The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-01
DOES NOT FEAR
SOUDAN SCHEME
TO COMPETE WITH SOUTH
IN THE SUCCESSFUL CULTIVATION
OF COTTON.

Gen. w. w. Gordon Points Ont the
ImpracticabIIity of Great BritaIn's
PIan-Lack of Proper Fertilixing
Qualities in the Water, and Lack
of Labor the Two Main Obstacles.
Southern Planter Has Nothing to
Fear for Many Years TO Come.
Great BrItains recent threat to con-
vert the Soudan into a cotton growing
country to compete with the american
grown staple. does not alarm the
American planter. Several prominent
cotton men, interviewed by Morning
News reporter. yesterday, did not re-
gard the scheme at all feasible. both
on account of the condition of the soil
and the lack of labor in the country
proposed as the new Eldorado.
Gen. w. w Gordon. in discussing
the matter. said: II see no reason for
the cotton growers of the South to have
the slightest apprehension on account
of Mr.. Leigh Hunts plan. In the first
place the South is and will be, for
years to come, the logical cotton grow
ing section of the world. Not that
other countries cannot grow the staple,
but the climate here is particularly
adapted TO its cultivation.
The Labor Problem.
The South could raise more and
better cotton than it does were it not
for the labor problem that confronts
the planter. While the negro as a rule
is the best laborer in the cotton fields.
yet he is not to be depended upon, and
the time he is most needed in the
fields is the time he is not there.
am inclined to the belief that the high
price that cotton is commanding will
induce a better and more intelligent
class of labor to immigrate here, and
the negro will have to come up to
the standard set by the newcomer or
seek some other vocation.
Difficulties i'm the sOudan.
Now" said Gen. Gordon, IF the
South is confronted with the labor
problem, as it is. how much more diff
cult would be the same condition in
the Soudan. That country was practi-
cally depopulated and devastated by
the Dervishes, and what people were
not killed were driven away The
pie who go there now will be the rails
ing of foodstuffs to sustain life, before
they can turn to the cultivation of 9TH
er things. 1t would necessarily be
some time before sufficient cotton could
be raised to even cut a figure in the
worlds production. The crop of the
whole of Egypt at the present time is
only equal to that of the state OF South
Carolina.
Water, but No Fertilizer.
Then, too" said Gen. Gordon, while
they now have sufficient water in the
Soudan, derived from the reservoir, 1t
lacks the natural fertilizing power to
be found in rivers and streams that IT.
rigate our Southern plantations, for
the reason that the properties neces-
sary for the cultivation of the land will
sink to the bottom of the reservoir,
and although the land will be watered
it will lack the proper natural fertiliZa-
ton. 1t will be years before any coun-
try in the world can compete with the
South in the production of cotton, and
do not fear any English scheme
along those lines"
1t would be very hard to induce the
negroes to leave the South" said Gen.
Gordon, land go to the Soudan. They
are part of the soil. and although free
to leave, they remain here in prefer
ence to any other section of the world
To Scare Southern Planters.
Another business man closely identi-
fed with the cotton industry said: This
is a wild dream by the English spinners
to brighten the Southern farmer into
cheaper prices. They realize the impos-
sibility of getting labor in the Soudan,
as we'll as the Southern planter does
the impossibility of increasing the labor
i'm this section.
THE South could raise three times as
much cotton as it does if it could get
the labor. There is no lack of acreage,
but we can't get the hands. The me-
groes would be loath to leave the South
for the Soudan, Egypt, or any other
as they have been too badly
treated on the Liberia Cotton
might or might not. be raised in the
Soudan, but it will be long time be-
fore it's presence would be felt in the
worlds markets, and the Southern pro-
Queer has nothing to fear"