The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1874-10-09
rHE rRRon OF zee SOUTH

THE ERROR or THE SOUTH.
From the address of j. r. Dodge
before the National Agricultural
Congress
"The cotton States have been
especially persistent in disrcgarding
the teachings of statistics and defy
ing the laws Of political economy. =
Every intelligent publicist knows
that certain amount of money, say
a present average of S300,000,0 1000,
may be derived from cotton. If
the average quantity is increased
the price diminishes, and rice ocrsa.
III fluctuations are frequent, the
Spectator or manufacturer, and not
the producer, derives an advantage.
IL you choose to produce five million
bales you obtain 10 cents per pound
and lose money; If you grow but
three, you get 20 cents and obtain
profit. Now, it is better for tho
world, and in series of years better
for the grower, 10 produce regularly
enough to supply the current wants
Of the trade at medium and remu>
uerative price, or as near q regular
supply as possible, for the vicissi-
tndes of the season will inevitably
cause injurious fluctuations despite
the highest efforts of human wisdom
and foresight. AS the uses of cot
ton increase and markets are ex-
tended throughout the world, its
manufacture will be enlarged, and
its culture should obtain correspond
ing enlargement. To overstep the
boundary of current demand and
glut the market may be pleasing to
the speculator, and to the manufac>
turcr so far as he combines specula-
ton With weaving, but it is death to
the grower.
There is much false reasoning on
this matter. A planter may truly
affirm that he obtains $50 per acre
for his cotton and but S25 for his
corn, and he thereupon and there
fore declares that he will plant no
more corn. Let all act upon this
suggestion, and instead of 500 for
the acre of cotton and that of corn
the total return OF the two acres of
cotton will he but $50. A surplus
of corn may be put into meat and
wool and whiskey, or used TO exc
out a scarcity of some kind of forage
for animals, but a surplus of cotton
must wait for the slow grinding of
the mills of the fabricating gods,
usually until disgust at low prices
reduces production correspondingly.
Thus while cotton is and long
will be the leading product, and
the most profitable field crop at
fair prices, its prominence in the list
has kept, and is now keeping, these
States in comparative poverty,
which is as unnecessary as it is in
convenient and injurious. 1t does
not produce money enough to give
wealth to population of nine mil
lions. The other crops, instead of
barely equalling in the aggregate
the receipts from this, should repre-
sent at least four dollars for every
one of cotton. The census record
of production in these States is but
S55S, 100000; the record should be
made to read 81, 800, 900, 000.-
With three-fourths of the people Of
ten States employed in agriculture,
the value of agricultural products
exceeds but little that of the States
Of New York and Pennsylvania |
where only one-fourth are so ems
ployed. The averages for each per-
son employed in agriculture in those |
States are respectively, as deduced
from the census, S677 and S901, |
while those of Georgia and Missis,
sippi are $3.50 and $3.50. For the
ten States average is S267 (; for the
the four populous Middle States $3.50.
Even the States producing cheap |
corn show larger return, the aver
age for one mans labor in the 1--WE
States between the Ohio river and
the lakes being s49s, while the six
sterile Eastern States produce s490
for each farmer. Ii may be the
census is less complete in the cotton
States, but it is undeniable that ag-
ricultural industry makes smaller