The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-27

millions for its consumers, and We a.
most alone are its producers I'VE pro-
duCing about iour-fif his OF all that is
raised, and ours being the best quality
produced). There is no other staple
farm crop without formidable foreign
competition. Yet 1t alone trails in the
dust. whilst all other crops bring hap
by homes and well filed Golfers to
their producers. The Yankees, with
a cold, poor sand beach, covered hall
the year with snow, have made them
selves the hub, and swing Their Union
around them aud hold il in the swing
If they had such monopoly as
this, they would levy tribute on all ma
tions as mercilfssly Us the CmIars did I;
swing the whole world around them
like the tail of a comet; ring 81 ohu
Browns Soul Marching On" and
thank God they were not like other
people. Only 30 much cotton is
needed, and when there is surplus II
'es down and carries wool with it..
When the surplus continues from year
TO year, it continues steadily TO de-
cline. Stop its excess, aud it imme-
diately goes up. Seven millions bring
no more than six; elk, no more than
FIVE, and five no moro than four. And
il carried down to three millions OF
baIes, AID held there for two or three
years, famine prices, which c'nnot be
estimated, would follow. Then, all
that IS nee sssaty
TO INCREASE THE PRICE rs REDUCE THE
QUANTITY.
II cotton, like her great farm
products, bad formidable foreign com.
p tition, this could not eaSi y be done.
il producers OF wheat should by artii-
cial means raise the price OF their
wheat 30 that il would not sell In for
eign markets, exporlation would
cease, and the home glut would carry
down the price in spite Of their efforts.
But not 80 with cliton. With increase
oil price in IL he'e comes decrease OF its
price everywhere Rsduc ion OF guam.
tity certainly aud inevitably brings
increase of prizes with this commodity,
twenty-five per cent. decrease in pro-
duction would increase the price 80
per cent, and % per cent decrease
would bring 100 per cent increase,
and, II the decrease be adhered TO-,
would hold il there. Any one can see
that it will not pay to raise cot on at
a loss and buy cora at four times its
first cost and meat at twice it's first
cost, especially when both corn and
meat can be produced in the good
lands of the South, with The same cul-
tivation snd same machinery, cheaper
than ia the Northwest. Sull we do
1t, but we do 1t at the cost OF
our soil and waste OF our
muscle and sweat. But it is idle to
talk OF this; for every newspaper and
every speaker since the war has, with
one voice, proclaimed to thu south:
LESS cotton and more corr" With
absolute universally this has been
said; with equal universally 1t has
been rejected. The more planted, the
lower the price; the lower the pr CO,
the more planted. Itseems that some
fell demon of insanity has seized us,
and that our judgment is gone with
our former power and glory. Then, rs
a continuous decline in cotton iscarry-
ing down in value lands, exhaugling
their fertility, increasing mortgages,
exhausling capital, lessening p llitical
influence, eating out the very vitals Of
the cotton belt, it is plain, If this can
not be arrested, that utter destruction
isionly question OF time. Gan II be
done2 Expe fence says mo- reason
and Judgment say, yes" Some DO d.,
novel remedy ID demanded. Then, |
propose, as such q remedy, n complete
organization Of all the cotton planters
into some kind of order or league, with
a central head, with subordinate State
organizations, and each State into
county and township organizations,
the ohjec, OF which shall DO the reduo-
ton Of acreage over the whole
South, AZ a certain per
cent, aud to continue to decrease
il until living price be Obtained and
there hold it. 1t is not difficult to sec
that II almost all the painters will go
into 1t, aud that II the central head
shall decree decrease OF given pen
cent, and the State organizAuo shall
through their county aud township
organizations obey it, the reduction
will be made. And, if done, all car
see that the consequences would be
proiigious and revolution would be
accomplished. The chief difficulties
are:
Frrst-The vast number OF the pro
ducers.
Spcond-The indisposition aud wan
of habit in the Suthern people Il
combine.
Third-The keeping Of refractory
members and nol.members into line
Fist, the producers are numerous
but they are al Of one country, of one
education, one interest, one calling
one language, one experience. All are
depressed in business, and al see thei
utter he'pl ssness aud the hopeless
ness of their present condition. W.
have always Gained that the Whit
people OF the South are equal in Intel
ligence, enterprise and business tact Il
any other people. Do not others 81
numerous combine2 Do not tn,
manufacturers OF every kind, from thu
plnmaker TO q steamship builder, CON
bine and successfully keep up thu
tariff duties and, consequently, thei
pr.css2 And they and their employee
are Tar more numerous than the CottoI
! planters. Have not all classes o
skilled labor for years been successful,
combined, from the he'd carrier to tn
manufacturer of telephones, each elias
for itself and then in common uniol
rs knights of Labor2 These classe
have 30 successfully combined tina
their wages are now higher, consider
ing everything, than in any othe
country or at any other time.
THEsE COMBINATIONS, AND NOT TIL
TARIFF DUTIES,
have kept up the prices Of these art
sans in spite Of their employers an
the consumers OF the goods the
make, The Knights, claiming men
bership Of from 100000 TO 50l,0Gt
composed of all na,iora ities, speskiu
all languages, with no common XIII
dred or blood or common education
with Ca)liEgs as diverse az the ahai'
of mankind; all of them wagemsn
few Of them owners OF homes or PROF
erty; many OF them illiterate; wit
no common inter, ST but the price
their labor, have formed a combini
| 49,. a. =, fAlt 80 Ill, Ia, Nha m