The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-03-30

4 HOPEFUL VIEW OF COTTON.
Hotc Money Can Be Made at Eue,. 81 Cen. n.
"a Pound, Iys Raising Your, O,on .Grai
o.und Provisions. ;s, I,. = ~ - -,
Idelast number OF Che Financial Chropi
ole, Under date of March II, contains th
following interesting article on the "Cos
OF Cotton Production !" " % .''"'i 1t'ed
"Facts bearing upon the Industrial con
d'tion of the South have an increased inter
est' since it has become apparent that ou,
government is to leave the cotton States
tor the future, free to regulate their own
affairs. This, for obvious reasons, was nec.
essarlly condition precedent to any gene.
rai prosperity in that section, Until, in
fact, this freedom everywhere exists, and i,
used and not abused, large party in the
Noseh will believe the South only tlesirn il
ss'it sass i'sassat -iss lslos sssk sssvs,a.
tionize governments, and live in anarchy
Capital cannot freely flow South until. bv
experiment IL is proved that no. such dis
position eaists-that'lif property, indivia-
ual rights, and liberty Of opinion even, are
just as sacred there as ia the North. To
our own satisfaction this has been already
proved; but il cannot be denied that doubt
with regard to it widely PREVAILS the result
OF causes we'need net dwell upon) which
nothing but the experiment will remove. -
we hail, therefore, as the most promising
indication of tho times, the disposition nfou our
government is showing to interfere no longer
In the affairs of any State. :, q. ...,. .... :.
AT the present moment, -also, every con-
dltlon in the South appears To be favorable
Tor its growth and development In an arti.
ole on cotton manufactures (Chronicle.
February 24), We stated facts which showed
tho important position that section holds on
that question. But our object at this sime
was to speak especially Of the planting q in
forest which has grown into new life Of
late years. The wasteful system Of the past,
had become almost proverbial. With, cot
ton at 80 cents a pound, the general res
ponse was. there was no money in it and.
when it had fallen to 20 cents, ,zths- -ahasa
bankruptcy of the wbal,sb so'u'e .0'O'
was, of course, tAsiI planting interest
many thes,. ~ 0ckpected result: And to
very di,ass1 lesceudius prices have proved I
disastsn BUS. In fact, it is through these
1Se and the enforced economy since
90 better basis has been reached
: VIII sne sssssption Of class of farmers
which have sattiea ii t6c nortb ,-' srn ,.o,,,;.
of the South Atlantic st.to.,,,. yery f.. nl,n
ters have made money until withiu, ,l tbs Ia,
two years. But the turning point,has re.,.
ly come, and the result Of the last cotton
crop is less debt than ever before. In fact,
the year has proved that cotton can be rails
ed proftably in the Southern States at presl
ent prices. .. i.. .,r.
In proof Of this last statement, cne illus
tration is az good as thousand. A friend
who has a plantation in south western Geor-
gia gives us the result of his years work.
He does not live on or near hi. plantation,
but runs it with an overseer; of course
very expensive and prodigal way What
New England farm would pay expenses
we're the owner to live in Boston and let
his labor work it Our Georgia friend
says that the total cotton crop he raised the
past season was 163 bales, weighing when
sold S2,175 pounds. He sold early in the
season, and therefore did not get by 13c 70
ID what he could have realized later. But
after paying all the expenses of sale, COM
missions, ETC., the net proceeds of his crop
were 81, $3.50, or about 93c per pound
The total cash expenses for the year, of
every kind and description, including taxes,
five hundred dollars for overseer's wages,
labor, &c., amounted to $5,113. To this
should be added ten per cent. on $4,000,
the value. 81 Mesmules employed on the
plantasion--as experience shows that per
centags about covers the wear-making the
total cost of the crop 81, 5,313. This divided
by pounds sold gives 660o. as tho actual
cost Of the cotton per pound, leaving the
net profit 2-9Oc. per pound, or a total profit
of$2,51050. Had the crop been sold later,
the profit would have been about 81 900
more.
To really appreciate these results We
must remember that this plantation had
nonresident owner, and was worked entire
ly BY, an oyeraser. VINO was paid FIVE hun
dred dollarsla year wages. Had the owner
lived upon the place, he could undoubtedly