The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-03-12
The Curse of Credit.
southern Planters Pursuing a Suicidal
Pniicv-HIore Bread and Meat, and g4ess
Cotton Their Only salvation.

southern Planters Pursuing Suicidal
P0licv-Hore Bread and Meat, and s4ess
Cotton Their Only salvation.
From the Memphis appeal, Feb. %.
When the spring birds begin to tWit-
ter in the groves, and the frogs to o2oak
in the swamps, the southern jon 1nals
commence the same old song, Faant
less cotton. This advice has Seen
given for the last thirty years, anil it
has recently made It's appearance with
the accustomed regularity. In all the
southern states the newspapers are,
united in urging upon the farmess to
plant less cotton, and more corn and
oats, the coming spring. They chow
from the statistics that at present
prices it does not pay to raise cot
ton, and it is folly to sacrifice esery-
thing for Gotten, as has been the GUS
tom for years. There can be no dues-
tion that the besr Interests of the south
would be materially improved iG the
farming community would givenose at
tention TO the raising of the necessary
articles of food required for homes con-
sumption and less to the specially Of
cotton. Cotton is now quoted about as
low In Liverpool as at any time Ssince
the war. This information shouIG cers
tainly induce farmers to plant more
corn and raise all their other supplies.
Indeed, with cotton below the c9st oil
production, farmers will be compelled
to raise their own supplies. Bu$ this
never would be done il cotton rensained
at eighteen and twenty cents, and corn
and bacon even at the present prices.
Heretofore It has been useless tos urge
this system of farming among planters,
but now the price Of cotton wiIEbe an
argument to the farmers that ysil be
irresistible, and it comes just st the
right time, when preparations ftr the
coming crops are a0out commenced.
The planting Of less cotton sill do
away with the suicidal policy of Getting
supplies on credit, which has Naen an
injury to the merchant and PLANTER.
We have seen this fact recently illus
trated in an agricultural paper Esom an
acsual bill, as follows:
5000 lbs. Of bacon at is eta. $3.50 90
Int and for advancing for 3 months.s 1i2 80
Total. ............ is562 5OI
Now we would aSk, IN all ssanQor,
any farmer of common sense how he
could expect any fate but The poor
house by such an arrangement :as the.
aboye7 It is no wonder farmers are in
debt, and keep In debt, when Ahey do
business upon snch q credit system. It
is no excuse TO say they cannot make
their bacon, and cannot mase their
crops without IL. If they cannes make
corn and bacon enough to W0rk two
hundred acres of land, then reduce
your surface and work one hundred
acres, end do not, we beseecha gou, go
In debt Tor your supplies. No busi-
ness in this country viii stand up IN
der such rate for interest andsadvanc-
ing. BY which You will become poorer
and poorer each year. The advance
and interest account on the above bill
would astonish any farmer oiasside of
the cotton states, yet il is ars actual,
true bill, and only : specimen of hun
dreds Of every day occurrence. How
Iongi O Lord, how long will the
farmers of Mississippi continue to-
make of themselves mere s. tsWers af
wood and drawers OF water. Y