The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-11-11

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Delivered before The State AariouJIE.j
tutaiana Meohanioals Society, ,on wednes.
day svshihg. November 0:ni'ol Hna ;'i
GnaahnlassamENf. GnaanassmEN. Or or THE SOCIETY: Since
your tast meeting, the CITY of Columbia
hasd executed 81 deed ,of the premises.
upopt which we held, our first Fair, in
tS9st for the nse Of this Society, so long
as we shall continue to hold thereon at
least one fair, annually. These pre-
misesS Seontaining some thirty acres, were
httfd, up BY the oity, with buildings,
costing $S, goo, and are very suitable for
our purposes, though there has been
and viii be required some further ex-
penditnrs at our hands. The income
OF the Society during the past year de-
rived from the Fair and from other
sources exceeded our ordinary expen-
diture by something over $4,000; and
the Executive Committee have expended
nearly the whole of this balance in i'm
provements upon the buildings ald
grounds: The. report Of the Treasurer,
to be submitted, will give the details Of
these transactions, and it will bo seen
upon its inspection, that to considera-
bic extent our income last year was de-
rived from sources to which we caunot
again have recourse. Their considera-
tion, and the desire to see tho Society
pia6sd upon an assured financial basis,
has induced tho Executive Committee to
prepare report, which vii! be laid he
fore you. suggesting certain changes in
our organization. This report and the
suggestions it makes are respectfully
commended to your consideration. Tho
changes proposed, are the result of the
best Judgment the committee could
bring TO bear upon tho subject Perhaps
better may be devised by the wisdom of
the Society. But the object sought-the
perpetuntion and extension OF the use
fulness OF our association-is of para
mount Importance, and it is feared is not
sufficiently secured by our present or
ganization. It may be that anxiety for
success has made those heretofore en-
trusted with the management of your
affairs too doubtful of tho means at their
disposal; but the committee feel that
they are doing their duty in bringing to
your attention the matters embodied in
their report. It will be for you to take
such action in the premises rs you think
proper.
In re-assembling as body representa-
tive OF the industrial interests of the State,
we have much to congratulate ourselves
upon in the developments of the past
year. Industry and economy are steadi-
~, If slowly, rehabilitating the waste
places of war. Our people-both en-
ployers and employed becoming
more accustomed to their changed rela
tions to each other, and understanding
better the conditions under which thew
are placed. With this use and better
knowledge, there can be no doubt that
our industrial machinery is running with
fewer jerks and jars, and doing it's work
more effectually. The very SUCCESS,
however, with which we have pushed the
industry in which we are chiefly en-
gagged hes brought us face to faoo with
serious difficulty. The cotton crop, in
approaching the number of bales pro
duced before the war, has sunk to q
price scarcely equal to the cost of pro.
duction; and with our small reserved
capital, even one years failure rises to
grave consequence.
That farming as a permanent business
is remunerative, is evident not only from
the fact that capital continues to be en-
ployed in it, but also from the fact that
by far the largest part of every civilized
community finds in it's labors q subsist-
ence at least as ample as that secured by
the same intelligence and industry de.
voted to other pursuits in the same coun-
tries. In our own country another in
ference of no little force may be drawn
IN favor of the comparative profit of ac-
ricnlture, from the well known versatility
OF our population. A people devoted to
the attainment of physical we'll being,
and among whom neither law nor Gus.
tom forbids at any time change of pur-
suit, would scarcely continue to employ
three-fourths of their whole number in
an Improbable calling, These general
considerations go further to establish the
character of the pursuit in which most
of US are engaged, than carefully stated
accounts of profit and loss in individual
cases or in particular years.
The elements with which the farmer
works In making his crops are land, labor
and current cash; and it is upon the ag-
gregate cost of these as compared with
the value of the product that his remu.
neration depends. What relations they
bear to each other in his own case. anl
what notifications looking to larger
profit are practicable, is subject well
worthy the farmers attention ut any
time nnd Of aapaojo1 iptorn,t % 49,,