The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-02-15

duction l55,GSl7jl l7G,000,OOo rs
These figures do not convey the
full effect upon the South Of the
changes IN the relatives produc-
ductons Of wool and cotton, even
in this country In 1850 our cot
ton crop was nearly 2,700,O00,O 900
pounds, which was greater than
the crop Of 1881. In 1850 the TO-
tai wool production OF this country
was only 52.500,000 pounds, or
/ 20 per cent, were produced by the
Southern States. Last year the
gross production Of wool in the
United States was not less than
100000, 900 pounds, of which the
South furnished $4,000, 00Opounds
or only.4 per cent of the whole.
1t is seen that the worll's con-
sumption of cotton. Not only is
the general supply Of wool IN
creasing in this country, that IN
creased rate of production greatly
exceeds the growing production OF
cotton, and in the expansion OF
wool in this country the South has
no share.
What must be done? The South
can produce wool, aud should ann
20 increase and not give up Its
share of production. This is urged
more especially because of the
fact that wool is only a secondary
product Of the sheep, and its pro
duction eaunot, like cotton, be ar
bitrarily reduced, but most natur-
ally augment with the worlds IN
creasing demand for mutton. The
Southern States stood still in this
country's increasing growth of wool
until their proportion dwindled
down from 20 to 4 per cent, Du-
ring the past thirty years, up to
the present one, wool has been a
heavily protected product, while
the situation of cetton could COM
mand no aid. Several acts of Con.
gress, but notably that Of 1867,
gave d marvellous impetus to wool
production in the North. A Unit
ed States government report upon
"The Sheep Industry of the Unit
ed States" states "that those tariff
provisions greatly increased the
production of wool beyond the
Alississippi,' and further, "the
farmers Of the Northwest were led
to believe that wool, in time, would
actually supersede the production
of cotton" This protection aided
the Northwest, and operated
against the great Industry Of the
South. 1t has also, in another d.
rection, so far favored Northern
capitalists as to enable them to re-
move the cotton for manufacture
vast distances from whore it is
grown. Happily thi, condition Of
things is destined to correct itself.
In 1870 the consumption of cotton
in the South, according to official
statistics of the United States De-.
partment of Agriculture, wa. only
100, 900 bales, or exactly 10 per
cent; in 1892 it was $4,000 bales,
or 36 per cent of the cotton manu.
featured in this country. The
South mast not only grow, but
make up its cotton.
The increasing fetal production
and consumption Of wool is pres
sing heavily upon the South, more
heavily than the foreign prvduc-
ton of cotton. The two great sta
Piles have reacted upon each other,
and have brought prices to what
they are, and this continued com.
petition will assist to keep values
low. The prices of cotton cannot
appreciably rise with wool at pres.
ent values, and wool is not only
growing in favor as an article of
wear, but it now within the reach
Of the mass o. buyers.
@EXHAUSTION OF THE
COTTON LANDS.
In considering local causes Of
the agricultural crisis, the first act
Is to enquire into the fertility OF
our soils and to determine wheth
er their cropping power has been
maintained, or in what measure it
: has declined. 1t will be mlslead-
ing and useless to compare The
yield per ccre of individual .years
because the crops Auctuate widely
from year to year. For example
this year preliminary estimates
make the crops to be approximate