The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-17
OUR COTTON INTERESTS.

ton In the early part Of this season, by which
our planting interests suffered so severely, we
said:
Since the var the market has dropped. year
by year from 81 cents PER DOanee1 The highest price
neca IN ssS o r cent? nnd me low
say December Ia, 1878. In fact, cotton T. nehed
lower. price during the past season than hid
been known Tor thirty years. since 1850 inclu-
We have no hesitancy I'm asserting that the
pest part on last years cotton crop sold below
the cost OF production. having been marketed
during q. period of great commercial denress-
sion. and realized an average price not exceed
ing "a cents for midding.
Ia the same article we expressed the beltef
that this very great depression Of the price
OF Our great staple during the past season
was largely due to abnormal causes, a repeti-
ton Of which we are not likely to have.
There is no doubt that the fact that cotton
last season sold for even less than the cost Of
production caused much dependency
throughout our agricultural districts and
gave seriousness and vigor to the negro
exodus. The oolored people who had worked
on shares with the planters, or who were
working their own or rented lands, were dis
heartened at the outcome, and found a dead
loss after years sweat and toll. They did
not understand and could not analyze the
causes and with constitutional want OF fore
sight, they could see no future but one OF toll.
loss and poverty. At that time the Kansas
land agents, with thesr fabulous stories Of the
riches of that State, were at work, and they
captivated the fancy Of the discontinued ne
groes and deluded many OF them into aban-
doning their old homes and seeking fortune
and ease la strange country where they are
now on the verge OF starvation.
The labor OF the cotton region, dlsheart-
ened and unsettled BY these causes, has
proved In some counties and parishes great
calamity to the planters, and this trouble,
with the low price Of the staple, should set our
cotton growers to thinking out system OF
planting which will be more remunerative
than the present one, and which will be also
more satisfactory to the laborers.
Certainly there Ii little doubt that the price
OF cotton In the early part Of last season was
abnormaly low. and that the depression was
due to extraordinary causes. But VIC can
not escape the fact that the cotton crop has
| been steadily increasing, year after year, and
| the price as steadily declining, and we have
every reason to believe that this process will
continue until 1t will require great economy
and system In the cultivation OF cotton to
make 1t pay; indeed, that Ia few years there
| must be complete revolution In the methods
Of our large planters.
We think there are very few of our planters
who have analysed the situation. The In
crease in the cotton crop has not been in
the old cotton fields Of the South. Texas
has added largely to the crop; so, also. has
the northern portion Of the cotton belt. This
increase Is chiefly the production OF white la
Dor, and it has yielded the producers, even at
the lowest price the market has reached,
fair profit. This class of cotton growers,
who realize profit on the staple, however
low the price, are increasing and will continue
to Increase; hence 1t is important to under
stand their system. These producers are, In
the strict sense Of the word, farmers, and
they do not make cotton their sole nor even
their leading product They pursue wiser
method. These thrifty cultivators raise their
own meat. They raise hogs; they keep and
tend with care few cows, land perhaps sheep;
their stock is well cared for, well fed and
stabbed, and grow fat instead Of poor In cul-
tivating the fields. Thus provided, the first
object Of the farmer is to make arrangements
for ample crops Of corn, hay and all products
that are required on farm, and which make
1t self-sustaining for man and beast. When
all this is provided for, the cotton farmer
puts as much OF his land In cotton as with his
labor he can well and thoroughly cultivate,
In addition to his main crops.
Now, what is the result? At the end Of the
season this cotton farmer finds his farm
stored with ell kinds OF grain and forage, his
snoke-house filled with meat, his garden,
which has supplied his family and his hands,
all the spring and summer, filled with fall
and winter vegetables; his cows yield him an
abundance OF milk and butter, his poultry
eggs, and he has perhaps few head Of beef
cattle and hogs to send to market, and finally. |
his horses and mules, perhaps very few in
number, are fat and unscared. All this |
renders the farmer independent. He has no
bills to pay, and he Is under no necessity Of
creating any; thus his cotton is clear gain; It's
production has cost him literally nothing,
and whether 1t brings him six cents or more, |
1t is clear profit.
The large cotton planters OF the South with |
their loose and improvident methods cannot
with men who grow cotton In the
manner we have described and they must
change their old time, wasteful and careless
system for one more economical and system
attic, or In the end the new plan, with its in
crease OF the crops and the decline In price,
will force them to the wall.
Whether cotton growing is carried on to a
great extent by small farmers in this State
In the manner we have outlined, we do not
pretend to say. But we know that such Is the
system OF some farmers and planters; we
know that cotton can be grown in that way
both ona large and small scale. and we feel
entirely certain that the number Of small
farmers who are making money by growing
cotton systematically is rapidly increasing |
and that they are adding largely to the an
nual crop.
A GRAND FINANCIAL SCHEME.