The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-11-16
The War and the Cotton Crop II Folly
OF S0uthefl Planters,

! vogarIcs there is uniformly degree
of good sense in its observations Oh
the practical affairs of every day life
that oomuends thera to tho 3ober con
sideratioM Of all. S,m'e remarks in
its issue Of Tuesday, on tho emburrass
hent of Southern planters and thu
rninous policy That led to it, may, il
our Judgement, be ciAssed under thi.
head. At least. as such, we give them
to our readers with cordial en-.
dorsomcnt, aud the planting oom III uni.
ty may profit by them if it will.
While every week of European war
and business arrangement (says the
Tri'unei budys the hopes OF the
wheat-grower aud sustAins his price,
in the same ratio is cotton depressed.
The declaration of hostilities in July
followed by the amazing vigor of the
Prussian advance apd the collapse OF
the French armies, Has mode It more
certain that thousands and thousands
Of spindlos must cease to run that
millions who had money to buy cloth
last year will have no money this ear.
Navigation became timorous and capi-
tai ovcr-cautious.
"The result is Just what all the
South fcared-cotton hardly over 4
shilling pound in fact, less than
twelve and Il half cents, gold. {, is
now quite we'll ascertaincd thut cot
ton gives no profit worth mentioning
when the prico goes below fifteen
cents. and hone at all when only ten
is the price Of good middling. At the
New Orleans fair, in April, tho cost Of
pound Of cotton was discussed
aud tho conclusion reached that
on the best ullnvil soils, in a
good season, and with close manage
mont, ten cents will made pound.
But on the average upland, md with
the average economy, the planter los cs
who does uot receive fifteen. South.
ern prosperity, which for two yea,s
has gone before all precedent in the
days of the old regime, has received Il
blow the planter is dishcnrtencd ;
the merchants are afruid to buy, and
Southern goods arc gathering dust in
the lofts of Now York warehouses.
"We have again aud again
counseled the cotton growing States
that a devotion such as they have
givcn to a single prodnct, for market
ing which they must look to foreign
countries, is bad economy, and can
result in no lasting and permanent
thrift. A community that lives by
cotton only, or wheat only, or tobacco
or rice, or sugar, will run over q
great surface with low and exhaus.
tive tiilage. Nothing is returned to tho
soil for Drops taken off. Prosperity is
measured by dollars that come over
seas mot by such true tests as tho
condition Of roads, houses bridges,
churches and stock. A foreign market
is precarious market. When it is
good it throws abundance Of spending
monSJ into the planters's pocket, aud
ho scatters it for things that perish
with the using. Ho buys saddlo
horse from Kentucky, carringe in
New York ;his family indulge in ex-
ponsive silks, rare china aud volvet
carpets.
"Then comes crash the morchaut
has advanced several thousands on
crop that hardly pays for picking, and
holds mortgage on the land. E&-
nonscs must be reduced, the old luxu-
ries are partly abandoned, and re-
trenchment throws n gloom over the
family and broods over neigbborhood.
Another yoar the prioes goes up, and
with it the profusion Of living. Thn6
agriculture, Instead of proceeding
with tho wise caln,ness aid grand uni
formity ofnature, becomes spocula- :
tion, almost game. If the planter
becomes gawoster, what wonder
that tho merchant, the lawyer, tho
politician follows III hia wake, aud
tho whole social fabfit is GQnvuse d
by a sudden taleErhm from IondUp.
Cannot odr Southern brethren 80 ],
that compused, Well based; estab,
lishod; tGt Progressive civilization ia
inoonaistSnt with their misplaced con
fldd,ice Id Q single pr6luot aud will
they not take lesson frou tho gloom y
experien6e of this year, aud no longer
prop all thoit hopes on cotton bale
Though tho planter makes only his
living this toar, he IL by no moane
poor. Tho crop Of 1868 and 1868
paid him handsome roturua, and he
can Command tho means Of engaging
10 varied culture and a diversified in:
dustry.
"First Of all, he shou:d arrange TO
produce all tho wheat, all tho corn;
oats. pork aid bocf he consumes: He
should examinn new ,hSihdds and
learn whether biz long, sunny sum:
mers cannot do something moro for
bili titan merely TO open boil OF cot.
ton. Ho oab grdw Ggs and dry them,
he can raise ssoet potatoes in large
quantities; paro and slice them, and
BY drying ID d kiln, give the soldie,
and the sailor and the poor Of oitiea
cheap and nutrious foua. On hi,
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