Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-11-20
FINE COTTONS.

Editors Appeal: This has been a sub
ject of interest to planters; it has al
most ceased to be 10 now. 1t DiU be a
subject of increasing interest to the
manufacturer.
The manufacturer must act through
the buyer upon the planter. Should
a particular variety of cotton com
mend itself to the manufacturer, il
will be sought after; a better price
will be paid for it. The production OF
1t will be fostered and encouraged,
until the market may be Overstocked,
Then the planter, finding his fine cot
ton will sell for no more, or lies neg
lected on the table, declines to plant
it, or give any special attention to it.
The Sea Island cottons before the
war, from the fine price paid for ii,
were planted with success. But Ow-
ing TO the imperfections of our system
of labor, and to the prevalence of sew
eral fine, long, silky staple c0ttOns in
the market, the price does not justify
the South Carolina planter in raising
it any longer. As a crop il will cease
to he raised. The edict has gone
fOrth-the dictd have been promul-
gated.
The Peeler commanded, for two
years, Il tine price-frOm 20 to 30 per
cent. more than common Mexican
cotton. This year the price has de-
clined, and it can scarcely be sold at
an advance of more than ) per cent.
There are several other varieties of
fine, silky cottOns raised in greater or
less quantities all swelling the bulk
of fine cottOns thrown upon the mar
ket. The manufacturer sees this, and
through his buyer he regulates the
price of each. The poor planter, I'M
able TO hold his cotton, must submit
TO the reduction, 50 long as he raises
an OSerlIGantity Of tne cotton, and
owes a balance 10 his merchant.
VIII this state Of Affairs ever cease?
The Pceier cotton has not realized as
much to the acre as promised this
year; it has declined in price, and,
like the MastOdOn of 1917, it will soon
disappear from the cOttonfeld, and it
neither CT the other fine Varieties-
silk, Molina or ZePOra-are encouraged
by The manufacturer, they will cease
to be planted with care.
The silk cotton sold before the wan
for 100 per cent. more than common
cotton; and since the war, in 1863, a
crop sold in Liverpool for 50 per cent.
more than ordinary cOttons Of same
grade; last year for 20 PSF sent. The
Molina, raised by Mr.. EchOls, of Geor-
gia, sold for from 30 to 50 per cent.
The ZepOra. last season, sold for 20
per cent. The silk and Molina are
each very fine staple-no percepti-
bic difference. Yet one sold for 70 or
80 per cent. more than the other be
cause the Molina was raised and sod
in Georgia, II State that has more rep
utatiOn Tor fine cotton than n other.
Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas
having gone in for quantity, and pro-
life cOttOns, until il is believed moth
ing good and fine can come out of
Gallilee. Hence, DR.. Crump, of
LOWndes county, Mississippi, sent his
crop OF silk cotton to Liverpool last
winter, aud realized 81. or 10 cents
more per pound than Tor his common
cotton,
Now, will the manufacturer act fair
~ ana encourage the production of
the best cotton, and give a living, as
the markets. OverstOcked, or will they
in turn run every fine variety out Of
the market by their suicidal policy.
Ii would seem TO me that should an
Over-quantlty of fine cotton be raised
and thrown on the market, il would
have the effect of cheapening thecom-
MOI cOttOns, because the fms GottonS.
even should they decline In price.
would still be better than the common
cOItOnS, of more value to them.
and they could say we r
fer the fine cotton at middIing
prices. The common cottons must
decline to the price OF low middlings
eT good ordinary. For, be assured,
Dir, buyer, WhaeYer you represent,
unless you do make q difference, and
such a difference as may be felt in the
price Of u fine cOttOns, you may
praise and blarney as much as you
please, down go the fine cottOns.
THERE'S butOnes salvation for us-that |
this crop may pay up the planters in
debtedaess, render him almost indie
pendent OF the mer2haut, and we hold
a planters convention to regulate this
and kindred matters when we shall
discuss topics relating wholly to the
planter. w. S. G.
BOLIVAR, Miss, Nov. Is, 1869.
The suggestions of our correspond
ent are worthy of the consideration Of
planters and manufacturers. Greater
encouragement in price is now needed
for production offine cottons than was
required in former times, in conse-
queRee Of the change in the character
of labor. The finer qualities require
more careful handling, and that can
only be had from freedmen at an ex-
pense Of a more considerable loss in
quantity picked out than was the case
with slave-labor, which could be more
exactly commanded by well informed
and skillful planters than now. In
the bottom-lands, where the longest
eOttons are produced, it was al
ways the case that the nice handling
neglected, because the production
was too large to gather the whole crop
with the great are as TO quality,
which the hill-land planters, with
crops could afford, and yet
during the picking season, all
they raised With full crops planted,
and all raised that planters can gather
Ia sloyenly way, no greater attention
Ia nice handling can be expected
now than Is consistent with
no portion of the
natured crop in the fields. But plant
rs viii never find it for their interest
plant any but the best qualities,
as in the case Of the sea island
they must pay the penalty of
J considerable reduction of the guam.
ity produced. II, by the oyer-produc-
ion of the finer qualities, their price
hould be reduced, we do not see, how
that the whole product of the
rop would be reduced, while the
uantity remained the same. We
oppose the instructions of manufac-
urers to buyers IS to price, rs well as
he attention Of planters TO raising the
descriptions and careful handling
{ cotton, viii both depend on supply
nd demand, which is not TO be much .
tfeeted BY any combinations likely to
e made. 1t is more difficult to pro-
uce high grades Of cotton now than
efore the war, and the quantity is
diminishing for that reason. Where
Is raised exclusively by white labor,
would find it greatly for their
tfara1f IN Olopt oulv 4ho hos4 1o,o.-