The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-03-12
"kING COTTON" IN A MISERABLE
vASAAL.
A Few Facts and Figures.

n While It IL true that the South Is MAXIM
some progress, and some accumulations Il
wealth, yet 1t is true, sadly, palpably AM
demonstrably true, that the South is still
p0or--very poor. Indeed, the South ha
always been poor, though In ante bellun
I times she was supposed to be rich. Tn
, idea that the South ever was rich was de
, fusion, and could be SO proved by tinancia
and economic figures. But leaving thu
dead past, we come now to grapple will
the sad and serious question, why Is the
South pOorY The question is very large
one, and u comprehensive and true answer
will be difficult to make, and would require
u large discussion. l shall not attempt sc
large task, but / think that can touch the
pith and marrow of the subject in u short
and simple statement In the beginning,
we must clear away some popular and shall
low decisions, that prevent philosophical
view of the question.
Wealth consists not i'm products, but in
accumulatiOns, not in gross incomes, butin
net results and savings. The individual or
the community which at the end Of the year
has saved something, however small, from
the years labor, is growing richer-has
laid up SO much accumulation and capital
for the future. But the individual or COM
munity which, however large its labOrs or
gross products or incomes, has saved moth
ing ut the years end, is poor, and makes no
advance in wealth. Such an individual or
community may make others rich, but re-
mains poor itself, like the poor goose in the
fable, that laid golden eggs for others,
without benefit to itself.
We are often amused with bOastful ar
ray Of figures, startling enough in their
magnitude, to show the grand results Of
Southern agriculture We axe told, AM1 II
| is true, that the four staples Of the South
cotton, sugar, rice and tObacco-yield an
annual income of from three hundred to
four hundred millions Of dollars. We are
told that these crops furnish the bulk of the
covers the seas with ships. All this is true
enough, but it is delusiye, in SO far US 1t is
accepted as proof that the South is grow
ing richer by such production.
We can best illustrate the proposition
by taking as the basis of calculation, cotton,
with which we are most familiar, and Mis-
sissippi, our own State, and that one which
in soil and climate is best adapted to its
cultivation. We will take the past decade
AS the time, and take figures approximate
" correct, as shown by census and cotton
stutistics Wa ara cartninlv uaar annii,rh
to the exact figures to demonstrate the
truth Of the proposition.
The average annual production of cotton
in mississippi for ten years past, will
not exceed 100000 bales. The average price
has not exceeded 10 cents Il pound, and 800
bale. This makes gross income of $780,
0OO,O year. This is certainly u large
sum of money, and has the appearance Of
wealth, but let us look deeper into it. In
fortunately this is our only product for
market, our only export beyond the limits
Of Missississippi, except a small produc-
ton Of lumber, wood, and turpentine, the
whole of which does not exceed two mil
lions of dollars. Our mills and factories
probably produce an additional million of
dollars in the increased value of their
,,,o,,, No., ,,,, -, ,,.,o.,,,. r,,o -, |
=, al III. q ,ha, ,,o 80 nnod,,a,, 80 81
a.. .,,.,.,a,.,a 49, e.. 80 ,s,.",,o,.,
.,,,o,,,,, .,,,,a,I,, % .ae ono oon
And now comes in the pitiful part of the
EXCHANGE and exnort and s.Ie Of ,ho ,yhoIo
n.o,,,a ., >,,..,,.,,,, M,
49,, .isa go. r. ~ ",.i"eo popu-
,'.au aoo ooo ~ ,,i p, ' ss0 aoo n nao
among 100000 people and IL gives to each
person gross annual income of S42. %.
Just think Of the pitiful figures! Only
S42.22 gross income for one year, out of
which one person is to be clothed, fed,
sheltered, doctored, liquored and tobac-
coed. At least five dollars per capita goes
for liquor and tobacco, leaving less than
$40 per capita to supply our people with al,
the necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of
life. And what vastly aggrayates this pow
erty is, that we produce almost nothing in
supply of own needs. We neither produce
our own food nor food for our horses. nor
,ur clothing, nor any of our multitudinous
lOmcstlc Wants. we IMPORT Hour, bacon.
ard and corn. bay and oats. horses and
mules, wagons and carriages. and arrieuI-
ural implements. shoes and elothin0. and
hus goes out all our income and leaves
rarely n yssid,,vm-a trace IN mark the
hannel over which Il flowed. AT these
Igures an average family of five nersons
las each gross income Of les, than sa2s I
rom which all the wants of n family offve ,
ersons are TO be supplied.
oc
us '"oV", 70 'e'!
equ""! u'i''u' Ou. WI, on'' raves
iO.o "'"e'e i"'ono ivi W. many "nosc
loo"'' "'e 'es' 'nan ''i's niiserap'c "'er-
8. .
A"u nus :, Is, anu 'n's Is inc .oh.'"sNe
',," WI! VIC 'ou'n /" poo,' "'ssissipp'
INC 'ne o'ner oou'nern o'a'es' anu 'he i
''ue i"1.' anu nsuie' WIN Apply W All Vi I
'o" We arc All poor nave Always oeen r
Doi' anu AWAY, WIN DC poor, un''i We I
a'n W u"'cn '"e ue'us'ons VI inc past
h'i VIC earn W Icason' un''i we master
y i.s'ons VI uonesuc econoniy' me
,'.', y, 'u. 'ou'. patent W ,he uu'i- a
u uaNeicT VINO makes Trip OF lOOU miles "