The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-05-12
AFRICAN COTTON.
Claimed that 1t Can be Success.
fully Grown There.
SOME LARGE CLAIMS.
An Undertaking Which it Is Said, Show.
that Gotten Can Be Grown in Africa
as Easily as in This Favored
Section of the United
States.

Section of the United
States.
Director Of the Mint George E.
Roberts has just received a letter
from Leigh Hunt, the noted Ameri-
can capitalist and explorer, .who Is
engaged In opening up an extensive
area in the Soudan to the raising OF
cotton, in which Mr.. Hunt says his
experiments In the employment of
American negroes in the Soudanese
cotton fields have been successful.
About a year ago, Mr.. Hunt took a
dozen skilled cotton growers from
TuBkegee to Africa for the purpose
OF testing their value in raising cot,
ton and his experiment. attracted
much notice at the time. He has de-
clded now to take over several times
as many as in his original experiment.
He arrived In New York a few days
ago en- route to Tuakegee and it was
from New York he wrote Mr. Rob-
erts. He expects to reach Washing
ton in short time, on his return
from Tuskegee, and as he and Score
tary Wilson Of the department. Of
agriculture are great personal friends,
he will doubtless have much to say to
the secretary and to the experts In
cotton growing in the department.,
abeut the method OF cotton raising
pursued in the Soudanose region.
Mr.. Hunt writes Mr.. Roberts not
only that he is pleased with the
American negroes as cotton growers,
but that they themselves are greatly
pleased with the climate and sur.
roundings into which they have been
taken. His object in getting skilled
American negroes is not entirely on
account Of their own worth in the
growing OF cotton, but also to have
them teach the Egyptian natives how
to do this work. He will have this
In mind In making his selections Of
the next list Of those who are to &C.
company him on his return. He de-
Sires to have negroes who have been
technically educated In cotton grow
ing and he will avail himself OF the
sunse lsoff BOo okers' Il. Waahing tom la
getting men of the right sort.
Of this experiment in transporting
American negroes to the Soudan, MIR.
Hunt says:
Thus far there Is certainly no
cause for disappointment. The ne.
groeS In our employ are technically
educated men, good workers and their
influence on the natives is the best.
However, 1t looks as II the prevailing
opinion that the Egyptian fellaheen
us averse from migrating to the Upper
}N1le Is wrong II he does take kindly
Crome-'s dream will be realized and
The Soudan will become the outlet for
the overflow Of Egypt, In which event
my colored cCuntrymen must meet a
orceful rival.n
MIR. Hunt, as the result OF the past
'ears's experience In the Upper Nile
country, is convinced it has great ag
ricultural possibilities. Sugar cane
and cotton, he says, are certainties
while wheat and barley may b. de-
pended upon as far south as the Blue
Nile. Tobacco is prohibited, although
Mr.. Hunt thinks the region ideal for
tobacco culture. Vegetables do well,
but 1T will take time to determine
what can be done with fruit
Our experiments in cotton,n says
Mr.. Hunt, SHOW larger yield per
acre then Egypt produces and quality
quite up TO the best American. Be.
sides the Egyptian varieties will do as
well as in Esy pit If planted early, but
early planting involves the question
OF water at low Nile, which is the
problem OF the future Water is cv-
erything. The railway line connect
ing Sheikh Barghut on the Rad Sea
with Damer on The Nile will be COM
pleted in June, 1906, If no unexpected
interruptions occur. Then the door
which hitherto has been closed on
that great country vii! swing wide
open for the era Of commercial peace
and prosperity. IL is doubtful if the
full meaning Of this new chapter In
the redemption OF the Soudan is very
generally understood"
MIR. Hunt has travelled extensively
in the far East and has large interests
In Korea. In facg, he vent from
Korea about the time the war was
beginning and went 10 Egypt in pur-
suance OF an arrangement with the
SOudanese government to Supcrintend
cotton groEing on q large tract be,
tween Berber ard Suakn which he
bought from the government. On ac,
count Of his personal familiarity wish
the conditions at the seat OF war, Mr..
Hunts ideas on the subject are va!ua.
BILE. He says the after results OF 1T
will be valuable for all nations but
Germany. That country among out.
side influences, he says, is regarded a.
second only to the RIsso Chinese
bank in bringing it about. Japan
will readily forgive France, for she
looks on France as an honorable and
chivalrous ally Of Russia, but she vii
never forgive the meddling Of Ger
many. The success of Japanese arms
means new aud better life TO Korea
and China, Mr.. Hunt believes. Now
that Japan knows her strength, he
says, she will give to her neighbor 8
strong guiding hand, which will mean
that "China's superb natural resources
and ncomprehcnsiDle wealth and
power OF her cheap labor are factors
to be reckoned with in the future
With her extensive iron and coal de-
posits and cheap labor you can safely
count on rapid progress. | do not in
the least believe In the yellow peril
unless it be the synonym Of progress
In China. But why should the pros.
perity of China be sacrificed to satisfy
the indeclsion OF the powers? Japa.
nese progress seems to point to peace
rathar than nor fCr tha,o 10 littIf