Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-04
our COTTON GROWERS.
Why Should They Not Have an Association
Like the Wool Growers.

Gross COUNTY, AhhsY d uAS oA3 lot l.
I made q suggestion in my last letter
concerning a corporation movement
IN secure Temunerative prices for the
nresent cotton crop. My mind has
Since been dwelling much upon the
importanes of this idea. have been
thinking, and thinking with wonder
sDd surprise, and almost with indig-
nation, that there is so little systema-
tiged effort TO secure and protect the
interests of the cotton growers, both
the planters and the labOrers. Here
is one of the great industries of the
world. upon which millions yearly
depend for the material of their neceB-
sarv clothing. The raw product in
our country reckOns its value by hun
dreds of millions of dollars. 1t gives
enployment to vast numbers OF labor
ers- artisans, manufacturers, mer-
chants. bankers and freighters. IL
some great siroceO should sweep over
our cotton fields and the whole crop
be hOpelessly destroyed, who can cal
culate the consequences OF such a
catastOphr9 Millions would cease to
find employment; thousands would
absolutely starVe to death. / hint at
such possibilities for the purpose OF
placing, in strong relief, the
startling fact that this great
interest in our country is now
abandoned almost entirely 10 the
laundering chances of unskillful and
uDinteiligent operations each year for
lie existence. The wool growers have
An Association" The stock growers
hsve different modes of cooperation
TO prOtect their interests and increase
the profits Of their business. The shoe
and leather dealers have constituted
themselves into a power and have 81
guild Of their own in Boston, cover
ing whole squares in their business,
and having q bank, perhaps the
strongest in the country. The mer-
chants everywhere have their EX-
changes sud their Chambers OF Con-
meree. More instances could be given,
but these are sufficient to show how
common and natural il is that any
business or interest should be protect
ed by intelligent co operation among
those concerned in il Where and
when have the cotton growers done
this9 The manufacturers, the buyers,
sellers and speculators take pains to
gather their statistics early and often.
They have their daily bulletins, re.
ports and telegrams. Nothing il
omitted which can save them from
loss or give them q chance to increase
their gains. But the cotton growers
whether planters or labOrers-have
no organized effort to assist in
cultiVating and securing their
crops. or to guard them against
the schemes and plots of spinners
HnN N. II
unavoidable to do anything of the
sort? Such a question easily gets its
negative answer by calling attention
10 the organized efforts by which the
cotton product of India was increased
so that the exports to Great Britain
reached ] ,S47, ,76S bales in 1866, against
an amount in years not very long
preceding which was scarcely taken
into account in reckoning the sources
and probabilities of supply to the
manufacturers. The spinneTs, the
East India Company and even the
British Government united in this
organized effort by which the India
supply was so greatly increased. A
military officer was sent to this cOun-
try, IN 1874, to observe carefully the
method Of our planters, to purchase
seed in large quantities, to employ
skilled cultivatOrs, and obtain q large
number Of our gins. The labOrers
were encouraged by liberal advances;
they were carefully instructed, also,
and every intelligent method was
used to stimulate the cotton growing
interest, until such results have been
reached as ara indicated above. In
our country there has been no
systematic and organized eXertiOn
to promote the cOttOn-grOWing in
terest, vast and important as
ii has become. 1t has been left to in
dividual enterprise or non enterprise.
1t has been like TOpsy-''I 'spect it
has lest grOWed." Ignorant negroes
and mora ignorant OVerseers have con-
trOlled and directed the cultivation of
this crop On many plantations, and
have done it with 50 little skill and
sagacity that a large portion Of the
very soil has been irretrieVably lost in
the old cotton States. That, with all
this caralessness, aWkWardness, ignO'
rance, Wastefulness, want OF cO-OpeTa-
ton and system, our country should
have reached and still maintain so
complete an aSceudancy in cotton pro-
ductiOn is proof conclusive that all
the reduisite conditions exist here
and that we possess advantages which
are absolutely UnTivaled. Yet we
shall certainly lose our ascendaucy
and fail TO reap the benefits which
our natural advantages give US
IL the cotton crop shall continue to be
sacrificed, 80 that the grower receives
no proper remuneration for his labor,
care and expense. In the locality
where ] am acquainted, / know sew
eral faFmers-I prefer to say farmers,
rather than use the more preteDtious
term, planters who are raising on
cotton this year, because they say
they can make nOthing by
il. l also know quite a
number Of labOTers working on shares
who are making only corn because
they lost money last year, although
they raised good crops. Good mid
ding cotton, in many instances last
year, was returned as having been
sold 50 as TO net only eight cents.
With a soil and climate favorable for
fae growth OF almost all the cereals,
fruits and vegetables it will be i'm
possible TO force farmers and lsborers
10 continue the cultivation of cotton
What shall be done? / do not pre-
sume TO say. l only say that this is
a matter Of 50 much importance that
it demands prompt and thoughtful
attention. "Let US have a cOnven-
tiOn," says some one. beg pardon.
L do not see the grand results which
have been expected from conventions.
There is always a good deal of figur-
ing TO secure appointments to such
conventions. There are many pro-
fessionsl convention-gOers who are
more eager to be seen and make them
selves heard than they are TO advance
she objects for which conventions are
called. There is too much cOnViyi-
aIity-tOO much attention to pri-
Vate business which free passes
or half fare give a fine
opportunity TO attend 20. Having
been present at several conventions,
and carefully watched their maneu-
yres and proceedings, i confess TO a
prejudice and disgust concerning
them. What would be better, it
seems to me, would be for few prac-
tical minds to take hold of this sub
ject and carefully elaborate some plan
or plans by which something bene- |
hcial could be accomplished in the di- |
rectiOn which / have indicated. If /
some gentleman like Major Sykes
would take hold of il In earnest. 1 |
should expect TO see something ac-
cOmpIished. know the Major will |
pardon me for the liberty ana taking |
IA using him as an eXemplar. do
not expect him to leave the great en-
terprises which now engage his at |
tention, but could not think Of any
reader way of Indicating what 1
meant than by mentioning his name.
/ have written under difficulties. l
have been perfectly overwhelmed and