The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-02-11
gnoerso}}g gntealgeluer:,
About Corn and Cotton.

About Corn and Cotton.
A correspondent of the Atlanta (Geo.)
1atslligsncer, overthe. signature of aGray
Jacket" writes as follows:
The offspring of Saturn and of Ops, the
goddess OF the production of the earth,
called Ceres, was the deity that with more
practical sagaeity than was wont amongst
their godships OF mythology, patronized
the growth of grain. But St. Augustine
tells us that this same Ceres was no 9th
erthan certain Queen of Greece, who
induced her subjects to cultivate the soil,
and to grow in their own dominion and
nourish themselves in abundance with
grain, which, previous to her reign, they
bought from other countries, and lived in
poverty.
We might learn this lesson, which is
plain enough, if we will not learn from
our own sad experience; but theilusiye
tenptationto acquire rapid wealth by
cotton crops is irresistible; the allure
ments are too great for s. weak people,
and Notwithstanding disappointments
have been experienced time and again,
disappointments surely will come again,
with its fellow-traveler, distress.
The people Of the West give US practi-
cal examples which, were we not so biased
in our opinions, we could follow to ad-
vantage. It is vain to say that their
lands are better adapted to produce pro-
visions, and ours to tho growth Of cotton.
That may be SO; but because my house is
better suited to be turned into work.
shop, shall | SO turn it, to the discomfort
of my family, perhaps for little more
gain o But it is not so; for it is folly to
say that tho lands of the West could not
be adapted to some produce that might
hold out speculative value greater than
BEANS -u~vv
saMethfus her patient sons before ne
stand, scooping out an empire" from the
coming tide to grow their tulips, from
which speculation thriveds The Western
people spring from poor tillers OF the soil;
they obtained from the soil first comforts,
then comparative wealth, with their little
farms that produce butter and cheese,
corn, barley, wheat, and rye, mutton,
beef, and pork. The y send us the corn
and pork, the two conmonest productions
Of the earth; the corn which sometimes
they do burn as fuel. and the pork, which
is often diseased, and not used by them
selves, ;rtEhey- live on the luxuries; they
have no cotton, and they only raise wool
enough to make their carpets and blank.
etsFheirpurchases from manufacturers
areSsmail; and, though their income is
not large, still it is a surplus over their
expenditures, and is the foundation of
their saving banks and healthy crcula-
tion Of currency. If you see their coun-
try population bringing produce to mar
ket, you ses robust, sleak, though grea
sy people, possessing that appearance
which we conceive of well-to,do farmers
living on the milk and honey eff the land.
The modern Southern planter can hard
ly be called husbandman. To view him
nsethat' section of country in which /
have been g. denizen since the truce
Southwestern Georgia-you see him CON-
ing in town in the summer months, lean
and haggard, after journey from his
plantation, covered with dust or mud as
the case may be, mounted on pony or
o blind mule, only half better fed than
himself; there he goes jogging the poor
beast with his heels, one of which is
armed with 81 monstrous spur to induce
NO livelier gait than will keep up with a
wagon and o two mule team driven by
freedman. Well be is On voyage Of dis
eovery to discover who will furnish him
with corn and bacon, his resources hav-
ing been exhausted In providing the same
bacon and corn, the mules, the manure,
&C., to make a crop; but he has good
stand of cotton and finds the place to get
his present supply BY submitting to the
commission merchants terms. See him
again coming into town in October or
Noyember, now as then, en- the same jade,
but this time at the head of a column of
two wagons, one borrowed and both load
ed bring ging his crop of cotton; there are
ten bales, his all, dependent on the state
of the market; high or low is the ques-
ton to decide whether he will realize a
remuneration for his toll or disappoint-
mont.
Can we learn the lesson, which is plain
enough, from the legend of the fabulous
past, or copy the example of the present
BY emulating the people of the west !?
Grow our own food and till our own land
in such way that our labor will be light,
our provisions will bc heavy; and don't
depend on people abroad for the staff of
life.
CHEERING SIGNs.-Perhaps the best
evidence of the sure and rapid material
progress of the South (sayS the New York