The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-04-16
Free Labor and Cotton.

prophecy seems in course of fulfill
ment. Cotton has been going down
from sixty cents, Immediately after
the war until it is now standing at
eight cents. with the prospect of six
cents in 1878. flow free labor is &C
complishing the fact, isnot now under
consideration. but admitting that it is
a fact, the question arises as to what
our Cotton planters will do about it.
Can they make Cotton at two cents
per pound? Can they make it at
six cents ?
Experience has proved with most
of them that they cannot make it at
ten cents per pound. If thousands
have sunk their estates planting Cot"
ton at eight, ten or twelve cents per
pound. it will be interesting to en-"
quire how many will survive the ex"
pertinent of six, four and two cents.
There is no present prospect OF tu-
ture high prices for cotton, while
there are abundant evidences of rnl"
ing low prices for many years in the
future.
Who would have believed in the
South, that the last crop would foot
nm 4. 900. 900 bales with free labor :?
The truth is, that while the demand
has not increased, the supply has.
The Cotton area has been greatly
enlarged by the use of improved seed
and the fertilizing force system.
Added to this, the population of the
great Cotton Belt is rapidly increas-
ing, and although the large cotton
plantations are disappearing, thous-
ands of small ones have been opened
to more than supply their places.
Lands too, that heretofore would not
produce cotton are now brought
into service by commercial fertilizers,
which can be obtained upon the
pledge Of cotton.
This plan of bartering guano for
lint cotton has placed it within the
power of thousands of small planters
to produce cotton, whose lands were
otherwise too thin for that purpose.
And we are not prepared to con-
dcrnn it, for The reason that such
farmers, if thrifty and enterprising,
may be considerable gamers by the
trade. If they gain no more, they
may gain the seed of the cotton,
which are valuable, often paying all
othor expences. But the main ques-
ton remaines, as to what our farmers
will do, seeing that Cotton is still 60
ing down, with the prospect of set
ting upon six, four or two cents per
pound ? Can you make it at either
Of these figures
When a wise man sees an evil he
will endeavor to avoid it. We know
you will say "what then shall We
plant to make money five all plant
corn, oats, peas and potatoes, there
will be no market for them" Strange,
you do not apply the same to cotton.
Y ou all plant cotton, Of coErse, Just
as you say about corn and oats, there
is no market. You wiN plant cotton
though your own figures show that
you have lost on it every year instead
of gaining. Your cotton seed has
valuable oil, but you make no use
OF it. they also contain valuable
fatting food for stock. but while the
rest of the world buy and use it, yO,'
know nothing of it.
Well then, your corn can be turned
into bacon, which most of you buy,
and your oats into bacon, beef NUT
ton and poultry, all valuable in the
market and upon your own table.
If you find that you cannot make
money, the next best thing is to
raise everything possible at home, Sc
that you will not be obliged to have
money. But you have debts to pay,
you say That Is unfortunate, but
are you paying them with cotton at
six and eight cents?
Don't you think few thousand
pounds Of good tobacco, a few fat
beeves, few sheep and q yard full
of egg laying poultry would pay the
debt sooner?
A little cotton might 90 along
with them, but the diversity would
not only pay your debt sooner, but
put you in a much better humor, be-
cause you would find that your new
system was easier, less laborious, and
more pleasant.
And suppose you should add to
the above good garden, cultivated
with intelligence, and one or two
good COWS to furnish you with milk
and butter-thsso would enable you
tc sell more of your beef, bacon nut
ton and poultry, because you would
not need so much meat.
And finally, suppose you should
wake up from your lethergy, clean
up tie yards around your house,
plant out few flowers about the
door, just toImake things look lit