The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-02-21

1uG 4Ohs D. L. I'LL, Vi CSOTSlds UlduO
the following teTse and pointed remarks
in speech delivered by him, a short
time ago, in that state. He said
1 tell you to-day, 1 care not what
seasons may come, what large crops you
may raise, still, under existing conditions,
you will ever grow poorer, who produce
cotton, and they will ever grow richer
who handle it after it is produced.
Without a great change, the southern
states are destined to become so many
plantations, practically owned by north
ern people, and the southern people so
many hireling slaves to work them
And in this condition you will reap
scarcely the wages and net half the re-
spect you accorded your former slaves.
And yet, the very reverse of this fate is
in your power. Under the present policy
the next generation of southern people
will become the poorest, the most power
less and the most contemplate of earth's
inhabitants, while under a wise policy,
the next generation of southern people
may become the richest, the most power
tul and the most respected of people.
Which destiny will we choose?
| But, you ask, how can this better des-
tiny be secured? l will tell you.
First make cotton your surplus cropl
In these FIVE words lie the Samson locks
of your future power. Make your own
fertilizers by resting, cropping, grsssing
and manuring your lands. Thus, you
become independent of the guano mer-
chants. Your cheapest and safest line
of transportation runs from your own
fields and hog-pens to your own barns
and meat-house. With no debts for your
supplies, you will need no accommodate
| M I,
Thus you become independent of brokers,
cotton factors and lien merchants. You
can then sell your cotton at your own
time, to your chosen buyers and will get
your own money. None of these things
can a planter do who plants on credit
and borrows money To buy his provisions
But, you say, the western states raise
provisions SO much cheaper, we cal
, make more money by raising cotton anC
buying from them. This is the teaching
of figures, and a greater lie was neve
taught.
Now, affirm it is cheaper for you t,
raise your own provisions than to hav,
them brought from the west and give1
to you at the nearest depot free of COS
and charges. How is this? In the frs
: place, if we raise 100000 bales of cottol
we will get no more money for then
than we would get for one-half tina
number. Then, out of the same amour
; realized, you pay for raising the 5000,
600 Just double cost of production
, Half the labor and supplies employed il
. raising 5000, 600 bales of cotton could b.
! employed in raising supplies without re
: ducing the value of the cotton crop ont
. dollar. But half this labor would rails
. more than you needed for supplies. Yol
: could employ much of it also in enrich
!, ing your lands and improving your prop
:. erty in many ways. Then you Woul
come to the end of the year with you
i crib full of corn, your smOke-houses full
: of meat, your family full of smiles, your
y selffull of independence and your pocket
. full of money for investment. And hoy
= would you invest it? In cotton factorie
. on the waterfalls which God has sent al
% through your country to run spindlei
a This would make you Independent {
% Old and New England both. Then, also
- YOU would mine your own implement
= of husbandry which would make you il
: dependent of Pennsylvania foundries an
= Massachuse it's workshops. In a wore
% every improvement would be built u
70 in your own country, and all the prof
" of those improvements would go int
i your own pockets.
r. Go on as you are now going, makiI
a cotton your chief crop, and slavery is Il
y, doom of your children and your chi
e. dren's children forever. A people wi
20 depend on other people for 'ood al
~ clothing are and must be slaves.