The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-12-30

Tho south aaa ITS Needs,, ,s.,..
We haue heard o good deal, lStsly
about hard times IN the manufacturing
districts and distress among the unem-
ployed workmen of New York and other
large cities; but how. many Of us know
snythipg of the terrible destitution that
now prevails In Southern agricultural
districts. where bank failures and panics
In the etock market are unknown, and
| the planter who retains the ownership OF
an estate is supposed at any rate to be
in no danger OF starving7 Yet in these
f.rtile regions there is perhaps more tor
rible suffering than III any other part oi
the United States. ">:ive me- the scraps
from your table," writes an educated
Citizen OF Montgomsry; Il nm starv.
ing. Ii Is no exaggeration. The pso.
pie OF certain portions OF Alabama urc
actually in want Of food They ure in
danger of losing the homes in which
they cun no longer support life; aud al.
ready they are moving out Of Tho State,
to seek their fortunes elsewhere. We do
not read that the political situation is
any more vexatious there than it ha.
been for some years past. The people
are willing to work; they do work; but
the end OF long season OF labor in the
cotton fields finds them without a mouth
tu! OF food and without psnny.
Mr. Edward King. WHO has been ira
Yelling through the South. writing u
series OF papers fur Scribner'S lI0ntily,
gives an explanation of this distressing
condition OF things in q letter to the
Tribune The planters huvs unf0rtu
nately trusted too much to cotton. Em-
barrassed by various fnancial difficult
ties, they mortgaged their crops in ad-
vance to buy food for their negroes. II
has been bad year. The caterpillar
has stripped the fields. The yield OF
cotton In some sections is not half the
ave- age; it is not enough to pay the ad
vances on the crop, and leaves nothing
Tor the winter. All the corn, aud flour,
and bacon, oil the clothing aud other
manufactured goods for these exclusive
~ cotton growing districts must br
brought from abroad. There is no
money to pay for them, so the planter
and hls lnborars go cold aud hungry.
I'll! industry III tho Suuth is org .pizrl
upon more provideut system, u crisis
like this will be n frequent occurrence
aud a constant menuce.
! Iher0 are two remedies. One il ia
The hands Of tho Southern people them
selves, and consists in raising with ther
cotton at least moderate supply oi
iood Tor hume consumption. 1t IN mad
ness to 1.-Two year n!ter year ut the mercy
OF money-lenders and caterpiliars The
other Is III our hands, and We should
lose no time III applying it. If the
South coald manufacture it's own oot.
ton, it would have work and wages for
the idle. 10 do this, it needs capital.
! Mills have been established in some
places aud are doing we'll; there nre
| thirteen cotton miils in Alabama, and
nothing but the want of capital pre-
vents their erection at all the oentrea OF
ootton production which ure now suffer
ing most severely for the lack of food.
ln manufacturing enterprise, however,
the South is unable to nuke single
step without help from us. Destitute
aud burdened with debt, it looks to the
North for aid. Any man who will build
u cotton mill in these destitute districts
will do more bencGcent deed than the
founding Ct u hospital or the opening OF
soup kitchen. And it il u CHARITY
which will pay-not the priceless ~.
wards which are reserved for the next
life. but the sordii dividends which fol.
low good bnainess speculation in this.
NeW Yorh Tribune.
ThnEATENkD FAMINE IN INDIA.
Official reports from India are awaken
ing much apprehension in Englund ss
to the contingency of a coming famine
in Bengal. The Viceroy of India has
notified the Indian Government that
Bengal is in danger of calamity Of the
first magnitude; aud tue Duke Of Argyle,
representing the Government, writes to
Lord Northbrook: "I place unreserved
~ in Jonr hands my sanction, by antici
patton, to any measures which, acting
on the spot, and with full Knowledge oi
the facts, you may consider necessary
for the saving of human life" A Cal
cntta correspondent OF the I.oudon
Tines speaks Of "the duty of prevent.
ing death by hunger in population
som ewhat larger and denscr than that oi
ail England and Wales, und on which
population the Government depends 70,
II, 333, 900 of land revenues eyery year,
or El.666, 900 of gross re venue;" aud
adds: "Other 35. .0OU. 900 will be suffer.
ing the scarcity caused by ligh prices.
Only 100000 will produce surplus
food. And this is expected to last
throughout 1874. IT. inlpc1 fhe fa;lpre