The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-09-21
Agricultural
Southern Cotton Factories.

Ell. Furn,er Here comes load of cot
ton to the station, and out marches our
smart factory agent to buy it, aud addresses
him of the cotton thusly:
my friend, before you sell that cotton
here for low price, and take the greater
part of it in trade, just let me tell you'what
YOU farmers are going. Cotton in New
York is worth twenty-one cents, here 1t only
brings seventeen; that is four cents pound:
from here to New York for freight. stealage,
ETC., you know: Now, again, liz. Nsw York
brown. sBectings and shirtings are twelve
andia half; here twenty-five and anu
half, which is ten cents difference on the
yard Nov it takes two aud la'f yards to-
weigh pound, which is twenty-five cents
per pound for manufacturing and bringing
back, added to the four cents makes tweLti;-
nine cents per pound which you Soutie
farmers pay to have your cotton made into
cloth, which only lacks five cents of being
double first cost of material. What do you
think Of that? Now, our factory will give
you twenty cents for your cottou, in cash,
and sell you sheetings and shirtlngs at nj
teen cents, which gives us seventeen and a
Lalf cents per pound for freight and manu-
featuring, and is direct gain. to you. of
eleven and half cents on raw material, be.
sides keeping: all that money at home to
build up the country and. double up the val
ue of the property several times over. Now
YOU didn't know how quick it could be fig
ured out before, and how much you South
orn farmers are losing every year by sending
vour cotton, North, and buying it back again,
did your"
"Well, Captain didn't Know exactly
how it was, for l cant figure as fast as you
can, but l knew all the time it was some
how that way, and it's mighty bad, but we
famers can't help ourselves; at least | can't.
I'd like mighty well to have the money and.
the.cheap goods, but we must have some
thing besides domestics-something to live
ON. This cotton was sold to Smith Il Brown
here before the seed was in the ground, and
that TWENTY-FIVE half domestics has been.
bought, and this cotton is going to pay Tor
it and the rest. You see had to get some
body to back me in crop, and | will have
a;to do again Now, Captain, as you have
been so good as to figure for me, though L
can't talk like you, may be can tell you
something you didn't think about, and give
YOU a hint that may be useful to both Of us.
I'VE; all heard YOU fellows had started fac
tory. and we would like to sell you our cot
ton. but we can't Most of our. cotton Is
bound for debt. You may buy what loose
cotton there is in the cou try and make 1t
up, but then you can't sell it here, for you
sec how it is, we're in debt to the country
merchants, they go to the Northern whole
sale merchants, aud they are in with the
Northern factories; and so the ring is closed
and we cant; get out in but one way. Now
mark we. you fellows just set up store mere
against Smith & Brown, and furnish us iel-
lows with what we are obliged to have, and
we'll let you have the last pound of cotton
we can make, and glad to do it; and that's
the only way you can get it, for our hands
are tied now certain, aud you must unite
them for us"
MY friends of Southern enterprise, there
is the secret; there is the place to open the
ring; there is the solution of the riddle the
cutting of the Gordian knot Of bondage
that has so long enslaved our land. Don't
waste your time in figures and arguments.
You are talking to slaves. Free their hands
first, then they will help themselves. Don't
try to buy cotton for cash. Take your cash
and buy Northern goods aud Western pro
visions, and advance them to the farmer and
he will gladly let you have all the cotton you
want. "tight the devil with fire" until You
drive him off, Do not complain of want
of patriotism in the country, but act-act
wise.y. Get in the RUG, get ON the track.
Begin at the beginning. Start right and
YOU will succeed.-F W. Vesey m Southern