New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-01

and they will be more careful In lending money
than they have been for many years the shiit-
less planter will find out that his credlt IL e"-
hausted, and there will be general shrinKage
of credits tending materially 10 reduce the acre
age Of cotton planting. While there may not Dc
many mercantile failures as the result OF an I'M
profitable cotton crop. the volume OF pad oeots
has been increased, and many painters VIII hho
II impra cticabe to borrow money on any terms
The continuance Of these conditions Will reduce
cotton planting to an economic struggle, cuiH'-
mating In the survival of the fttest These opin-
ions. which are held by the most influential men,
bers of the cotton exchanges of New-Oreans.
Savannah and other Southern cities, point to a
reduction OF the next seasons crop.
T. Systematic efforts are making in various
Southern States to reduce the production OF cot
ton as the only means Of restoring prices TO
compensating basis. Conventions OF cotton-groW-
ers have been held in Jackson, Miss; Shreveport
La, and other cities. and resolutions have been
adopted recommending curtailment OF 20 per
cent In the acreage Of cotton for 1885, While
II Is imprac tieable for planters associations 10
enforce this policy, they have established RUE
Of practice which will be generally Followed III
many localities. With the cooperation OF the
cotton exchanges 1t may be feasible TO organize
public opinion throughout the Southern states
and not only to diminish cotton production, put
also to establish a national planters association
which will provide some satisfactory me'hod
of estimating the crop. Agents Of LiverpooI
houses undertake TO forecast the crop De-
fore a bale has been sent 10 market ana IL Is
upon reckless guesswork Of this kind In the inter-
est OF English purchasers that bear movements
are Systematically conducted. II the planters
can not only reduce the acreage. but also supply
some effective means of ascertanng approx
mately the volume OF the crop. ana thereby OF
diminishing gambling in this great staple, they
will adopt important measures of self-defence:
5. The diversifcation Of crops is generaily
recognized as the chief remedy for the evs OF
overproduction Of cotton. reduction of 20 per
~ fba cofto
ton Of other crops and the production OF home
supplies. This has not been the merchants poll
cy in prosperous cotton years. They have re-
fused to advance money to planters on any crop
except cotton. and they have sold most OF tne
supplies required for the maintenance OF NE
When cotton was bringing II cents pouhu me
planter was willing 20 buy corn for his mules
and meat for his laborers; ana Inc merchant
made money alike out OF the crop ana OUT oil the
plantation supplies Low prices ior coiaon nave We
rendered 1t impracticable for the planter 10
produce selling crops alone and TO buy his sup
plies Hay. corn. oats bacon ana meat. winch
were formerly sold by the merchant. are now
raised by every planter. who has learned the phil
osophy Of scent cotton. The Development OF
these industries now regarded as lndispensdple'
tends TO reduce on-panting at present pslces.
1t was not until 1850 that the cotton crop or the
Southern States exceeded that Of 1860. but IN
1880 the gain over the highwater mark of slavery
| times over 20000oo bales and In the next
year the production ran up to 9.035000 bales. an
other gain OF over 100000. But the planters
were already diverslfy!ng their crops Win as
|
crop nearly 2oo.ooo,Ooo bushels since 1850; their
oat crop over 50 900 900 bushels their butter prod
uct over Is 000 900 hundred weight, and thelr nay
crop 100000 tons. Every years decline IN
the price Of cotton has forced Southern planters
| to depend more closely upon their own resources
/ for food supplies. There was an increase OF
4s 900 bushels OF corn in the southern states
| last year, and unless all signs ran. the COTTON
| belt will be almost wholly dependent upon It's
| own supplies of food this year
Apart from these farm industries, southern
playing remarkable feybili,y and pTactcai
sagscity They sell their cottonseed to the OIL
mills TO the extent of 100000 tons year ana
obtain 100000 year for what was once A
waste product. In Texas 100000 steers are req on
cottonseed hulls and meal and fattened IN less
than hundred days; and TINS STOCK lhnusTg -
now carried on wherever the oil factories sup
ply waste products. There was an increase OF
nearly 2S.0Oo,0O0 pounds in the southern WOO!
Gin between 1880 and 1890 and the INJURY donc
to the industry through the pernlclous ac' WY.
of Democratic tariff makers has nowhere been
more bitterly resented than In Texas wnere d
| Republican has been elected 10 Congress from
wool growing district. Between Houston ana
| Galveston. as on the reaches OF the MISSISSIPPI
below New-Orleans. and on me sanay pmsea "
! Of Mobile are trucking industries rival!ing IN
| prosperity those OF Norfolk. Great progress mas
| beer made in many Southern States in the culii-
walton Of fibre and forage plants ana tooac oI
is raised in sections formerly devoted exciusiVei!
| 10 cotton. Last year 900 pounds OF TOBACCO
were produced in Darlington County, South Caro-
lima where the industry was unknown zen year
aro This wear 5000 900 pounds will be raised In
the same county. and the Industry VII! be miro
duced In adjoining counties. That is an exam
| ME OF what is going on all through the cotton
! belt in diversiication Of industries
Southarn planters will not continue TO raise
| cotton or any other crop at q loss. The men
Who at the close Of disastrous war had nothihg
hit their land to fall back upon. yet succeeded
IN ,ha course Of fifteen years in restoring the
prosperity Of the cotton belt In the race o. de-
structiye competition from India and Egypt, arc
not Of n stock that Is easily crushed. The spleH-
Ala recuneratve powers shown by the planters
during that agricultural crisis are an earnest OF
even greater adaptabiity to circumstances ~ ,"e
/ new emergency which has arisen. !. ~ L.
New-York. Jan. 90, 1895.