The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-06
How to supply this deficit is tie question, and
how to supply It with the needed character OF

How to supply this deficit is tie question, and
how to supply it with the needed character or
cotton.
From the census OF 1860 it is ascertaned that
the cotton crop of the United States for the year
1S59-'G0 amounted to five millions one hundred
and nnety-siX thousand nine hundred and iorty-
four bales, OF 400 pounds each. The same crop
freduccd to bales OF 500 pounds each, shows Il
yield for that cotton year OF forty-one hundred
and 1fty.sevcn thousand fivchundred and 1Gty
bales-a larger quantity OF cotton than Is now pro-
duced OH the globe. Since 1861 the largest yield
was that of the past year, amounting to twenty
four hundred and thirty thousand eight hundred
and ninety-three bales of cotton.
There can exist no rational doubt from these
estimates that deficiency impends without
parallel in the history of the cotton trade;
How it is to be supplied is the great social
problem of the day There is no probability
of any additional disturbance in the existing
relations Of demand and supply. l. There is
every prospect Of a permanent general peace.
2. Money is' abundant in Europe. 3. The
grain harvest and potato crop promise
q sutIiciency Of food-thc only other ele-
ment that can interrupt the tranquility
Of traAc. The restoration of the equi-
lbrinm between supply and consumption can
not be effected, to be permanent. by the usual
process of diminished consumption. The de-
rangemcnt ofalI branches of employment de-
pendent on the cotton trade Is an evil OF too
great magnitude to look for the corrective
in another source than the Increase Ct sup
ply Ifthe effect Of a separation Is new dis
tribution Of numbers, bringing the popllia-
ton of a portion of Europe to I'LL the vacuum
produced in the labor market Of the United
States, it should be the office of patriotism by
cooperative effort to present fresh induce
ments TO the people of Germany, Switzerland
and the North of Europe to look on the shores
Of the Southern Atlantic.
PLAN OF RELIEF.
l. We propose. on the snpposltion that the
average quantity of land possessed by planters
is 500 acres, and that 100 acres are under cul-
tivation, that the surplus or excess be SOLO or
leased, by which means that portion OF their
land which remains as dead capital Will re-
Ceivc an active form.
Q. That they make a donation to such imml-
grants as will settle and cultivate the same.
3. That from the proceeds OF the sale OF land
they loan sum sufficient to cultivate the tract
which is donated, at the current rate OF inter-
est, taking mortgage Of the land as security.
4. If the owners prefer to lease, belns
averse to part with the Zee simple, tnac @ they .h
period. until the lessee brings the land into
state of preparation, and that the lease be eX-
tended to ten years to ave the lessecs the or-
portunity of becoming purchasers.
s. That q board of trustees be appointed oy
the agricultural societies in each district, who
shall have the administration and manage
ment of the fund raised by the sale OF the
lands.
G. That 1t be the duty of the trustees to ad-
dress circulars TO the different classes Of Euro
pean emigrants, urging the advantages OF this
scheme OF emigration, and giving such pccllnl-
ary aid to the destitute as would enable them
to reach our shores.
THE REMEDY.
We have now reached that part OF ollr state
mont I'm which it is our design to treat OF the
only remedy or corrective OF the evi! OF de-
ticiency of supply, which threatens the most
serious consequences. There are Two modes
of restoring tile equilibrium which has been so
essentially disturbed between supply anu con-
SUMPTION. |. The reduction OF the consunp-
ton to restore the balance is an idea that cannot
be entertained as involving great injury to the
industrial pursuits both of Great Britain and
the United States. The resources OF the lalter
GDr tho production of cotton are incalclllable.
The test of its ability 10 supply the markets
with this important staple is not its capacity 10
qro,o, but to gather, the plant afler it Is grown
Thousands of bales have been lost nom this
inability, not only from the death OF the slaves;
but their incfliclency as working force, ana
the Withdrawal Of their women and children
from those tasks to which they have been ac-
customed in The picking of cotton.
The succcdaneum is to supply this deficiency
by
IMMIGRATION.
Two modes have been snggcsted-that of
ElIropeau and that of Chinese labor. what
Is desirable in our own circumstances, where
there has been great destruction OF capital, Is
the introduction of that class OF Europeans
who combine some portion of rural Skill with
q share of that store of wealth which their IN
Ill t,n,- na
This description of emigrants will be found
in the classes who possess these habits in the
greatest degree; such as the Germans, the
Swiss, The NOwegians and the allied nations OF
Teutonic and Anglo-SaXon descent The ma
tions of Asiatic origin do not asslmllate Will
those who have pcopled and settled these
shores. They are migratory, and nave the
design in their emigration to return to Their
native home with such part OF their earnings
as they can accumulate.
This plan OF emigration will combine every
advantage that can be expected from schemc
of prrmancnt Improvement. l. The emigrant
if he possess some capital will receive what
would be equivalent TO posscssory lille, or II
he prefers to lease will enjoy quit rent lln-
til lie can bring his lcasch0ld into cultlvatioh.
9. If he prefers the other form OF possession,
that of gift, he will enjoy the benefit OF q loan
on easy terms.
Tie benefit to the proprietor will not be
less obvious. He will bring into active cnl-
poymcnt so much dormant capital which Is
consuming Ills substance. The application OF
the surplus for which he sells his land, sup
posed TO be 400 out of 500 acres, will improve
il by draining and manurlng, which Will add
both to its fertility and salubrity, while It Will
give additional value to those tracts which are
now of very little value.
The apprehension that too much land would
be thrown on the market, and that there
would be more sellers than buyers. would be
removed by placing the authority to sell in
the hands of the trustees, who will be appoint
ed by the agricultural societies throughout the
South, which. by judiclous cooperation, would
give unity to the scheme, and who would over
come the repugnance Of those who prefer TO
remain the poSscssors of barren acres, improv-
ing these tracts, and thus adding to their
health and fertility, with this further collate-
ral advantage, that the European emigrant
will be melted TO emigration under combina-
ton Of motives which have never yet been ad-
dressed to his sclcinterest.
An incidental advantage, not less impor-
tant. would result from this scheme on the
part OF the laboring population, which would
be forced by increased competition to efforts
of greater diligence and activity.
This Is not all. The political aspect OF the
subject Is less important and interesting.
If tic waste lands Of the State arc peopled and
settled by those who have Il permanent inter-
est in the soil-by cmigrants of industrious
habits-a large region will be occupied by
those who will place Its legislative power on
basis of frcspectability, and confer dignity on
, tr,,ct Inctnod of lntrradinr IT,