Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-08-30
The Poverty Of the south-vieus of Hon. 3. r,
Hill,

The Poverty of the south-Views of Hoe. b. r.
Hill.
Hon, D F. Hill, one of the ableat men of the
state Of Georgia, in speaking of the present con-
dition Of the cotton-growing states, says: 1--WE
OF the south are veIg poor. With individual ex-
ceptions We are poor. fear We do not know
how poor We are. am quite confident We do
not imagine how poor we are going to be. As a
people, the agricultural population Of the south
are poorer to-day than they ever have been and
they are getting poorer every day Alb but you
are making good crops this year. Yes, Sod has
mercifully sent good SEASONS on our fertile
soils. Everything we have planted has grown
we'll. The cotton fruits splendidly, too. Well
this is all true. How much will you make this
yearI will answer for you. A large majority
of the planters OF Georgia will be poorer on the
last day Of December next than they were on the
first day Of Janual last There will be individ-
dual exceptions. 1t may be you are better off in
this county than most of our people in other
countries. Wall street will get millions of YOUR
profits. The manufacturers in New England
will get many millions. The corn raisers and
hog growers in the west will get other millions.
The lien merchants around you will get other
millions. The broker and cotton factors and
commission merchants will get still other mill
lions, Guano men, life insurance Companies and
many other artful contTiyanees will get the re-
naming millions Of yonr profits, and the great
majority OF the farmers may go home and be
thankful il they have food aud clothing. and
have settled up their bills and preserved credit
enough 10 go through the per cent. mi another
year.
Without a great change the southern states
are destined TO become 70 many plantation prao-
tically owned hy the northern people, and tue
southern people so many hireling slaves to worl,
them! And in this condition you will reap SCARCE
ly the wages, and not half the respect YOU ac-
corded your former slaves. And yet the very re-
verse OF this fact is within your power. Under
the present policy the next generation Of south
ern people will become the poorest, the most
powerless and the most cCntemptibe of earths
inhabitants. Bat you ask how can this better
destiny be securods | will tell YOU First
Make cotton your surplus crop. In these five
words lie the Samson locks Of your future pow
or. Make your own fertilizers by resting crop
ping, grassing and mP NJ ing your lands. Thus
you become independent OF the guano mer-
chants Raise your own pro sisiona Thus you
become independent OF the provision merchants
Your cheapest and safest line Of transportation
runs from your own fields and hog pena to your
own barns and meat housesl With no debts for
your supplies, you Will need no lcommo latiOn
credits at two per cent. per mJn'b, Thus you
become Independent Of brokerI and cotton fAl-
tors, and lien merchants You can then sell
your cotton to yopr own chosen buyers, and for
your own price, and will get your own money,
None Of these things can a cotton planter do who
plants on credit aud bolrows to buy his pro-
visions But you say the western states can
raise provisions no much cheaper than we can,
that we can mako more money by making cotton
and buying from them. This ia the teaching Of
figures, and greater lie was never taught.
Now, affirm, it is cheaper for you to raise
your own provisions than to have them brought
from the west and given to you at the nearest
depot free Of all cost and charges. How is thisi
In the first place, If we raise Ave millions Of bales
OF cotton, We will get no more money for them
then we would get for half that number. Then.
out Of the same amount realized, you pay for
raising the five millions, just double cost OF pro.
ductions! Half the labor and supplies employed
in raisiug five million bales OF cotton would be
employed in raising supplies without reducing
the value Of the cotton crops one dollar. But
half this labor would raise more than you need
for supplies You could employ much OF it, also,
in enriching your lands, and improving your
property in many ways. Then you would come
to the end Of the year with your Gibbs full of
com, your smoke houses full of meat your fam
iltes full Of smiles, yourselves full of indepen-
dence and your poke full Of money for invest
ment. And how would you invest III In cotton
factories ON tie waterfalls which God runs
through all you country to run epindlss. Tbis
would make you independent Of old England aud
New England Then, also, would YOU mine
your own iron and make your own implements
OF husbandly, and this would make You inda.
pendent of Pennsylvania fouderiez and Mass
achusetts work shops. In word, eyery i'm
proYement would be built up in your own coun-