The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-16
COTTON IN THE SOUTH.
THE WAY IN WHICH THE ORANGES CAN
BEST HELP PLANTERS.
From The Shreveport Times.


BEST HELP PLANTERS.
From, The Shreveport Times.
We invite the grave attention of our
planting friends to the following advice
which is rendered them by man Of
sound practical sense, and who has no
personal interest in the matter. We are
we'll aware how little regard is paid by
planters to such suggestions, and es.
pccialIy if they come from editors, but it
would seem that this years experience
should force upon them q radical change
in tEeir mode of farming. Cotton has
sold this season as low as three and q half
cents, and this is the result of an over
crop in two ways. In the first place, the
market is glutted, and, in the second
place, the hands could not gather it be-
fore the staple had been almost ruined
by trash and dirt. Neither result would
have occurred if a smaller area had been
planted in cotton-this is o self-evident
proposition. The Grange could accom-
plish much good in this direction, and
also in organizing system regulating the
price of labor. 1t occurs to US that these
two points are of more vital Importance
to the interests of planters than anything
besides to which their energies can be
devoted. Unfortunately, however, if the
plan proposed were agreed to, large
proportion ofthe planters might conclude
that as every body else was planting they
would increase their cotton crop; and
thus it might result that a larger crop
would be planted than if nothing had
been said about it:
Editor Times: Allow me, if you please,
space in your widely circulated paper
to address short letter to the planters of
the Cotton States. Being an invalid, l
have visited the South in October and re-
turned North and East in May for the
last five years, aud have been close OBJ
server of the various interests of the
South in the different States. l hope it
will not be an intrusion if offer few
remarks.
1 am decided in my opinion that the
American cotton belt of country is une-
qualed by any part of the globe. Its eli.
mate, forests, water, fruit and variety of
productions place it in commanding
position to rapidly recover from the late
misfortunes of wan But have discov-
cred the error into which the planters
have fallen. From one end of the coun-
try to the other they seem to think that
the soil will produce nothing but cotton,
while wheat, oats, peas, potatoes, peanuts,
fruits, vegetables, grapes, and vine crops
are neglected, as though they could not
be raised in this belt. Consequently
they have swelled the cotton production
to 100000 of bales, thereby reducing the
price, until it is producing fearful panic
amongst them. They see the wrong, but
still pursue it. If they would reduce the
cotton crop and only produce 100000
bales, it would bring 20 to 25 cents per
pound, and thereby furnish as much
money as 100000 bales does now. Be-
les this would allow 100000 of acres
re to go into provision crops, which
would fill every barn and smoke-house
with supplies, and the money, at SlOO per
bale, would be kept at home, rather than
sent abroad at heavy cost and high prices
for provisions. You talk of emigration.
You will not succeed until you have
home supplies to invite emigrants there
to [; country so destitute of provisions
is looked on with suspicion and doubt.
A change, a radical change, must take
place in Southern planting before she re-
covers, and when it is done, and provis-
ions are plenty all over the land, immi-
grafton will flow into it; your lands will
enhance in value, and your fortunes will
be as in former years.
1t is estimated that 100000 OF acres
are cultivated to get 100000 bales of
cotton, when 100000 acres would give
you the 100000 bales and leave you
100000 acres for other crops, besides
that which is already in use for your pro-
vision purposes. With the addition of
the 1000, 900 acres, one crop alone would
relieve you. The oranges seem to be in
dustrionsly seeking to reduce expenses,
buy and transport cheap, and still they
fail to strike the keynote to success
They may get cotton transported, stored
and sold free of cost, and grow poorer
every year, while they toll in cotton fields
only and neglect their provision crop.
This change Of Southern farming will be
gratifying to the Southern merchants who
are annually pressed to afford supplies
for d people who could easily produce
them. 1t may be said that it affords
profit to merchants. Not so. Produce
is sold at a nominal profit, and often at
cost, owing to huctuation in prices. Still
the merchant groans under it, and finally
both suffer more or less. w.,
Juu,,ll - ,,ot ,11ooca tho nottOn fapt0r
to handle one bale of cotton worth SlOO
rather than two bales for $50 each ? His
profit or commission would be the same
on the one bale as on the two, with half
the labor. Again, would it not give
cheerfulness to the manufacturer who
would have their large stocks of goods
depleted? In a word, this change of
Southern planting would relieve the
money panic as soon as it was certainly
known that the policy was adopted.
Sir, this can be effected only through
the Grangers. They have societies in
every neig ghborhood in the United States.
Let each society appoint committee to
confer with his neighbor who is not
Granger, and get his consent and ap-
proval of the policy to plant only one
half the usual crop. They can handle
the one-half crop better, producing a good
quality, and place American cottons where
they of right bclong-the best in the
world.
Now, sir, put the ball in motion, keep
it before the people and let all the papers
throughout the United States write, pub
lish and cry aloud to redeem the land
Let State Oranges with all their subordi-
nate Oranges come forward in the cause.
Let the merchants and the politicians ex-
hort the people to save themselves from
further ruin. I hope you may induce
your contemporaries to keep the subject
before the people until the object is ac-
complished.
There is a man living in Wilson, n.