The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-12-07
The Future of Cotton.

the editor OF TINS paper tnss ne eA
pected to see cotton selling at q or
5 cents pound. and that our
Southern farmers had as we'll prepare
70 meet this price, for they would
have TO come tc it Col. Smith then
went on to explain that we would
have TO bring up the fertility of our
lands so as to increase the yield,
plow deeper, manure heavier, and
by the introduction and use OF IN
proved labor saving machinery thus
bring down the COS. OF production to
meet the cut price.
We very much doubt if cotton will
ever again bring; as much as five
cents, and it is our candid belief thas
the next crop will not average ex-
ceeding four cents Our farmers in
the Caroiinas and Georgia can reduce
the acreage IS much as they like, but
It can nave no appreciable effect on
the price of the staple 1t is TIE
enormous crops raised in the Missis-
sippi delta aud Texas that swell the
yield year BY. year, and hundreds OF
square mics Of new territory and
virgin cotton lands are added 10 each
succeeding crop
But the production of the feecy
staple is no longer condueo TO the
Southern states of North America,
but other countries are. devoting
especial attention to the crop. and
are destined to become our formlda
bic rivals While they do not grow
near SO much cotton as we do, at the
same time they more than compensate
for any reduction in acreage that our
Southern planters may make, and the
yield OF foreign cotton is increasing
very fast. And the isolated strips Of
country, Ike India and the Nile
valley, now engaged in the produc-
tion of cotton. is not all the land on
this globe where the plant can be
grown successfully. Russia is ex-
perimenting in the production of this
crop, and the results are highly
successful. Africa is being seized
upon by European powers and a
great part of the Dark Continent is
even better adapted to the growth Of
cotton than our own section, and it
only needs the developing touch of
civilization for Africa co produce
enough of the staple to supply the
demands OF tie world many times
over
The southern cotton grower gave
but incidental thought to Gen. Sir
Herbert Kitchener's march up the
Nile, but that movement had its sig
nifcance for the south, sealed when
the Sirdar planted the British Egyp
tian colors on the walls of Khartoum.
England does not acquire and hold
countries for glory alone Under the
impulse of her genius and capital the
Sondan may supplement Egyps's
yield, as land where Soudanese
labor may grow cotton even cheaper
than Texas can, and transported in
British bottoms, lay it on the quays
at Liverpool, satisfied with three
cents pound. Great Britain knows
the resources of the Soudan. and if
cotton, by artificial or other usual
means. should be forced up to an
artificial price we may expect TO find
Egypt and India. English brains and
money che inspiration, coming into
view as competitors-and if they
ever come it will be to stay.
The commercial and manufacturing
world is looking with jealous eyes
upon the cotton fields of the South,
and both blood and treasure will be
freely spent in building up compet!-
ton for as.
And neither can we afford to sur.
render snch valuable money-making
crop, for there is nothing else to take
the place of the cotton with Us.
The soil and climate of the Southern
States are not adapted to either grain
or stock raising, for we can never
compete with the fertile prairies of
the West.
The only thing left fox our South
ern farmers is to follow the advice of
Col. Smith. and by bringing up the
fertility of the soil, so as to produce
two or three pounds of cotton where
one grows now, aud the use of i'm
proved and labor saving machines,
so prepare themselves to compete
with their new competitors and the
pauper labor of the East
1t is folly for a farmer to try and
grow even five cen. cotton to buy
supplies Therefore, be should grow
on his own land everything in the
line of provisions and also produce
enough to supply the food market.
But we see no hope for any mate.