The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-01-11


are moved on the backs and heads Of
persons. The introduction of draught
animals was q vast stride forward. But
when, through differentiation, one class
of bread winners undertake to do all the
hauling for others, it does not follow
that the rest are swindled although h the
census does not SHOW up" on the right
side."
1 have copy Of letter written in
1914 by Capt. Samuel Johnson, of
Winnsboro, S. c., to ,he Hon. David R.
Evans, member of Congress from The
same place, then in Washington. The
embargo hard shut up cotton in the inte-
rior towns, and there was glut of it,
Mr.. Evans is asked to 90 out and Zee
some factor or merchant 10 Washington
or Philadelphia and try to aell him about
two hundred and fifty bales for Captain
johnson. But the buyer must send
down his wagons for the cotton, as all
the wagons about Winnsbszo are alres.dY
engaged. An old citizen of Winnsbore,
Mr.. J. NJ. Elliott. distinctly remembers
seeing Mr.. Adger and others starting
from Winnsboro, in wagons, hauling
cotton to Philadelphia. At that time
these mules and wagons were estimated
as part of farm values. Since then the
railroad has MADE its appearance, and
farmers no longer are required to keep
horses and wagons to haul their crops to
seaBorts. The property thas invested
has gone into another category, that of
"Trade and transportation; and is cited
as an instance of injustice to the farmer.
Ooce, indeed, the SONS of those old farra-
ers hauled goods from Winnsboro 10
wagons-when the close Of the war left
the railroad destroyed. They were guile
willing to transfer the capital invested
in teams into something else as soon as
the railroad was running again.
In the war of 1872 the price of cotton
varied at least twenty cents pound be-
tween Winnsboro, S. c., end Phils.
delphia. This difference was swallowed
up in the mire aud mud of the dirt
roads. It did nobedy any good. Now,
since go much capital engaged in trans.
portation is transferred to the other side,
the difference in price is not more than
cent. This should rot be accounted q
wrong to the farmer Of the same na-
ture is the investment of capital in the
telegraph, in banks ana in other devices
BY means of which the farmer can be
made eogn,Eant of prices all over the
world aud may send and reeeive money
from all quarters at minimum cost.
One other case may be cited. Is it 8
wrong that great sewing machine facto-
ries have sprung up, transferring capital,
it il true, from the fasm, but enabling
one woman to do the work of dozen
The mother of the family is emancipatea
from grading slavery. Her machine
is valued at forty dollars, while the wo
man set free does not appear 10 the dol
lars and cents columns of the census. 1t
may be remarked that the introduction
of labor saving machinery in any indus
try not only helps it, but also aids other
industries, by allowing opportunity for
the introduction of abundant manual
labor where machinery oaanot be intro
dueed. These are instances of the bene
fetal effects to the farmer of diferentia.
tion.
Now let u. consider some of his diasd.
vantages
Smaller returns are required from
those processes into which fixed capital
enters. Where all the operations are
performed BY manual labor, an expendi-
ture of one thousand dollars must all be
paid back with q profit at every process,
whereas if Eve hundred dollars have
been invested in q machine and five
hundred dollars in wages and material,
it is necessary to return only FIVE hun
deed dollars With q profit and enough
more to pay for wear and tear of machin-
cry. As the farmers expenses are
largely for wages and materials, his gross
proceeds must be larger in proportion
than those from manufactures.
Possibly the mcst serious drawback to
the small farmer of the Soulh Atlantic
coast arises from the law of diminishing
returns from land. The soil of most Of
the older States lorg ago lost its original
powers. Farms at present productive
have been built up by application OF
capital and labor. They yield not eco
nomic rent, but profit from capital, and
therefore returns from them must be di-
vided between the original investment
and the special application for the i'm
mediate crop. The difference is the same
as that between finding barn already
built and building one. Yazo bottoms
and Red River lands need only to be
ticled to smile with such abundant crops
that the problem is to gather them.
Carolina uplands must be titled and fer
tilized and fertilized again, and the aver.
age yield is bale to three acres. No
legislation will equalize this natural diff
ference.
X
But the most important factor in this
problem, seems not to have been properly
considered in discussion of this subject.
1t is what may be called the Fixed
Charge of the Family. "a poor man
for children" runs the old adage. These
blessings swarm around the small farm
er's door, healthy, happy and always
hungry omDivorous as 30 many
ostriches. The support of these must
come from the proceeds of the crop
whether large or small. This fixed