The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-05-19

about us Of our depressed condition
were needed. il is furnished in the re-
cord of the last eight crops of cotton.
No industry represents negro labor
more pre-eminently than the cotton
crop of this State. although there are
many white labOrers in the field. The
crop Of 1879 was 963,O0O. the crop of
1856 was 100000 bales; and the aver
age crop for the eight years was 9Ss,-
900 bales. The crop of 1879 was
$4,000 bales larger than the crop of
1886, and $4,000 bales larger than the
average crop for the eight years. We
can go farther into the details Of the
crop of 1879. BY an official census of
the State it appears that then negro
population of655,554 produced of that
crop 552, 2,2754 bales, and that white la
borers produced the balance, except a
very few bales grown by Indians. In
1889 (by the census Of 1861 Missis-
sippi produced l,202, ,5O7 bales, with a
slave population Of 4S6,6Sl. These
figures present the startling fact that
with an increase in negro population
Of more than 80 per cent. there has
been decrease in their productive
energy IN the cotton field of more
than 54 per cent. But cotton growing
on the river is sanguine vocation at
this season of the year, and there may
be persons who viii insist that this
depression represents the hill lands,
and that something very different ap-
plies to our fecund acres. grant that
fertility possesses an innate natural
advantage, and should give better re-
suit under the same bad method, but |
there might be a question whether
this advantage is not overbalanced in |
net results by the habits of economy
which are potent necessities in the
poorer region. You win allow me
the opinion that there is not ON this
planet like area possessing the same
number of fertile acres as Bolivar
county, and the crop of 1879 showed
existing agriculture at its best, as II
was confessedly the best cotton year
in our locality since the war In 1879
negro population of 1894 produced
there 27046 bales of cotton; while IN
1859 slave population of 907s pro-
duced 80, 452 bales that is, in the
famous cotton year of 1879 1884
negroes did not produce by 6I06
bales as much cotton as 907S Of the
same race produced in 1859. If the
negro had served himself as faithfully
I as he did his master he would have
, produced that year 10000 bales, in
stead of 27,046.
Compare these cotton crops of Mis-
! sissippi with those of Texas. BY the
census of 1860 Texas contained 1872, 1866
slaves, and in 1889 produced 43l 1863
{ bales Of cotton. After the close of
D the war large immigration of white
:, laborers from the other Southern States
D sought homes in Texas, until in 1879
Q her crop of cotton amounted to 500, ,000
0 bales. AT this time railroads began
5 carrying great numbers of foreign inn
: migrants to Texas, and by 1886 the
{ cotton crop reached $4,000 bales, an
. increase of 100000 bales over the crop
{ of 1879, and of 9l3,537 over the crop OF
5 1889 This enormous development rep
J. resents the presence of white arms and
: hands in the cotton field There Is
q nothing in the history of material de-
!. velopments on this continent which
: surpasses the progress of the Texas
c cotton crop. 1t must also be borne in
0 mind that Texas has many other money
$ crops TO contribute to her fast grow
ing fortunes, while Mississippi has
! only cotton which will feed, clothc and
9 provide for her population, and any
7 deficit is debt against the land owner.
: / know there are new enterprises
struggling into life, grass and hay, cat
Q tie and dairies, fruits and vegetables,
, manufacturing and mines, but however
5 promising these ventures may be their
success is not yet sufficiently assured
| and remunerativc TO break the force
Of the statement that the food and
I clothing of this people Is a charge sole
ly on the cotton crop. The statistics
{ which have quoted are all official,
and there is every reason to believe
: them accurate In the light of these
, statistics is there cause for wonder at
, the pecuniary condition of the planterY
: Has he not shown remarkable pcrse-
: vcrance, and If success Is possible in his
: vocation does he not always deserve IL ?
: If these figures be true | question if
jay Gould with his wizzard-like power
: to make something out of nothing and
= reconvert II at pleasure, could take
: every ounce of cotton grown by the
+ African race in the State OF Mississippi
! and feed and clothe them and pay the
: taxes due out of the cotton and avoid
loss.
: am aware that this exhibit is not
: an agreeable one, and am also aware
: there Is very little that is agreeable in
the life of planter. do not refer to
! the labor, whether of mind or body, or
, both, involved in il. Any vocation re-
= quires labor and thought. ! refer
: to its unmanageableness, desultory
! methods, innumerablc leaks, contn-
+ ued excrtion of ratty but expensive
} manual labor, unlocked for disappoint-
: ments and the great difficulty Of sub
jecting cotton culture with negro labor
{ to good business principles. Correct
Q methods and principles is the only pos
: sible chart by which to direct any bus
! iness, and venture that Is independ-
G ent of them is only leap In the dark.
: Can cotton planting be simplified into
9 n businessg Can an element of GER
: tainty as to results be impaired to it?
+, Can we energize the negro! / am in
a clned to answer these questions in the
s affirmative. One system now in vogue
i has shown good results. Irefer TO the
0 contract often made to cultivate a crop
V of cotton by the acre, Suppose the
I area to be 20 acres and the agreed
1 price Sc per acre, the laborer to save
C a good stand and pursue good cultiva.
: tion, the standard of wages for good
j. work as well as fixed basis of adj
7, yances become certain. As the work
y progresses IL is before us, and we cal
l. advisedly say yes or no to the negio'i
e demands. A little iirmness and discre
is ton ought TO avoid misfortune. The
Is system is especially TO be commended
, for the further reason that il tends to
"a, t...l. tt. ..u..r.. tl.o U.i,to ~ lie tat.xr