The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-01-05

In pausing on the threshold Of another
year, planters and farmers will instinct
lively look to the past and draw lesson;
of wisdom and profit from it. We regret
that they cannot congratulate themselves
upon an improved condition of their ma
terial interests. The earth has given It's
increase under the fructifying influences OF
alternate rain and sunshine; and pesti-
lence has not spread its shadow over their
land. Still, they are ali embarking into
the untrled realities Of another year OF
hopeful toll but uncertain result, with the
painful sense Of pleasant anticipations
brought to bitter disappointment.
The cotton crop of Mississippi the pres
ent year will bring in money thirty
millions of dollars less than the previous
crop. But this is not the worst There
has been great and appalling reduction
in the production of the various items
that make up the provision crop. We
have no means of estimating the falling
off in corn, but all accounts chow that it
has been very considerable And the
same conclusion is justified as 10 meat.
The planters are brought face to face with
these facts in connection with the bal
ances which will remain over against
them, or their employees, in settling with
the merchants.
Nevertheless, the sGpg road Of another
year of privation and ,hs.ress. and in
many instances inadequate supply of cub
sistence for man and beast, must be tray
elled. Besides, the exactions of Ire
swarms of tax-gatherers that infect the
State, must be satisfied. They can no
more be postponed than the memorable
sentence of the great conqueror, death
himself. The taxes have been doubled
and tripled, quadrupled and quintupled,
at the very moment the impoverishment
of the people demanded their reduction
for humanity's sake; and the greedy cor
morants must be fed and pampered
though all else perish.
In this scene Of wrecked hopes and
want and misery, there is no pleasant OBJ
ject for the eye to rest upon, nor any
thing to impart single sensation of
pleasure, except the faith that, as the
fortune of life is made up with vicissitudes
OF storm and sunshine, the sunlight Of
brighter day will. ere long, burst upon
the prospect.
Merchants and farmers have both
learned much by the lessons OF the past
season. The custom of unlimited credit
on the pledge of crops, or on the basis Of
last years prices, have done much to-
wards producing the present embarrass-
ment. The trader who, for the sake OF
large profits, opened an account with ig
norant and inexperienced freedmen,
destroyed the control Of the employer over
his laborers, and encouraged the creation
of debts which will never be paid. This
is a bad custom which ought to be re-
formed. We speak of general results,
not Of exceptional cases. The planter
who stakes his years labor and expendi-
lures on producing the single article of
cotton to the neglect of all other products,
is liable to lose all The present season
is an example. In this connection, We
may appropriately introduce the reply of
a practical writer to the universal COM
plant that labor is scarce. Much has
been said about the scarcity of labor in
the South. but is it not q significant fact
that the labor now among us makes more
cotton than it will SAGE? The truth is, la
Dor is scarce for but one thing though n
that relatively affecting all labor We
have enough labor tor corn, grain. fruit,
stock, etc. In a few words, we have
enough for sowing, and enough for reap
ing, except gathering cotton. We have
the fact staring us in the face, in most of
the cotton regions, that the planters have
one-fourth more cotton than they will
gather, and one-fourth less corn and
meat than they need. Had they planted
one-third less cotton, and one-fourth more
grain than they did last spring, they would
have no scarcity of laborers to gather this
cotton, they would have got SOC. per
pound for it, or over one hundred million
dollars more than they will get for it, and
they would have had TO spend no part of
this for corn. In brief, we are rushing
for four millions of bales, at 10c. per
pound, rather than make three million at
zoe. per pound, and have corn at soc.
per bushel Hundreds of planters are
giving 81 so per 100 lbs. for picking out
cotton, and many will not gather half
their crops. All this demoralizes labor.
1t pays high price on work, renders the
negro Indifferent to steady employment,
when two days work will support him for
a week, and drains the South of all the
profits belonging to her production and
climate"
The Radical party, as represented by
the Grant Administration, illustrated its
policy on the great question of Amnesty
and burial of dead issues and quarrels, in
the Missouri election. 1t took ground
against the Liberal boilers, and in favor
Of the Proscriptionists. In his mastery
.neech in the L :. Senate on this topic.