The Van Buren press., 1874-02-24


cultural disaster2 He has often inter.
posed for our benefit.
What then has averted our anticipated
prosperity Are we not responsible iof
our direful condition, in that we have
neglected too much the growth OF bread
stutrs, and substituted therefor almost
exclusively the cultivation OF cotton
No people can ever become prosperous
who are not self sustaining Our fertile
soil, exhaustess mineral wealth, abun'
dant water power, and genial, salubrlous
climate avail us nothing if annually we
expend millions for subsistence. Ii is
generally conceded that homegrown
bread is cheaper than purchased supplies
and the observation Of every planter Is,
that those Southern farmers who i've
within themselves are more independent
aud less encountered with debt than those
who have relsd solely upor sae cotton
fcrop. Were II otherwise. it's hazai dons
for any people to rely upon others for a
supply of those articles which are neces
sary for their daily consumption
The horrors of famine which have
more than once caused the people OF In
dia in their efforts 10 arow cotton t. the
exclusion of bfeadstuifs, would have beea
repeated in our midst, but that care able
to supply our necessities from the teem-
ing sIanaries OF the Northwest We
shrink from the contemplation OF what
would bc our condition should disaster
deprive US OF that resource During the
past year certain portions OF Iowa, Mn
nrsota and Dakota have been invaded by
the grasshopper, which has swept tbeir
fields like fire and DESTROYED every YES
tigc of vegetation. Imagine your con
di,iun should a similar invasion become
general in the Northwest Couple with
this idea the tolal failure ofa cotton crop
either from the worm, from drought or
any other unavoidable cause, Improbable
rs such yisilations may appear have we
the power to prevent them! And Ia II
wise To snhleet ourselves 10 the possihii
ty Of becoming the victims ot such Ca
la,nitics Depend upon it. ctr wlsest
and safest policy is. rs far rs practicable,
to produce at home our necessary sup
plies, Is there II farm Ia the South upon
which this cannot DO done. aud at the
same time produce an average cotton
crop as the net result OF the farmers an
nual labors? We believe there is not,
and you have only TO practise tins policy
for the year 1874, and harvest time will
proclaim redemption to the South and q
return to the wonted prosperity.
AS our constitution expresses it, the
prosperity of a nation is in proportion
to the value OF its productions. 4" Then
how magnidcently prosperous should be
the cotton States Of this Union. Annu.
ally four millions (4,000, ,000) Of bales OF
cotton arc produced upon Southern soil.
But what proportion OF this vast amount
is rsturned to indicate our prosperity !?
One half of it is expended for necessary
supplies, Wills. the remainder Is divided
between labor and taxes Hence the cost
of production has exceeded tile value OF
the article produced Shall this policy
continue Extensive cotton crops have
eviaced our unity of purpose, and Ell
tailed poverty upon us. An equally uni.
form adhesion To mixed husbandry
would secure our recuperation
Patrons Of the South, do you appre
cate your privileges? Reflect upon
your opportunity to exact tribute Of the
world Cotton is a necessity, and the ex.
tent Of that necessity can he calculated
with cxactness. 1t is equally well known
what proportion OF that necessity must
be supplied by the cotton States of Amer
lea II three millions five hundred thog-
sand (3,5O0 ,0O0) are grown, they will be
consumed before another crop can be
gathered, and remunerativc market
price will he sustained by the consequent
demand. If four millions five hundred
thousand (4,5OO, ,000j bales are grown
the large marginal excess will control
and dcpress the market 1t is not within
the power OF our organization to control
this feature of our condition. Allerna
tives for success are numerous. but we
need rely only upon The single one Of CO
operating in tGe determination to suhsist
ut home With this end attained there
happest, most independent, and prosper
Gus people on earth
d. WYATT AIKEN. 5 G.
Member Tx Com Nat Gr.
w II CHAMBERS,
Master State Grange. Ala.
A. Vaughan, Master, Miss, State
Grange Ben t. War,law, Master. State
Grange. Fla. Jno +. Jones, Master
of State Grange, Ark. II. W l.. Lewis,
Master. State Grange OF La g. j Smith
Master of the State Grange. Ga w
MaswvIi. Master of the 5tare Ura"2r,
Tvnn. Columbus Mills. Master Of the
State Grange Of North Carolina.
AFTERNOON SESSION
The Grange met and spent the after
noon in the consideration of consttu-
lonal amendments
Two amendments in resartl to some
changes in the organization Of State
Oranges were agreed to and viii be rec
commended to the State Changes tor
adoption it requiring two thirds Of the
Oranges TO pass cons itutional amend
mcnt.
Joe Simpson S Adventure With the Baby.
do expect Joe Simpson was the
most bashful man that ever made fool
of himself since MIR poliphars wife