National Republican., 1873-09-24
THE SOUTHERN PROBLEM.

\ correspondent of the Wilmington On. c.
Journal gives the following statement re-
garding the cotton crop Of the year ending
September 1. 1875
The total crop amounts to 1890, ,50S bales, Of
which there was Manufactured At the south
i3T, ,662 bales, leaving the balance disposed OF
for cash As follows: TO spinrers and manufac-
turcrs In the United states, ,063, ,<65 bales; ex
ported to all points out Of the United states states.
each. Putting the average price at fifteen cents
fSc,uTcrs fac e ~ sss, sssac; from Northern manIiac-
turers, sI4,0l9,i6I; from foreign buyers, $751;
T2I,s65.s0-making total OF tlIo.s2s, sot. .so-and
there remains on hand balance (Which may
also be considered as containing the balance
brought from lsI2) OF ", $50 bales much OF which
Is very inferior stock"
The correspondent then proceeds TO submit
the following pertinent questions:
"what have the cotton States done with all
this money! f2IO,32S ,s04.s0.
"What has become OF the 81, 600, 900 which fell
to the share OF North Carollna7"
This statement and tho accompanying ques-
tions have aroused considerable discussion
in the State, particularly regarding the pol
Icy of dcvotlng more land to the cultivation
OF grain aud other agricultural necessities.
The advocates Of the latter proposition claim
that "had We raised the whole or q consider
able part of our provisions last year, VIC
should have money to loan" The Journal
replies to this theory by an attempt to show
that North Carolina docs raise nsiderable
portion of her broadstufs. The facts, how
ever, as developed by the census, conclusivcly
prove that the 463, i35 sheep and 1,075, ,2l5
hogs arc unprovlded with any kind OF pro-
visions except that which, In the language Of
the Journal "thcy make for themselves"
All these facts show that while the mate
rial prosperity of the South is assured, so far
rs the staple of the cotton States Is con-
ccrncd, there is something wanting some
where to make the business Of agriculture
as successful Us 1t should be. 1t requires no
especial wisdom or power Of divination to
discover what that something Is; and whGn
discovered It Is found to be closely connected
with tho habits and customs, both Of social
aud business life, which prevailed in the
South before tho war. Among the influences
most pcrnlciously cNertcd by those habits
aud customs was one which encouraged
every farmer or planter 10 extend the area Of
his real estate. In other words, II was the
ambition of landowners TO so enlarge
their acreage Us 10 become noted In their
countryside US the largest planters. To do
this they incurred the expense OF addi-
tlonal taxation. Since the close of the war
they have not recovered from the baneful
effects of that influence. They have hung
tcnaclously to the empty reputation of ex-.
tensiNe PROFESSIONALLY, although they must
have known that to maintain 1t they are
compelled TO pay taxes on hun drcds, and In
many instances thousands, OF acres of un-
productive soil. At the same time their
crippled resources and the disturbed condl-
tion Of labor prevented them from culti-
waiting so large an acreage as they did before
tho war, while the amount drained from
them In the way of taxation was not reduced,
but In majority Of cases was In fact in
creased.
But the most banoful relic of ante Jcliuut
time, :, handed down TO the era Of peace and
freedom, was and Is the general IMPROVE
dcnce Of the Interested communities. Ac-
customed TO lavish expenditures for meagre
luxuries, they found themselves tempted at
the end of the rebellion by an array OF Yam
kce notions, supcrluities Of all kinds, and
novelties In the way Of manufactures, and
Of the existence of which they never would
have dreamed II the war had not opened up
the section to the markets OF the North. |
'"'o u lhllONtu tuat "hoiO uBii
cultural machinery had been unknown, and |
implements Of the crudest kind were In COM
mon use, the Inventions OF the manufactur-
ing NORTH were offered for sale, and found
ready purchasers among men who had no
hpprcclatloh ol their value or practical |
knowledge OF their use, Tho same may bc
SAID regarding trlnkels gim-cracks and gcw-
saws' ln short, the close Of the war brought
about perfect revolution In tho character
Of mercantile business. The blockade had
cut OF supplies ot all kinds, and had lasted
so long TINT even the sun bonncla worn
by the women Of the Iincy.wood.
and wlro-srass regions wore ..uiit for further b,
use. Tho result was an Influx OF merchan.
tisc, Including wearing apparel, MS well AZ