The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-02

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cur young men were called to the Aeld.of
mortal combat, It seemed almost like AN
interposition OF Divine Proyideneesthht.
inventors were endowed with Sspf ffctent
mechanical skill tosconstruct implements
with which horses could performs The u.
bor Of the absent Son or father, WHO had
gone to defend his country aud 40 fight
for his wife and children. Nov. che; ;iu-1
firm aud the invalid, the lame aud The
lazy, who could never plough the fields,
harvest the gain. or make the hay lot a
small farm, can ride to plough the land, !
ride when putting in therseed, ride when
scattering their fertilizers, Tids when
oultivating. their. growing Drop, ride.
when moving or, harvesting, ride when
raking. and ride ih an easy seat and acl
oomplish more hard work in one hour,
than could be done in ten few years
ago, even by laboring with all the might
OF q strong man. ThaSd facts afrosd
proof so conclusive OF the advantages of
labor-saving machinery compared With.
the old method of human labor With
hand implements, that further argument
in this connection would be euperdu6hs.
But the question arises. does the labor
saving machinery which has wrought
such wonderful and happy results in;
Northern agriculturs. and which so
clearly fortells the ultimate glorious tri-
umph OF mind over matter. apply to
Southern labor and produets2 Both rea-
son and experience respond that It does,
so far as those products are concerned
which are common to the South as well
as the North, viz: The cereals, grasses.
fruits, &o. and even greater good is des-
tined to grow out from the general in
PRODUCTION OF labor-Raving machinery
adapted to these products in the South
than has already been realized at the
North. In the a.st place. her farms and
fields are not 80 contracted. as is gene
rally the case at the North, affording a
broader area for their operation; second
"; they will enable each farmer to pro.
duce sufaciency Of their Indispensable
products for home consumption. at least,
which, unfortunately for the general vel
fare OF the country. is not the case at
present The great "mania" for cotton
raising. which is SO prevalent every
where, with the scarcity of labor, hos
caused them to be nes1eated.
The leading and far-seeihR agrioultur.
1918 OF the south have repeatedly urged
the people to adopt the plan OF diversi-
requisite to future independence and
prosperity. but as yet to little or no avail.
Labor-saVing machinery Is necessarily
bound to effect, by actual facts and re I.
salts. that which precept has thus far
failed to accomplish. The modus ope-
randi by which this all.important re-
formation is to be brought about, We
propose nov. to consider. We find that
ho inv =.
has not ignored the demands for i'm.
proved implements bearing upon the
produotion'of OF that most potent Of South
ern staples cotton, but has produced
tabor-saying machinery we'll adapted to
every >procesy connected with it, from
the preparation for and the planting OF
the seed to It's shipment into market, ex-
cept that 81 picking or gathering from
the field, At this point nature seems to
have sent forth her ediot, "Thus far aud
no farther shalt thou. go;". ".and although
many attempts have been made to SUBJ
stitute mechanical for human labor in
the performance OF this most tedious and
!aborious task, so for as We are able to
learn, little or nothing has been accom-
plished towards the attainment Of the
desired end; nor can We conceive how
"hy AAnouIuo, euoIb Oi one possessing
every known mechanical movement, with
the addition Of brains and eyes, can be
CONSTRUCTED to materially facilitate this
work. Under the old regime Of hand
implements, it was estimated that q la
borer could produce as much or more
cotton than he could gather. Now, il
By the MD of labor-saving machinery he
is enabled in one.fourth of the time to
produce as much cotton as he can gather,
the remaining threo-fourths may be de-
voted to the production of those crops
most essential to the comfort Of both man
and beast, which will consequently enable
the farmer to keep the proceeds Of his
undiminished cotton crop at home. Thus
it is, We think, that the general intro
duction Of labor-saving machinery in the
South will prove of most inestimable ad-
vantage; it will necessarily enforce di-
yersified industry and afford opportunity
for the Development of her many but
now latent resources. In the Southern
States tho introduction of lahor-saving
machinery has been slow, nor is it mat
ter of surprise that such has been the
case, when We contemplate tho great
clouds of depression and gloom which.
pervaded the minds of Southern agri-