the South in
the immediate future. Failure at |
first was not the result of deficient |
crops, but rather of the acts of the |
and the planters them
selves. Capital, to be sure, was shy |
and distrustful, and could only be
obtained with difficulty and at high
rates of interest or on extremely
unfavOrable terms. Labor, also,
was demoralized. In very many
cases the freedmen, having newly |
tasted the sweets of liberty, refused |
to work, or, if they worked, it was
with a great lack of energy and
efficiency. They could not see the
necessity for work, and it required
the bitter hardships of the winters
of 1866 '67 to bring them to their
senses. The planters, too needed
certain kind of experience They |
had seen cotton at high price for
a long time, and concluded it was
to remain so. Consequently they |
bid high for labor and put into the |
ground nothing but cotton. When,
however, they began to market the
staple, as prices had fallen to a de
cidedly low level, it was found that |
it did not return them the cost of
raising it. Corn and wheat they
had neglected, and it was the bitter |
experience they then passed through |
as a consequence of this neglect
which showed them it's folly and led
them to wiser course the past sea
son. This suffering and an
identity of interests brought all
classes together as they never be-
fore had been, showing the freed
man if he would eat he must work,
and the planter that he could not
now depend upon exorbitant Figures,
but must hire his labor so that he
could raise his crop at reasonable
figures, and must give up portion
of his time and land to food pro-
ducts. If this crop of cotton had
cost as much as the previous ones,
or if the South had raised no food,
they would have been compelled to
force the staple upon the market to
get themselves out Of debt, or to
provide the necessities of life, and
very little benefit would have re-
suited to them from the improved |
rates. On the contrary, the plan
ter is now clearing over ten cents
per pound, and the South is making |
millions of dollars, placing them,
as we have before stated, in a posi-
ton of great strength for the new |
year.
We have, then, in the experience
III ,.o.4 -. -, -, go n 10 h1O ,nJioo