The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-10-29
OF A COT.
TON bale.
In Two Chapters.
CHAPTER l.


between the farmer and 4 neighbor, tina
| the land on which l was raised, wa
mortgaged 10 a Baltinore firm, who hat
iurnighed fertilizers for the sell, and ais,
the Raleigh merchant who had sold sup
| plies of Western ,rn and bacon tor The
support of the field hands and also north
ern hay and oats for the mules. The far
mer complained that necessity had fore
ed him tO pay very high rate OF interest
| for the use Of the capital invested In The
above mentioned fertilizers and farm
supplies, and that he hal in addition tc
pay very heavy fee for drawing and re
eording the mortgage securing the com
Il lssion merchants.
l noticed that the mules on the farm
we're poorly ted, and as they passed the
lot gate they nipped few punches Of
! Iuxurant clover which had sprung up
from the seeds dropped out of the north
ern hay. The farmer said, as the mules
passed on, Il would sow an acre in
clover, but need all my best land for
cotton"
| have nothing very remarkable to tell
you concerning my youthful days. l
observed the hands employed in the field
were poorly clad. Most of them Wore
coarse, cheap, northern made clothes,
shoes and hats, and from their rude talk
found that they had very little education.
The wives and children OF these farm
laborers frequently came to the field, and
[ saw that the women wore north
ern calico dresses, and that the children
were growing up in Ignorance.
After being picked AMI packed, | was
taken to Raleigh The commission mer
chant said to the farmer: ''CottOn is fiat
to-day, but we expect it will go up soon. J"
The farmer sighed and replied: ''Well. )"
[ guess went into Il large brick store,
and accidently heard the merchant say
to his clerk, ENSURE this bale Of cotton
and charge Mr.. A with insurance
and storage" | remained shut up for
some time. when the farmer came one
LAY and the merchant said to him
Cotton is no better, and am compelled
10 have some money. L will ship your
bale to Baltimore and do the best | can
with it 4 dray soon came up, and as
I was hoisted into it the merchant said
Have this bale insured and directed to
w. & A., Baltimore. They will pay the
freight and insurance.
/ was hurried over the railroad to Nor
folk, and thence by steamer TO Baltimore.
[ was then stored for some time, when i
was sold to an agent of Rhode Island
manufacturer As passed out l heard
the merchant calculating how much was
due him as storage and commission on my
sale. NV purchaser WAS also busy in
getting out his Insurance on me, and ma
king arrangements TO pay freight on me to
Rhode Island.
Nothing occurred Oh the route to my
destination worthy of remark. When |
arrived at the factory | found several
friends raised in North Carolina. L
noticed the men and women seemed cheer
full. but none of them Wore southern
mad, shoes, southern made boots or
southern made clothes, 81 ate southern
bacon. The dray horses were well Kept,
but did not eat southern hay or oats. The
owner of the factory, they said, was very
rich. and m tde his fortune manuractur-
inc cotton cloth for the New 1ork mar
ket.
| was hurried through the factory, aud
came out bolt of nice. smooth cloth.
WAS hurried into bale OF cloth tor a
New York wholesale house, und as i
went out oyefh heard conversation by the
ovner Of the mill He said he was renl-
izinn handsome profits from the factory,
and bpsides he w1s giving employment to
a hundred families, and WIS one a. the
largest tax payer OF the State.
I then went-to New York to the estib
lsh. of one OF the merchant princes,
and was delighted 70 hear him tell
:, clerk send this bale To Mes>rS. Tuck
or. at r iieigh." As had passed over
the route bel lore it was not new TO me,
and | arrived, safelyin Raleigh in less tan
/. week. By chance l VS. pat on the
bottom of large pile Of cloth, and hay
ing nothing to DO, entered into j caicu-
luton. 1t was as follows:
7 have changed hands often. First the
Raleigh merchant realized the profit and
storage. Then the Insurance. agent.
Then the railroads got their freight.
rhen the Baltimore merchant got bis
storage and commissions. heh the
northern insurance agent get his per cent.
Then the manufacturer got his profits.
The New York wholesale merchant got
his per cent. Then the railroads and
steamers rot their return trelshts, and
the insurance man got another per cent
Messrs. Tucker must have per cent.
and
Here the clerk reached down and pull
ed me cut witt jerk, and 10 aad behe'd
nv old master, the man who raised me.
md said he would take me, that ne
wanted some ,norrard' honesrnH,
and | was bundled up, AMI am nov at
nv old home in Wake, expecting shortly
q be cut M.
CHAPTER IL.
/ believe that when Mr. fuckers clerk
,rfke the thread OF my discourse, l was
making a calculation. | had told how
he following persons realized profits on
ne:
+ The Raleigh cotton factor.
}. The railroads and steam lines.
). The insurance agents
1 The Baltimore merchant.
). The northern railroads.
3. The northern insurance companies.
Z. The manufactures.
;. The wholesale merchant
3. The railroads on return freight.
10. The insurance men on return risks.
IL. The retail dealer.
The parties all show deep interest in
me and | wish to say that entertain no
unkind feelings toward any of them.
The profits they realized from me were
Legitimate and proper. But feel very
kindly for the man who raised me, and /
when I considered that he paid all these
profits, added to the origi- I.
nal cost, l did not wonder that he dressed (
poorly, and was hard pressed to support
bis family. have travelled around and
listened to calculating men talk, and |
intend to whisper a word to him through
the Crescent" What | want to