Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-15
The FIpauclal CONDITION Of the south.

munications received from all quarters
of the South conveying information as
to the present financial condition OF this
section. The deductions drawn from
these communications are anything but
encouraging. for they show that as a
result of the small cotton crop and the
failure of corn and other food crops in
the South, caused by the long drought
of last spring and summer, Southern
planting interests are suffering greatly.
1t is stated that with the proceeds of the
partial crops raised planters have been
able to pay part of their debts and strug-
gle on up to this date. but, having ex-
hsusted all their resources in so doing,
many of them are now without sufficient
money or food for themselves or their
cattle, and the merchants are not in
condition to give them further credit or
furnish supplies. From this it is feared
that a comparatively large number OF
failures must occur throughout the South
between now and the time before the
next crop will be made.
The special reports from which the
above information is obtained reveal the
unwelcOme fact that the damage done to
the crops. and the consequent unfortu
nate condition Of the planters, is quite
general, and Bradstreefs publishes an in
terestiDg table to show to what extent
the planters are better off than last year,
what proportion are in the same cOndi-
ton, and what proportion are worse off
now than then. From this table we
gather that from 81 replies received from
North Carolina 20 report better condi-
ton, % the same, and 40 worse; of AZ
replies from South Carolina 4 report
better, 10 the same and % worse;
of 116 replies from Georgia 81
report better, 90 the same and &C
worse; of 20 replies from Alabama 10
report better, IS the same and 40 worse;
of IS replies from Mississippi 10 report
better, % the same and 30 worse; of 81
replies from Louisiana Is report better,
Is the same and % worse; of 154 replies
from Texas 80 report better. 46 the same
and 50 worse; of 70 replies from Ar
kansas report better, 9 the same and Ga
worse, and of of 46 replies from Tennes
see s report better, the same and 80
worse. Thus It will be seen that from
729 replies received from the nine States
above mentioned 142 report the condi-
ton of the planters the same, 191 better
and 396 worse than last year. From
Virginia, Missouri and Florida the re-
plies are more favorable, as those States
rely less on cotton, and raise diversity
of crops which turned out comparatively
well.
This is certainly by no means an en-
couragIng outlook for this section, al
though there is reason to hope that the
above reports are exaggerated, and our
planting interests may not suffer as
greatly as is at present feared. The
showing is sufficiently bad, however, to
justify apprehensions that the ability of
the South to raise the next cotton crop
will be seriously impaired, for, as says
the article from which we obtain the in
formation gathered, Gin the districts
where the food crops failed corn and
meat are now so scarce and dear that
every farmers first care must be to raise
food, and consequently they have already
planted a large amount of land in wheat.
oats, etc, and in the spring must plant
much more in corn, potatoes, etc. Again,
in many Districts the actual distress has
been 90 great that labor has been driven
to other employments to procure means
of living, and have gone in the Atlantic
States to work in turpentine and lumber
districts, as well as at railroad building,
while in other States railroads and cattle
raising have absorbed large numbers of
laborers. Again, many of the smaller
planters who hire land will be absolutely
unable to do so or to secure supplies to
live on while raising a crop of cotton.
For these reasons we look for a serious
reduction in the acreage to be planted in
cotton this coming spring"
1t is, however, an i'll wind which blows
no one good, and unfortunate as is the
general average condition of the South
ern planter at present, his experience
will probably prove by no means IN
profitable. In the first place, reduced
cotton acreage next year means increased
prices; so that, with good seasons, the
farmers will probably not be any worse
off pecuniarily than if they planted
full crop, while they will in all likeli
hood be better off than with an acreage
considerably increased, as would surely
have been the case had this year proven
prosperous. In the next place, the
planter will realize practically the absO-
lutte necessity of economizing and keep
ing out of debt; and, in the third place,
the wisdom of not pinning his faith to
cotton alone. but of diversifying his
crops and raising his own farm supplies,
will be more closely than ever brought
home to him. II he will but heed these
lessons, he will beyond doubt not only
be better fortified in future against dis
aster, but will also be independent, both
of the exactions Of usurious money
lenders and Western merchants: and if
this result is effected through the
medium of the present bad year, it will
in the end truly prove to the Southern
planter, and the South generally, a bless
ing in disguise.