The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-08-11
NO. .
IN >. - .
The Future Increase of Southern Cotton Pro-

DUCTf0N.
From the New Orleans Bulletin
The fact that after four of peace, only half
crop Of cotton is made compared with its prodnc
ton before the war, is which TO commercial com
munty afford to dismiss without carefully study
ing thcnanre of its and the means of remedy
ing them Under the influence of this reflection the
New ork Times remarks upon the deficit and i'll
effect agrees with the conclusion of the Bulletin that
at the bottom OF it is the falling away OF negro labor
from agriculture as consequence of the simple fact
of negro freedom. Tue Times also allows that owing
to the condition. the natural increase OF the black
population in the South has in great measure been
arrested "Our readers will remember" it says,
that one OF the results Of emancipation in Jamaica
the death of considerable numbers of negro chill
dren through the want of medical attendance SINH
lar effects are felt in the South. Probably under the
present system few children are born and more are
exposed to the ills from which all aborng classes suf-
Ter. There Is no doubt greater average of chidrens
mortality From these and other causes the black race
at the South is undoubtedly not increasing the rate
it did before the The supply of cotton hborers
is thus falling off in natural way" But the Times
does not believe that the deficit OF the Southern cotton
crop will be permanent, that " there is any perma-
nent dminution of the black race going on in the
Gulf States" And hereupon it adds:
The good wages received by the negroes will soon
bring after it improved physical conditions and the aid
of medical science. More and more too, black and
white will be tempted to exclusive cotton culture.
Mh bof sfE ID H m cer an bacon q s
West, and lay out their whole force cotton. Capt.
tai is also increasing implements and vehicles be-
ing continually added, and new lands opened ferti
sers are restoring old land; cooperation is securing
quite as much cotton from the slavery did,
that taking all things into considerations aud es.
pecally the sound financial condition of the South
we believe confidently that this important staple will
increase year by year, until it finally reaches its maxi
mum yield in former years-or five millions of bales"
We entirely coincide with the opinion that the plain
,fno1 Iaet,,ty nf E,,Jf
cotton their prime agricultural staple and that
der political and social circumstances reasonably IA
vorabe, they are bound in few years to raise the
crop from the present diminished measure of two and
half millions of bales, to the former maximum of
five millions Of bales, and go indefinitely beyond that
point. But we have idea that this result will be
obtained by any appreciable augmentation of the
amount of negro labor applied to the cultivation Of
cotton. As general rule those who once abandon
agricultural life in any form return to it. De-
pend upon it, the negroes who have Withdrawn from
agriculture far from proving exception to the rule
will illustrate It by an extreme example. 1t is hope
less look to their natural increase for the necessary
augmentation of labor for, though there may not be
permanent dminution of the black race its reduced
rate of increase admitted on all hands, must be reck-
oned, relatively to the growth Of the aggregate popu-
ation and to the enlarged industrial needs of the
try equivalent to constant decrease. 1t is to the
application of machinery, to artificial fertilization, to
skrfu tllage and larger harvests upon the
tive and European, and last but perhaps by no
least to the introduction of swarms of hard workers
from the hives of ASIA that the Gulf States must look
furnishing reasonable grounds for the hope of
gaining and firmly maintaining their supremacy in the
production of cotton
THE PEABODY EDUCATION FUND.-The following is
a copy of letter Of Rev. B. Sears, D. D., general
agent:
srAUxroN, Va, July 10, 1869.
X nj IiISh
nv Dear Sir-The Trustees have decided to coop
with State systems (of public Instruction. far
as possible. We hope to do so with Louisiana; and
great difficulty, if the two placed in
separate schools. believe there mixed schools
in Florida, South Carolina North Carolina, OR any
other State; suppose that Louisiana will ven
ture so bold an experiment.
IT. under the State law, schools maintained
but such as attended by colored children, if vr
tually the colored children, and they alone are pro-
vided for by law, must look particularly after the
white children
- On making arrangement with towns judg
ment must be guided, first, by the amount raised by
the people; secondly, by the population to be pro-
vided for. Our contribution is not charity to poor
children, but encouragement to communities. The
people must contribute something-say three fourths,
more of the amount needed to support free pub
lie school in their midst and certain number Of chill
dren to be provided for should also be reported so
that may know what supplementary aid is required
each year, to render the school permanent and
cessul.
Both the Trustees and Mr.. Peabody are warmly at
tached to plan now is particularly to that fea
ture Of it which relates to public schools l cannot
yet say, however, what amount be granted the
coming year. If can work more advantageousyiu in
Louisiana than elsewhere, justly and wisely do
than could otherwise; but if the children for
whom provide will not attend the schools, must
withdraw our aid and bestow it elsewhere.
wish you to exercise wise discretion in this mat
ter. Be pleased to let the people know that the way
in which they our contribution one year will de-
termine the question whether it shall be renewed.
Everything is on probation this is great security.
If the people raise the needed funds and concur with
u.s. whole communities will have the same interest in
the schools though they supported by general
taxation. We wish particularly to know how much
has been raised and how many children have attend
ed the schools already aided in Louisiana.
Yours, truly, B. SEARS,
@ General Agent.
N. B.-The Louisiana agent may be addressed per
P. 0. Box 472, New Orleans.