The Van Buren press., 1873-05-13
Why Are We Poor J

Unwise and corrupt legislation. with high
and oppressive taxes will undermine ana
destroy the prosperity of any community
and finally bring its people to bankruptcy.
History teaches us that in proportion as a
people are badly governed their taxes rise,
and their ability to pay them decreases untii
hopeless poverty enerates the tr'lne-WorN
of society and they fall an easy prey to any
powerful enemy or sink into state OF an
archy or hopeless servitGde.
That the present government of our state
is tending in this direction, there can be no
doubt But while this istrue. there are other
causes Of poverty smong the farming COM
manity, the remedy for which is in their own
hands. Agriculture being the safest invest
ment of capital and laber, yields the smallest
return, it was estimated before the war that
farming did not pay over three per cent. on
the capital invested, the profits being so
small the necessity for systematic and lntelli-
gent management will be readily seen. 1t is
as necessary for the farmer to understand the
principles OF business As the merchant, or the
banker, If he desires 10 succeed in his buSl-
ness. \ great error that many farmers fall
irto is. they look at the gross amount II crop
of cotton will sell for, Instead of the profit,
that will be realized thereon, and looking at
the round sum, they are led into the fatal err
ror of supposing they can make more to raise
cotton and buy provision, than by raising
their own corn and pork, and raising less cot
ton. A man plants ten acres of cotton and
when it is ready Tor market he finds it has
cost him $3.50, and he sells 1t for Sl00 he has
fifty dollars to pay him for his years labor
and to raise the next cropwith
There is one lesson that ought to be written
in letters of gold over every mans door,
viz: That the wealth ofa people consists in
the abundance OF the ncccssarics of life
wheat, corn and animals for slaughteras well
as producing materials Tor clothing. 1t fol-
lows then, that any community desiring to be
independently rich must produce an aOund-
ance of the means Of lfe,-for the support of
life is the great demand of ofnaturc, for what
will man not give for food to avoid starya-
ton?
Let us sec how the matter works with us
All of our flour, and most of our meat, comcs
from Washington and Benton counties. Hun
dreds of wagon loads OF provisions arc sold
here annually for the money which Is taken
from among us and nothing is produced to
exchange for it. so the planter must sell hi,
cotton to get money to buy his bacon and
flour. This constant exchange OF an article
paying very small profit for one and pay
ing the producer of it n much larger one, will
as certainly bring financial ruin as pouring
water out Of a vessel faster than it is poured
in, " i'll finally cXhaustt.
What then, is the course our farmers should
pursue to recuperate theirc crippled resources
Raise sullcicncy of corn and pork for the
entire year and little TO spare, anG put the
balance of your strength in cotton, at the
least possible expense This plan will GER
taihly furnish the means Of life and enhance
the value OF cotton by smaller production.
Every farmer should also have vegetable
garden, the value Of which both tor health
and economy can scarcely be over estimated.