The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-12-19
SOUTHERN SYSTEMS OLD AND NEW.
Some Pretty sensibio Talk.
Netp York Bankers Safeguard.

Netr YORK .0dhHfrs safeguard.
The continued cry of "hard times'
sounding in Southern cities, leads us tt
investigate causes Of depression and learn
the outlet to renewed prosperity.
The present stoppage of large and
hitherto aourishing commission houses
points cu. one fact, :hat the South is un.
dergoing radical changes in its system OF
business, being, as it were, completely
shaken up, aud until it settles down to
the altered situation and understands It's
bearings, inactivity must be expected.
Before the war the Southern planter
raised his supplies on system of part.
nershp with the factor. He was gener-
ally thrifty and industrious, but reckless
as to his expenditures, aad. careless as tn
how high the debtor side Of The, ledger
ranged against him, IA long as he was
fortified behind growing crop and a
Fall "squaring up" He simply as,iered
wha. he wanted, his correspondence with
his factor was a communication of de-
mand on his part and supply on the
other. He never examined his account
until settlement day arrived, and then
he generally accepted and aettled on
faith. Ar instance OF this carelessness
was shown in one of the large houses
where, at the close of days business, q
clerk reported to his employer that sad
die had been disposed Of without being
charged, nor could the purchaser be
identified. The proprietor instructed his
clerk to charge the saddle against every
customer of that day, who obviously
would have purchased such an article.
and 30 when settlement day came. the
party who ha. obtained it would pay.
while the Others would reject this item.
The saddle was accordingly charged
against eleven customers, and when set
tlement time arrived, without dissent
ing voice or even question asked, the
eleven men came up and paid for the
saddle.
At the close of his season, if the plan
ter happened to fall behind, he could
easily recuperate by the sale of slave or
some surplus land, but even il he utterly
failed mis- lands would pass into some
other hands, who would continue to uti-
ize them, and so the pro rata Of produc-
tion in communities would continue uni
form and steady The factor, who acted
as the planters merchant, banker friend
and trustee, who met him with such open
arms and welcome, met him also with
compound interest and charges If he
hemnd On the coed ne:ured producer
burdens grieyous TO be borne, he did it
i'll ali aiia5;,5 business TIianneT, aud w:ti,
the belief that his indoient country cou-.
sin had nothing to do but bask in sun
shine amid seed time and harvest. while
the crop sprang up and brought forth.
Alter the factor had sliced off his
charges for advancing, interest, storage
and commission, he delivered King Cot
ton to the seiler, who again, after de-
Quoting commissions, delivered it to the
buyer, who, after his commissions, either
consigned it to some exporter or else
shipped It himself, but meanwhile it had
been further clipped by samplers, dray-
men, shippers and transporters, each and
every one taking his bite from the rus
tics apple and. illustrating Solomon's
proverb that the king himself is served
by the field. :
This is the faithful picture of the old
ante bellum system, those easy days of
Jogging county wagons, and oIce year
settlements. Il system sc siipshod that
II shutiied in easy routiines without even
The knowledge of running down or cut
throat competition. This former system
OF harmonious fleeing pefished in its
midst under the iron Caariot Of war, and
since the revival of peace this star of
Southern prosperity has faded and waned
away in the glaring sunlight Of direct
and International .ra neportation.
This old timed class were succeeded
BY series of intermediate factors who
,prang up, and who like their predecess-
Ors advanced heavily for high interest
and large commissions. They credited
up handsome fictitious profits until the
Jay OF reckoning came. and then formed
long procession tn the cour. cf t.nL-
mntcy.
Meanwhile the planter who had re-
ceived his supplies honorably and with
good Intentions, found himself amidst
uissoivlng prospects. A deranged labor
system and false idea of retaining former
proportions, showed him beginning his
lahling camrhgn with large ideas and
l"rees scattered over larger area, and
snulne with scarcely any ideas at all,
S'ae struggling and uncertain freedmen
anl portions OF his undertaken crop de-
sunshine.
NOW consider the present status of
eo'oh factors, the Southern Antonios,
4 s!l.ce the spirit of innovation and compe-
1''oh mas arisen. Commissions were cut
Tn G""n quarter, d half then nominally.
n,;Ig s;I;sign importers ceased to employ and
4 us'i.ze intermediate agencies and sellers,
;a a"u retained special buyers, thus exclud-
;,'e members of the old regime from
4 'utther benefit and revenue. -
l,.n nna now nov even spsfiat local buyers are
;ia'geiy discarded, importing houses send
5 s !heir agents directly, who proceed
4 nvs to'the central market, where one or
. I'ose commissions have already been
4 rT'.u, of . out to the village or even the field
4 81 SINE .,,e producer, and there paying his
,mpSxna' maS' thus excluding the extra inter-
4 u,a'e W., forces we have described, and
i i "ol hsnchtting the grower, as the
tho ,ei nas inquired his quotations down to
he the lowest fraction. And even where
> ,,;o" i forces still exist, compe-
Sros 'oa mas shorn their business Of all its
eytanI dimensions of profit the strain
4 vhos" down to othe very draymen
,nJ Je earnings are reduced two-thirds,
a rr.a,l u n ss;'is .d skilled forces who were
Ss Ssliay iay undermined by the wedging in
Whany adventurous experimehtists.
lahD.n we find in production aud the
nesa system SO complete a. revolution,
,hsfm the sa,'i We account farther for stagnation in
ion is'uS !i from oyerreaching. or depress-
81 Of Of ;aii5sh .ii cities, from the large number
br,nnte ,ulers seeking employment from o
10, IIn aal OF business which Is suspended if
Of so eau and o hitherto prominent class
II ti.is numerical men who complain of
,uts;I a province being swept away, by tie
tosIag Ig waves of tine just as their names
'a of,bo %; ce 'efiaced from sands within reach
81 Tu ut tide. 7i1 isUor5s0 F -5
al lIGls d,! Is the Southern disease, this radi-
"a 81 reorganization of the labor svstem.