The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-09-12
Cotton Bagg1ng and the Farmers.
From, the augusta Chronicle.

10 tarmelS, Oh tue CoutIaIy VIC dlo QUA
ious to have them prosper and improve
in every social and business interest.
"Ill fares the land" when farmers cease
to thrive, because they are the basis or
groundwork of national prosperity. But
it will not do to confound farmers as
unit With the mistakes of the Farmers
Alliance, because many farmers are anx-
ious to have different measures advocated
and different movements carried out.
For instance, a county in my knowledge
elected one.horse lawyer to be its prcsi-
dent of the County Alliance, and his
election was carried by large majority
in q large membership. The lawyer who
mas acquainted with the ropes, pulled in
spite of the regulation of the order which
forbade his entrance, much less his prom.
inence, because he vas ineligible as q
member of the legal profession.
The Farmers Alliance, lately assem-.
bled in Macon, was pulled about in the
same way. The resolve to be indepen.
dent of all bagging trusts was good
enough, if the people can be supplied
with other bagging in good time and
order, to bale and sell the present crop;
but suppose the supply will not equal the
demand, what then !?
The leaders of the Farmers Alliance
say "let it rot in the field !"
The Liverpool market is willing to buy
our cotton, but the leaders ofthe Alliance
say, "you must pay 123 cents per pound
or you shan't have pound" Compare.
this threat with the men who said it,
Itwould be equally wise to say to the
Atlanta or Augusta markets: "You
can't have any corn at less than dol.
lar a bushel, or oats at the same price.
We have issued DEGREES in council' and
sworn our men to carry out this bust
ness."
Napoleon's war with England caused
similar DEGREES in council to be passed,
and if England had not been relieved by
the advance of other nations to her relief,
the people ofthat country would have
been hopelessly bankrupt, where only
suffering and poverty prevailed for some
years over all the manufacturing districts
of the British empire.
The cotton growing States have no
promise or hope of support anywhere
outside Of their limits. We must stand
alone or fall to the ground. I listened
to similar resolve in the sixties. Your
senior editor, Mr.. Walsh, heard the cry
of king Cotton" and he can tell you
all about it. We were told that Eng
lands dependence on our cotton would
secure the independence Of the Confed.
eracy-that she must have it, and would
do everything to support the cotton grow.
ing region. 1t is needless to 60 over the
facts, because ne all know that Eng
land would have seen the last man,
woman and child exterminated before
she would have entered into war with
the Federal authorities. What did she
do? She turned her attention to the
cultivation of cotton in her own domin.
ions. We not only received no help, but
crippled the future cotton trade of our
own country. If India, Australia and
other British possessions had not raised
cotton ws might stand up and declare
121 cents per pound as limit, and be
sure oft, but the effect will be to strain
every nerve and push every acre that
will make England Independent of
country which takes spasms of indigua.
tion every twenty-five years and throws
cotton at Liverpool in the way of ammu.
milton or blank cartridges.
Itis natural result. Pennsylvania
was, few years ago, the autocrat Of iron.
Her coal fields and iron beds made her
insolvent. As result, the output in
Southern States increased in an immense
ratio, year by year, until iron manufac.
ture in the South fairly rivals that OF
Pennsylvania. Commerce and trade,
demand and supply govern the world.
Where thing becomes absolutely neces.
sary, the price will be governed thereby !;
and the cultivation of that product will
be stimulated daily and hourly, to
prevent interference or loss hereafter.
Liverpool is quite as anxious to be
Independent of the South, as our far.
mers are to be Independent of bsgging
trusts, but is it good policy to run off q
good customer, who has made the cotton
crop of the South the means of lifting our
people out of desolation and absolute
ruin? I think not, and I shall not be
surprised to hear that the cotton average
of India and Australia is larger by half
next year than this. I have heard of
"cuttipg off your nose to spite your face"
and this is practical illustration.
Suppose Liverpool makes cents The
price?
III understand the resolutions of the
Farmers Alliance in Macon, it was
"liberty or death p Liberty to "rot the
cotton in the fields" rather than use jute
at cents yard to bale it in. Liberty
to demand 12} cents per pound in cotton
bagging if the world declines to pay Z
cents for the product. Liberty to shake
s. fist at Liverpool if we fall back into
bankruptcy. Liberty to elect governor
if the farmer estranges every merchant,
railroad man and shipper in the United
States! Suicide! Madness |! That's a
steep undertaking for body ofmen who
are in debt, with their lands mortgaged
to Northern loan companies, and their
present crop due to the people who have
given credit and support to make it
A hnrnt child dreads the fire and T