The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-22
CHI AR Es TON.
THURSDAY. MORNING, APRIL %, 1869.
The State Agricultural Convention.

The State Agricultural Convention.
There is q singular unanimity Of opinion
throughout the State in regard to the i'm
portanoe Of discussing soberly and care.
fully the effect of the changes wrought in
our agricultural and industrial systems by
the abolition of slavery; and it is admitted
that, whatever perfection in organizing and
applying labor may have been reached before
the war, we have much to learn if we would
adapt our operations to the means and in
struments which are left at our command
Throughout the State, the ~,untry press
have explained what good results might
reasonably flow from the Agricultural Con-
vention to be held in Columbia on Wednes-
day next, and thanks to their efforts and
the awakened good sense of the people at
large, there is prospect that at least five
-sixths Of the State will be represented.
The grave questions of labor, of agricul-
tural Improvement, of the growth of manu-
factures, and of white immigration, will
demand q thorough consideration at the
hands of the convention; for, whatever the
ordinary worthlessness of individual e1pe-
rience, the practical information possessed
by Hrdv of gentlemen, who, together, are
familiar with the whole State, and with the
peculiar wants and necessities of every
part of it, will furnish valuable data upon
which to found the varied calculations of
the future We are still, as it were, CROP
ing in the dark. We know not how far
what we have done may be removed from
the best that could have been done; nor
unless there is comparison Of experience
and free interchange Of opinion, can we
with safety abandon one plan or adopt
another. What we desire to see is full and
free discussion Of crory eubjcot oounevted
with the development of the agricultural, in
dustrial and manufacturing interests of the
State and The following points will, We
hope, receive attention:
1. Labor.saving machines and inple-
ments. The uncertainty of free negro Ia
Dor and the necessity of reducing the num-
ber Of working hands to minimum, make
it important to inquire into the character
and cost of the different labor-saving ma
chimes and implements in use in the North
err States and in Europe. We should en-
deavor to ascertain how far they arc adapted
to our systems of cultivation, and what is
the extent of the saving in manual labor.
Persons who have used them or have seen
them in use, can give some information,
and the obtaining Of precise and definite
details could be made the duty of stand
ing committee.
2. Free negro labor. 1t is desirable to
know how far We may rely upon the negro
as steady worker. Many broad ssser-
tions have been made upon this subject.
We now have an opportunity of knowing
what has been the experience Of the Whole
State during three years, which will give
us facts and not theories with which to
work hereafter. We ought also to know
how the amount of work done by the free
laborers compares with the work done by
the same number of slaves.
5. Cost of producing cotton. There
should be no difficulty in the way of finding
out what is the cost of producing cotton
under the present system of labor. It is
our opinion that the planters, with fair
crops, and uplands selling at 20 cents, must,
with proper management, grow rich. The
objection, however, will be raised on some
sides that to announce that we can produce
cotton at O cost of 12 or IA cents, or what
ever the figure may be, would only be in
viting Congress to impose anew the bur-
densome tax of two years ago.
Cultivation of cotton. Every expert
enced planter has his own pet theories on
the subject of cotton. 1t would be inter
esting and valuable to know what modes of
cultivation have been followed and with
what comparative result.
5. Diversity of crops. We have also to
decide whether, under the circumstances,
it is best to place our whole reliance upon
cotton, or whether we should diversity our
crops and make always enough meat and
bread to make us Independent Of the West
ern markets. Our opinions upon this sub
ject are we'll known, and 40 one will deny
that it is matter which will 60 far to de-
termine the measure of the future pros
perity of the State. We hope that it will
be pondered we:l.
6. Manufactures. A report on the pres
ent condition Of the different mills and
factories in the State would be of great
interest, and the report might show what
has been done since the war in enlarging
or improving g old factories OF building new
ones. As purely agricultural people, we
cannot be wealthy again. We must have
manufactures, we must work up our own
cotton, ne must free ourselves, as far as
possible, from the trammels Of both New
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