New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-25
SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

An exaggerated idea of the laws OF sup
ply and demand leads the advocates o
exclusive white labor into strange specu
lations. When the colored laborers ar
banished from the fields and from tn
State, there will be such an increased de
mand for white labor as to make it highl.
remunerative. The production of cotton
it is admitted, will fall of, but that is tt
be more than compensated by an advance
in price.
This supposes that all the cotton lands
in the world are not only within the limits
of this State, but in the possession of q
body of men unanimously in favor of this
starving out process. That no one else il
the world would ever be attracted hither,
tempted by the increased profits Of cot.
ton growing, or that neighboring cotton
States would not readily supply the de-
fciency occasioned by our quarreling
with our own bread and butter. The
whole cotton crop of this State is too linn
tied in quantity to have any perceptible
effect on the markets of the world, and
we doubt whether the entire destruc-
ton of every plantation in it would
ever be known in Manchester. Besides,
not quite one-ffth of our arabic lands are
under cultivation, and hence our present
product falls that much short of the capac
ity of the State Herein we see the oft
reiterated idea of the short troopers that
the South can realize as much money from
three million bales as from four, and they
triumphantly cite figures to prove their
position. But we have never yet been
shown how to secure a succession OF short
crops. As soon as there is substantial
rise, as in 1861 and subsequent years, pro-
duction is stimulated throughout the
world. The East India growth now
amounts to one-third the entire consump-
ton of the world. 1t was insignificant
before cultivation in the United States
was interrupted by the war. But We need
not enlarge upon this subject. We allude
to it at this time, not so much for the pur-
pose Of exposing its absurdities, as to
show what kind of thinkers are again
offering their advice to the people setting
themselves up as leaders, and trying to
peddle out their stupidity in such a
thrifty manner as to make living out Of
it.
The enlightened men Of Europe and
America have made sacrifices to cheaper
the cost Of raising all kinds of agricul-
tural products. Even in the South the
best craftsmanship acquiesces in these
measures.
In nearly every State in the Union large
sums of money are annually expended to
stimulate immigration with the view of
obtaining cheap labor. Louisiana has at
this moment at least one hundred thou
sand able bodied, skillful, docile accli-
mated field hands. They are willing to
work for low wages, and even submit to
reduction in one year of about twenty-five
per cent on the rates paid the year be-
fore. To them is due, in great meas
ure the merit of having produced the last
years crops Of cotton, corn, sugar, rice,
etc. They are still at work faithfully |
though their compensation has been |
,hriveled down to nearly starvation rates.
They demand in return for these substan-
ial, even indispensable services, nothing
n addition to their pay except kind treat
nent. Their names have been admitted
~ the natl on to the roll of citizenship,
md by virtue of this political emancipa-
ion are liable to be candidates for Office.
This is deemed such an aggravation by
he white ofice-seekers that they demand
heir friends, the planters, to s.arve them
'ut by refusing them employment. There
S no danger, Of course, that anything of
he sort will ever be attempted. The
planters are about as likely to discharge
heir present faithful corps of laborers and
ook to our white loafers to take their places
S the latter are to be ready to accept
onest employment at hard work when it
, offered to them? But we maintain that
hose who seriously entertain such senti-
lents, who are SO short-sighted as to be-
eve such policy possible, Or SO hard
earted as to desire it are themselves en-
rely unworthy of confidence Our po-
teal affairs were conducted on some
1ch plan several years ago, and we have
ad to pay dearly for it ever since. We
ant no more Of it, nor of those who
vOr it.