Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-02-19

ment in favor of mixed husbandrv in the
South, instead of expending the energiee
OF the people In raising single crop. It
says: -
During the past seven years our COTTON fa1d.
have added TO the wealth of the world - oOo
100000, and caused prosperity 20 smile 1nor
every one who has handled our crons SoTa
those who struggled for their production An
nually the energies of the cotton-plapters
have been exhausted in attempting to produce
maximum crop of a single staple. whilst
quite as frequently he has reduced his means
III supplying his necessary wants A system
based upon such policy and producing sucb
results musG be radically wrong, and. IF ner
sisted in, will lead to bankruptcy and rnin
NO people can ever become prosperous
who are not Self-sustainins Our fertile
soil, eXhaustless mineral wealth, abundant
water-power, and genial, salubrious climate
avail us nothing if annually we exDend
millions for subsistence. It is generally con-
sidered that homegrown bread is cheaper
than purchased supplies, and the observation
OF every planter is that those Southern farm
ers who live within themselves are more indie
pendent and less encountered with debt than
those who have relied solely upon the cotton
crop. Were it otherwise il is hazardous for
any people TO rely upon others for q supply of
those articles which are necessary for their
daily consumption.
1t then refers to famine, which more
imam once occurred in India, owing to the
efforts OF the people to grow cotton to the
exclusion of breadstutfs, and adds:
During the past year sections of Iowa, Min
nesota and DAKOTA have been invaded by
grasshoppers, which destroyed every vestige
OF vegetation Imagine your condition should
a similar INVASION become general in the
Northwest. Coupled with this idea, the total
failure OF a cotton crop, either from the worm,
from drought, or any other unavoidable cause,
improbable as such visitation NAV appear'
nave we the power to prevent them, and is it
wise TO subject ourselves to the possibility of
becoming the victims of such calamities? Our
Wlsest and safest policyis, as far as practicable,
to produce at home our necessary supplies.
Is there farm in the South upon which this
cannot be done, and at the same time produce
an average cotton crop?
What is the net result of the farmers an
nual labors We believe there are annually
4,OOO,OOO bales of cotton produced upon South
ern SOIL but what proportion of this vast
amount is retained to indicate our prosperity?
One-half of it is expended for necessary
supplies, Whilst the remainder is divided be-
tween labor and taxes. Hence, the cost of
production has exceeded the value of the
article produced. Shall this policy continue?
Extensive cotton crops have eyinced our unity
of purpose and entailed poverty upon us, and
would secure our recuperation. Cotton is a
necessity, and the extent of that necessity can
be calculated with exactness. If 3,50O,OOO
bales are grown, they will be consumed before
another crop can be gathered, and 4 remunera-
tive market price will be sustained by the con-
sequent demand. If 100000 bales are
grown, the large marginal excess will control
and depress the market.
Alternatives for success are numerous, but
we need only rely upon the single one of CO.
operating in the determination to subsist at
home. With this end attained, there is no
reason why we should not be the happiest,
most independent and prosperous people on
earth.
The memorial is signed by the Masters
of State Oranges of South and North
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida,
Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia and Ten
nessee, and was not only heartily approved
by the Committee on Resolutions, but in
dorsed by every member of the National
Grange.