The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-17
The Planting Interest OF the seaboard

Weprint, in another partof to-day's paper,
some extracts from our exchanges, bearing
upon the planting interest, which are worthy
the serious attention of every man in the
South whose welfare, directly or indirectly,
hinges upon the success OF the planters.
The picture presented by the correspondent
of the Chicago Tribune, though a little over
drawn, perhaps, in some particulars, is, it
must be admitted, strikingly true in its lead
ing features; and we wish We could believe
that it applies only to the teeming Valley
of the Mississippi, which seems to have been
the region from which this shrewd and OBJ
servant writer has chiefly derived his i'm
pressions.
The PROSTATE condition to which the plant
ing interest of the seaboard of South Caro-
lima is reduced at this time, is due in great
measure to the very system, the rottenness
of which is so forcibly set forth in the letter
we have quoted. 1t is folly to shut our eyes
to the present state Of affairs on that once
lovely belt OF seq islands, which were wont,
in by-gone times, to pour their easy opulence
into the lap OF Charleston. The European
war, and the consequent low price Of the sta
pie, have given the coup-de-grace to an agri-
culture already badly crippled by succession
ofunfavorable seasons, by the visits OF the
caterpillar and by the abnormal condition OF
the only available labor. The large majori-
ty of the sea island planters, including many
of unquestioned skill, energy and industry,
have failed to make their expenses during the
year just ended. And, however willing they
might be to tempt fortune once more, in the
hope OF better luck next season, it is certain
that among the factors who, for the time
at least, have to carry the burden of last
years failure, there is very widespread in-
disposition to face tile risks of the year upon
which we are entering. We are assured by
those who ought to know that the acreage
OF sea island lands that will be regularly
planted this year promises to be less than
Aalf that planted last year, owing to the
great difficulty in obtaining the needful adj
vances. And, indeed, the falling off would
be even more appalling, were it not that
factors, in many cases, are reluctantly as
sumng new risks in the hope of making
good the losses already incurred. The gist
of the matter is that planting, hereabouts,
instead OF being, as it is everywhere else un-
der the sun, the most solid, the most indie
pendent and the safest OF human occupa-
tions, hasbecome gigantic game Of chance,
fraught with risks and ruin to oil who are in
any way connected with it.
The root of the evil it is easy to see, lies
in the nabitual abuse of the credit system;
and the remedy, if remedy there be, con-
sists in the prompt dscOntinnance OF that
system. The sooner the planters OF the sea-
board begin practically to recognize the fact
of their poverty and its obligations, the
sooner may they hope to see the edice OF their
reconstructed fortunes begin to rise upon
solid and enduring foundation. The rich
soil upon which they dwell will afford them,
with little labor, the staff OF life in abun-
dance. Let them provide, first, for the GER
tain support Of themselves and their fami-
lies, and only devote the surplus OF their
energy and means to the culture Of cotton.
From small beginnings, cautiously under
taken and carried out without undue risks,
as without the hope OF large profits, they
may year by year, enlarge their operations,
and, asking no mans favors, they may ulti-
mately make the sea islands once more what
they were in their palmy days-the garden
spot of the American Continent.