Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1879-01-17
Home and Farm.
iii Cotton Means Starvation.

III Cotton Means Starvation.
The Hon. B. H. Fiji, ofGcor-
gia,. made the following terse
and pointed remarks in a speech
delivered by him. a short time
ago, in that state. lie said:
Itell you to-day, ] care not
what seasons may conc, what
large crops you may raise, still,
under existing conditions, you
viii ever grow poorer, who pro-
duce cotton, and they will ever
grow richer who handle it after
it is produced. Without a
change. the southern states are
destined to become 50 many
plantations, practically owned
by northern people. and the
southern people SO many hirel-
lug slaves to work for them
And in this condition you viii
reap scarcely the wages and not
hall the respect you accorded
your former slaves. And yet,
the very reverse of this fate is
IN your power. Under the pres
cnf policy the next generation
of southern people will become
the poorest, the most powerless
and the most contemplate of
earths Inhabitants, while under
a wise policy. the next genera
tion of southern people may be-
come the richest, the most pow
erful and the most respected of
people, Which destiny will we
choose.
But, yon ask, how can this
better destiny be secured? l
viii tell you.
First make cotton your surp-
! iuS crop In these FIVE words
lie the Samson locks of your
future power. Make your own
fertilizers by resting, cropping,
gTassing and naanuring your
lands. Thus you become indie
pendent of the guano merchants.
Your cheapest and safest line
OF transportation runs from your
own fields and hog-pens to your
own barns and meat-house.-
With no debts for your supplies,
. you viii need no accommoda-
ton credits at two per cent per
mcnth. Thus you BECOME in
dependent Of brokers, cotton
factors and line merchants
You can then sell your cotton
at your own time, to
your chosen buyers. and viii
get your own money None of.
these things can a planter do
who plants on credit and bor-
rows money to buy his provii-
Sons.
But, you say, the western
states raise provisions so much
cheaper, we can make more
money BY raising cotton and
buying from them. This.is the
teaching OF figures, and great
or lie. was never taught.
Now, / affirm it's cheaper
for you. to raise your own pro-
visions than to have them
brought from the west and given
to you at thenear depot free
of cost and charges. How is
this? In the first place if we
raise 5,ooo.ooo bales of cotton
I'VE viii get no more money for
them than we would get for one
hall that number. Then outSofl
the sums amount realized, you
pay for raising the, 5000, 900
just double cost of production.
Hslf the labor and supplies em-
ployedin raising 5000, 900 bales |
of cotton could be employed in |
raising supplies without reduc-1
ing the value of the cotton crop !
one dollar. But half this labor |
would raise more than you need |
cd for supplies. You could en-
ploy much of italso in enriching
your lands and improving your
property IN many ways. Then
you would come to the end Of
the year with your crib full of
corn, your smoke-llouse full of
meat, your family full of smiles,
yourself full of independence
and your pockets full of money
for investment. And how would
you invest it? In cotton facto-
res on the waterfalls which God |
las sent all through our country
TO run spindies. This. would
make you independent of Old
and New England both Then, I
also, you would mine your own
implements Of husbandry which
would make you independent
Of Pennsylvania foundries and
Massachusetts workshops. i
4 word, every improvmentw would
go into your own pockets.
Go on as you are now going, /,
cotton your chief crop, 4
slavery is the doom of your
children and your children's
forever, A people who
depend on other people for food
and colthing are and must he
slaves.
Beautiful, beautiful silken I
hair" Philip murmured fondly |