The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-02-26
.HOYT HIll II &. co. ;, Proprie tors.
right of q, freeman, to affiliate with any party


that will best carry out his principles.
.Sixth---Ours being peculiarly farmers IN
stitution, we cannot admit all to our ranks
Many are excluded by the nature of our or,
ganization, not because they are protessl92na O.
men. or artisans, or laborers, but because ,hey
have not sufficient direct interest in tiling OF
pasturing the soil. They may have some In
tereat in conflict with our purpose. But we
appeal to all good citizens for their cordial CO.
operation to assist in our efforts toward reform
that we may eventually remove from our midst
the last vestige of tyranny and corruption
We hail the general desire for frat rnal harmo'
ny, equitable compromise, and earnest co.
operation as an omen Of our future sue
cess.
seventh-It shall be an abiding principle
with US to relieve any of our oppressed and
suffering brotherhood by any means at onl
command. Last, but not least, we proclaim II
among our purposes to inculcate proper ap'
probation of the abilities and sphere of woman,
as is indicated by admitting her to membership
and position in our order.
Imploring the continued assistance of our
Divine Master to guide us in our work, we here
pledge ourselves to faithful and harmonious
labor for all future time; to return by our
united efforts to the wisdom, justice, fraternity
and political purity Of our forefathers l.-
a. MEMORIAL TO TIE PATRONS oFIHUsBANDRY
s.I I'm THE SOUTHERN STATES
During the past seven years our cotton fields
have added to the wealth of the world two
thousands millions of dollars, and caused pros
perity to smile upon every one who has ham
died our crops, save those who struggled for its
production. Annually, the energies of the
cotton planter have been exhausted in attemp-
ting to produce maximum crop of single
staple, while quite as frequently he has reduced
his means in supplying bis necessary wants.
A system based upon such policy and pro-
ducings such results must be radically wrong,
and if persisted in will lead to bankruptcy and
ruin. No people can ever become prosperous
who are not selfsustaining.
Our fertile soil, exhaustless mineral wealth,
abundant water power, and general salubrious
climate avails Us nothing If annually we ex-
pend millions for subsistence. 1t is generally
conceded that homegrown bread is cheaper
than purchased supplies, and the observation OF
every planter is that those Southern farmers
who live within themselves are more jndepen-
dent and less incumbered with debt than those
who have relied solely upon the cotton crop.
Were it otherwise, it is hazardous for any peo-
pie to rely upon others for supply OF those
articles which are necessary for their daily con-
sumption.
It then refers to famine, which more than
once has occurred in India, owing to the efforts
of the people to grow cotton to the exclusion
of breadstnffs, and adds: During the past year
portions of Iowa, Minnesota and Dakota have
been invaded by grasshoppers, which destroyed
every vestige of vegetation. Imagine your
condition should similar invasion become
general in the northwest. Couple with this the
idea of the total failure of the cotton crop,
either from the worm, drought, or any other
unavoidable cause. Improbable as such vista
tions may appear, have we the power to pre-
vent them, and is it wise to subject ourselves
to the possibility of becoming the victims OF
such calamities? Our wisest and safest policy
is. as far as practicable, to produce at home our
necessary supplies. Is there a farm in the
South upon which this cannot be done, and at
the same time produce an average cotton crop
as the net result of the farmers annual Ia
bor? >,
We believe there is not annually four mill
lions of bales of cotton produced upon South
ern soil, but what proportion OF this vast
amount is returned. To indicate our prosperi-
ty, one-half of it is expended for necessary sup
plies, while the remainder is divided between
labor and taxes. Hence the cost of production
has exceeded the value of the article produced.
Shall this policy continue? Extensive cotton
crops have evinced our unity of purpose and
entailed poverty upon us; an equally uniform
adhesion to mixed husbandry would secure our
recuperation. Cotton is necessity, and the
extent of that necessity can be calculated with
exactness. If three millions five hundred
thousand bales are grown, they will be con-
sumed before another crop can be gathered,
and q remunerative market price will be sus-
tanned by the consequent demand; if four
millions i've hundred thousand bales are grown,
the large marginal excess will control and de-
press the market. The alternatives for success
are numerous, but we need only rely upon the
single one of cooperating in the determination
TO subsist at home. With this end attained
there is no reason why we should not be the
happiest, most independent, and prosperous
people on earth.