The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-08-29

world. The question is often asked
can the South meet the increasing
demand for more cotton year by year
which is not only increasing in pro-
portion to the increase of the popula-
tiOn Of the world, but to far greater
extent? Woolen, fax and silk was the
clothing of the ancient people, but as
the excellent wearing properties Of the
cotton cloth have been manifested, the
others have been gradually driven out
and to-day hundreds of people both in
the civilized and semi-civilized parts
Of the world, are clothing themselves
in cotton goods, whose forcfathers
used other raiment.
About five hundred thousand square
miles of the South territory is suita-
bic for growing cotton. In 1890 the
census shows that only about 5 per
cent. Of this area was used in culti-
waiting cotton. If these statistics are
correct and have no reason TO doubt
them. so far as the South is concern
Cd, if the demand were sufficient and
The price rcmuDcrativc we could pro
ducc l5D million bales Of cotton per
annum You are aware, however, that
a good cotton farmer has to work
about thirteen months in the year
The actual cost Of labor expended in
the production Of cotton is higher
than any other crop grown, reaching it
is claimed by competent authority to
II per cent. Of its value; notwith-
standing the low price Of labor in the
South The price now paid for agri-
cultural laborcrs is less than the price
paid in any other section Of the civil
lied world, and it is impossible to re-
ducc any further, 50 it bchoovcs the
South to reduce the cost in other di-
rcctions. If we pay 30 cents per hun
drcd for picking seed cotton, and get
cents for the lint VIC have paid out
81 per cent. Of the total value, in
gathering alone, cannot some one pro-
ducc Il machine that will pick cotton?
If successful the South can raise 3
cent cotton at profit and clothc the
world
| The South is to day producing an
average of lint cotton per acre, varying
from 81 pounds in Florida to 23S
pounds in louisiana, an average of
l78 pounds, yet we know Of our own
knowledge that 900 pounds per acre,
and in rare instances 800 pounds Of
lint cotton per acre, have been made.
What does this teach us? That We arc
working too much land, wasting our
energy on large unproductive fields?
This must be remedied and great pro-
grcss has been made in the last few
years in this direction by the inten-
sive system, less land can be cult
waited to the horse, more attention
given and greater quantities of fertili-
zers used, not necessarily commercial
fertilizers. We have at our doors two
Of the best Ingredients for stimulating
cotton, phosphate rock and cotton
seed meal, if these are ground up and
properly mixed, and German saltz
containing potash added, we have not
only a cheap but very fine fertilizer;
instead Of paying the fertilizer trust
enormous prices for their mauufac-
lures, if our farmers would, by the
aid Of our agricultural colleges, iobrn
to mix these Ingredients to suit their
respective soil it would save thousands
Of dollars in the South every year.
We should not depend on cotton
alone, not only is land improved by
diversifying the crops but the farm is
made self-supporting and an income
derived through the entire year. This
State with ali her poor upland does
not raise corn, yet my experience has
been that never knew 9. farmer who
had corn to sail who did not have
ready money to invest. A bushel Of
corn raised on the farm seems to 60
twice as far as one bought from the
West. The most serious problem in
the future tnat see for the increased
production of cotton in the South is
the lacE Of labor; the country is
sparse,y settled and very little Of it
comparatively under cultivation. If
We could induce thrifty, moral and
honest families to come here from all
sections of the United States, our for
tunes would be made. I have no
patience with the frantic efforts being
made by some Southern men to trans
port the negro; his cheap labor is
valuable, and under good management
is by far the bust labor we can have
on our farms.
We should increase our cotton
manufactures in the South, not only
AOA tuO kCooOu suoe AZ BAtCc ub SEodCcT
control in fixing the price on raw ma
terial, but allows more sections Of the
South to make money. At cents
pound bale Of cotton shipped out Of
che State givus $31 so to be distribu-
ted between the landlord, the labor,
che merchant and the ginner, the pro-
fit Of which is very small. IF the
same cotton is manufactured in this
section into yard sheeting it would |
bring $76.40, so in addition to the
$3.50 which the farmer would still
get the community would receive
$44.9O to be distributed between the |
factory operatives, merchants, farmer |
and stoekholder. South Carolina pro-
duoes, say one million bales per an
mum, instead Of receiving thirty.one
million Eve hundred thousand dollars
she would get seventy.six million four
hundred thousand dollars. If it were
all manufactured in our borders, the |
South, instead Of receiving three hun