The farmers' vindicator., 1874-08-14

Fnel % an extreme, ii cannot becom
wruaE. This i good metaphysics an'
@sun4 theningy, or, according to Aris
tasiss Classification, we may term i
snrfaphysical theology. Now, suppos
xg : b h. right TO give our undivided
~meTgy ~ our cotton crop, then We
ssast lny al the aforementioned arti
elea. ~ well ~ a great many othel
tAiazs oct meEtioned, among which
we will mention our fire. wood. 1t be
rsmss cur duty 10 buy this, while per
h4V~ We may have a fine forest at oul
da-sr. upon which we arc paying a
heuxy tax. Some may say, that is not
4 slpp~able case. no man would buy
Ms Ere wond. and pay 10 have it hauled
- him. while he had so much timber
iust realy 10 be converted into fire.
woel l. il not as reasonable, or more
-. D. suppose that man would buy
hts ire-wtod when il would cost him
no small amount of labor TO get it him
aelf. than 10 suppose that he would
buy his meat, his mix, and his butter,
while be has 80 much grass in summer,
and % much cane and mast in winter,
ready 90 be converted into these arti-
eles. without any physical exertion on
his part. But, perhaps, Mr.. Whitfield,
er szme one else, who is a man for all
cotton, may say, "Of course man
should keep some cows Well then,
when he has admitted that a man
keep some cows, and cut some fi,e-
wood. he allows him to take his atten-
ton from his COTTON crop; and, if SO,
he has lost his position. The noise
made about cotton is not against rails
ing cotton, nor against it as a good
marketable product, but against plant
ing cotton TO the exclusion of other
good and necessary crops, and to the
entire neglect of other industries. We
may raise many crops which would not
interfere with our cotton as much as
we suppose, but we are inclined to de-
pend upon our cotton crop too much,
and other crops are neglected. Many
Of our farmers, instead of sowing oats,
and putting in their first planting Of
corn at the time when it should be
done, may be found at the villages or
country stores drinking whisky or swap
ping horses. The greater part Of the
winter is often spent in idleness, or
what is worse, in crime and dissipation,
and the summer in whining about hard
times. But the question will arise with
some, if cotton is not king, why will
people hang to it with such tenacity,
and whence the necessity of so much
being said of cotton versus other crops?
We do not hear people always lectur-
ng against too many radishes, or too
many Gu uumbers. Well, much may
be said in favor of cotton as good
,rop for market, and with those who
ire not convenient to market, it is un-
loubtedly the best market crop that
,an be raised. 1t gives fair yield
rom thin land. 1t is adapted to our
climate and seasons. 1t furnishes work
or the year round, thereby enabling
armer to hire his hands by the year.
There is comparatively little heavy la
'or connected with its cultivation, its
altering, or its manipulation, for mar.
let. 1t is easily handled (two hands
1ill get about, with more ease, with
'ale of cotton than with basket of
'otatoes). 1t may be kept for an in
efinite time with very little care. 1t
epresents a greater money value to
he wagon.load, and costs less in trans
ortatiOn by rail or river, in proper
on to its value, than any crop that
-e can raise. These advantages have
tendency to cause us to over estimate
and to undervalue other crops and
ursuits.
1 agree with the author of Depres-
on, when he says the merchants are (
ot our enemies. Shakespeare's Shy !