The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-11-14

ST Louis Hep1t ||ean
The s6 who shall persuade tie poo
pie of lhe South 70 abandon The crop
norleaes system Of agriculture and
adopt The better practice Of paying the
expenses Of one year with the proceeds
of the previous years crop, will entitle|
himself 10 the honor Of a life-size statute
In every Southern capital It matters
little whether this mortgage system IS
one of the inseparable accompl ishments
of exclusive cOfton-growing, or the re-
suit of certain traits in the Southern
character, it IS vicious and destructive,
and ought to be got rid of at any cost
or Inconvenience, and even of suffering
The abolition Of it would be cheaply
purchased, even by the sudden and abb
solute destruction Of all individual and
corporate credit in the South, and the
forcing Of every planter to pay cash
down for every article be bought or do
without it. Such destruction of credit
would involve great hardship and poor
living for one year, but it would be fol-
lowed by a blessing which the mass Of
Southern planters have never enjoyed
personal independence.
The practice of mortgaging a crop be-
fore it Is planted for the necessary sup
plies for the planters family keeps him
forever one year behind, even under the
most favorable conditions. And this is
not all, nor the worst; it costs him Is to
20 per cent. on the amount of the loan
in interest and increased price charged
| for the supplies furnished; it subjects
his cotton to charges which are little
less than robbery, but which he is power
less to protest against, and it makes
him the lifelong servant of his factor.
Cotton is the most important CONNER
cial crop raised in the country, and it
has greater market value even than it
usually commands; but while it en-
riches all through whose hands it sue
cessfully passes from the time it leaves
| the gin house, it leaves little profit to
! the planters who raise it or the section
that yields it. The charges and exac-
tons levied on bale of cotton from first
to last aggregate one cent a pound or
$3.50 bale; and this on the crop of
last year &, 000, 900 bales) is $34, DOC, 900,
Western grain and stock farmers would
make the world ring with their COM
plants if they we're subject to such a
toll on their crops for a single year.
But Southern planters submit to it with
out murmur because they cannot help
themselves; they are dependent borrow
ers, and have no control over what they
call their own crop, but which is really
not their own.
1t is matter for surprise that the
planters of the South do not organize to
demand and secure large share of con
troll over their product. They have q
common interest, and this interest die
tates common measures of self-defence
1t is said that cotton raising in the South
is more profitable to the acre than grain
raising in the West, and yet the West
grows rich raising grain and hay at S15
! to $50 an acre, while Southern planters
do not get out of debt raising cotton at
| $50 to $40 per acre. The explanation
must be found in the milestone they car
ry round their necks in the perpetually
renewed mortgage on their crop. The
planter has no choice in buying his sup
plies or selling his cotton. He must
buy from the man who furnishes the
supplies, and pay whatever price he
charges and 10 per cent. besides.