Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-04-02
agricultural department.
IOlIBll'
MASTERS OF THE SITUATION.

lorgina.l
MASTERS OF THE SITUATION.
In every section of the cotton growing re-
gion of the South, the farmers are in depress.
ed state ofmind. In large number OF cases,
there is just ground for this depression. Year
after year they toll and labor, and instead OF
increasing the value or amount of their pos
sessions, these are gradually decreasing. The
reasons assigned for this state Of things are
palpable, but false. High taxes, low prices,
righteous legislation, worthless labor, and a
multitude of similar things, are given as the
reason why things are as they are. 1t is not
denied that these things are potent causes to
produce effects which will be felt; but the
effects ought to fall lighter on that class of
citizens who till the ground than on any other
class. This is not the case. The merchants
in many, if not all sections of the South, are
doing large business. They may complain
of hard times and the scarcity Of money; but
still they buy large stocks of goods every sea-
son, and are constantly, during the interval,
ordering fresh supplies. 1t is notorious fact
that many merchants commenced after the
war with only few tin cups and such things,
who are now annually selling thousands of
dollars worth of goods. More goods have
been sold in the South since the war than
were sold in it during the same number Of
years before the war. Any one can see at a
glance that merchants have made more mon
ey. Now they sell for cash, and good profits,
or on short time with enormous profits. Be-
fore the war they sold for no more profits
than they do to-day, and then it was always
one years credit, and frequently for dozen.
Ifhigh taxes, low prices, mean labor and un-
righteous legislation effect any class of society
less than another, that class ought to be the
farmers. They have the whole thing in their
own hands. Instead of being slaves, as they
are to-day, all over the South, and especially
in South Carolina, they hold the position
which enables them to be masters if they
would.
If any one asks why farmers are so much
depressed, we believe we can answer the en-
quiry in few words. Take any single coun-
ty in the State of South Carolina and make
an examination of the real condition of things.
Take York county. 1t will, no doubt, fairly
represent the condition Of the upper and mid
die sections of the State. In York county
the multitude of the inhabitants are engaged
in agricultural pursuits When the expression
agricultural pursuits is used, we must under
stand exactly whatit means. Whatever may
be its import in other sections of the world,
in the South it simply means making cotton
and buying everything else. Thousands and
tens of thousands of bushels of corn are an
nually brought to York county and sold to
the farmers. Corn, bacon and -four are
shipped into the county, not by the sack or
few bushels or few pounds, but by the car
load. Fodder, hay, wheat and rye straw,
oats, and, in one word, everything that man
or beast needs to support life, is shipped to
us in large quantities. Merchandising and
selling family groceries are words of similar
import. Three,fourths Of the cotton crop is
expended in corn, bacon, -four, oats and hay,
and the other fourth in clothing If this
proportion is not absolutely correct, it is cor
rect to say that the whole proceeds Of the
cotton crop, in the majority of cases, is ex-
pended in procuring supplies 1t is humilia'
ting to mention these facts, but they are facts,
and sufficiently account for the hard times
and scarcity of money with farmers. A few
farmers are making money fast, but they make
their own corn and bacon, and invest the pro-
ceeds of their cotton crop in Improvements.
Without any pretentions to prophetic knowl-
edge, we predict that so long as the farmers
of the South do as they are doing, the
times will be hard. Money and bread will
be scarce, and those who should be masters of
the circumstances will continue to be but
little better than slaves. Nothing will save
the South but freedom from the CALLING chains
of cotton. 1t is now demonstrated that cot
ton is a king, but one that makes all his SUBJ
iects poor. If something isnot done to free
our farmers from that delusion, in few years,
many of them will be so poor that they will
not be able to raise cotton only on kind Of
lien plan. This no man can safely do. It
would imnoyerish KING