The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-10-29
Proposed Cooperation of Cotton
Producers.

The attention of Southern Changers,
and all others engaged in the production
of cotton, is asked to the preamble and
resolutions adopted by CAPITAL GRANGE
of this city, in reference to the next
years crop. They propose to take the
matter in hand in time, and to meet the
cooperative movement of Northern and
Western manufacturers to reduce the
consumptions Of the Iaw material in order
to decrease its price, and correspondingIy
to reduce the supply of the manufactured
articles, for the purpose of raising the
price thereof-by an agreement on the
part of the producers to diminish the
acreage in cotton, and proporionatelv 10
increase their provision crops.
1t is assumed in these resolutions that
the price of cotton, like every other com
modify, will be regulated by the inevita-
bic law of supply and demand, and that
an over production of four millions, for
example, will yield no more money than
the supply of what may be actually need
ed-say three millions. The labor that
is thrown away in the cultiva'5a of the
surplus million, common sense would
say, might as well be applied 10 the rais-
ing of such articles as will secure self
sustaining resources and independence to
the producers.
To this end, cooperation among cotton
producers is needed. The desired object
cannot be accomplished without organi-
zation; for although it is in the power of
every farmer to substitute grain or other
crops for one-third or one-half of his pres
ent cotton lands, and may, by go doing,
realize fully as much for all crops at the
end of the year with less labor, and at
the same time add greatly to his domes-
tic comforts and make many improve
ments for which an exclusive cotton crop
allows no opportunity, yet this reduction
of his own cotton crop to one-third or one
half, cannot perceptibly affect the aggre-
gate cotton crop of the whole country,
nor can it affect the price, which depends
mainly on the aggregate crop.
This can only be done by strict organi-
cation, by which every farmer in the
South voluntarily obligates himself to re-
duce the amount of his cotton crop with
in certain prescribed limits Heretofore
this has been considered impracticable,
but the impracticability is due only to the
want of organization. There is certainly
no obvious reasons why it should be more
difficult for intelligent farmers to bind
themselves by common agreement, than
it is for manufacturers or other classes to
enter into such agreements to promote
their common interests. Why may not
the cultivators of the soil combine ard
act together in harmony to promote their
common interests, and protect themselves,
as the representatives of other interests
have done, and are still doing, as we
have seen in the case of the manufactur-
ers of cotton above cited ?
1t is a remarkable fact that, though
the cultivation of the soil is the parent
avocation from which all other pursuits
draw their sustenance, it is the victim of
all others. And while others combine
and move in concert, the farmers have
stood aloof from each other fighting their
battles single-handed, each on his own
hook, striking right and left, in the dark
and always without system or order, and
ofttimes levelng his hardest blows against
his fellow-victim or himself The nature
of the farmers occupation tends to isola-
ton and independent action. But expe-
rience has taught them to conquer these
influences and to seek cooperation. They |
are beginning to profit, ut last, as the |
success al tri> Grange movement has dem
onstrated, by the lesson of the reeds |
in the fable, which separate, could
be easily broken, but united together,
could resist any force that might be
brought to bear against. them.