The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-20

|
IN the cotton fields of tho Soudan, j
" question which will not only inter
est our Southern planters, but th
people Of our entire country. |
would seom, if British enterprise IN,
capital take full advantage Of til,
situation which tho Soudnn presents
that fivo cents cotton or oven lowe,
will be tho future prico of tho Amer
lean article, and with the lower pr;c,
a much lesscnod demund."
Is this danger chimericnl? W,
turn 10 tn" Encyclopaedia Brittnnicu
and find that Mr.. Townsend is uuitc
within the mark when he predicts
severe, increasing, and possibly dis
astrons competition from tho Sondun
in tho production Of cotton.
The Soudan, oven in the more ro-
stricted meaning Of tho word, "ha.
an extreme length of about 5000
miles between the Senegal river and
Abysslnia, extending southwark at
some points GEO miles, with total
area of perhaps 100000 sunurc
miles, and Il population approximate
ly estimated at from 7O,OO0,OOO to
SO,000,00O" "Thc Soudan, propcr
ly SO called, may be described as a
moderately elevated region, divorsi-
fled with extensive open or rolling
plains, lovol platcaus, and evcn true
highlands, especially in tho south,
wost." can exubcrant forest vcge,
tatIon is favored by tho rich aIluvial
soil and tropical heat wherever mois.
ture abounds." The cotton trro is
indigenous and abundant throughout
the Soudan, and cotton is placed at
the head of tho list Of "rhicf cult
waited plants" throughout tho great
area, two thirds as extensive rs tho
United States, In ovcry State of
the Soudan separately mentioned cot
ton appears to be a leading agricul-
tural product.
But limiting the inquiry to 4tho
territory formerly belonging to Egypt
and now recovered, ,-Darfur, Kordo-
fan, Sonar, Baal- Gazal, tho cuua-
torial province--comprising from
one-thIrd to ono. half the .roa of tho
Sondan, and taking Senaar, Just cast
OF khmtoum, az a sample, wo find
that "ihe soil, mainly alluvial, is ma
turally fertile, and wherever wator
and hands arc available yields boun-
trous crops of maize, pulse, cotton,
tobacco, sesame and especially dura,
Of which as many as twenty varieties
are said to be cultivated"
In tho light of these facts who can
fail to SEQ great monaco to tho
Sonth's cotton supremacy in the new
ly pacified and ro.oponod Soudan? :?
1t is not necessary to import Egyp
tlan laborcrs to make that country n
great producer Of cotton. Tho ma
tive population is very large, and,
while mixed in character, contains a
predominant element of unusual in:
telligcnce, industry and skill for
Africans. The exploitation of tho
resources of tho Soudan will quickly
follow its restoration to Anglo. Egyp-
tian control, the communications with
Europe by way Of tho Nile will be
still further improved, and under tho
stimulus of British capital and enter.
prise wo may look for just that riv-
airy which Mr.. Townsend forecasts
For years past Egyptian cotton has
bocn imported into the United States
III increasing quantities and has had
the preference in many lines Of man
ufacturc. What will it be when the
present limited area available for the
crop in Egypt is supplemented by
the bonndIess and cqnally fcrtilo ter
ritory Of the Upper Nile?
The South must prepare for this
competition by discstablishing
cotton as the basis Of it's industry.
1t cannot keep down Soudancso com,
petition by undcrsclling Egyptian
grades, for that is dono now and to
10 effect, the Egyptian cotton being
better than ours and commanding IL
BIZ, her price. The South must grow