Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1882-02-22
More Corn and Meat.

= most.of our farmers are in MI embarrasse,
. condition, aud with many 1t will lie d al
cut 10 procure corn aud meat TO max,
'ne present crop, with some; perhaps i'm
possible. As yet nothing has been done
towards the crop, aud the majority o.
planters are now without either coru O,
, meat The past year, it is true. was a
yer! disastrous one to the planters, but
the present stringent state of affairs can
not be attributed entirely to the failure Of
The last crop. A very considerable nor.
ton OF ii must be set down to the metbod
OF farming at present in vogue. The
farmcr~ smoke-houso and ,corn-crib has
been too fat. from home. Too much cotton
has been planted and too little attention
gwen Ia the production of corn aud meat.
As long as this method Of farming is pur.
sued by orr people, the farmer may expect
to remain poor aud oppressed. The cotton
cropis consumed a year, aud in many in.
stances two years, before il is produced
Cotton IL grown TO extiuguish debts con-
tractcd To procure corn aud meat at ex
travagant credit prices. Asa conyeaueuc,
the majority of farmers are, and have
been, in debt to the merchants who hay,
advanced these supplies The history of
the past ten, years is amply sufficient TO |
convince US that the. method Of farming
which has during that time prevailed, is
ruinouS, and, II persisted in. will sooner
or later bankrupt both merchant md
farmer The farmer himself must he
aware Of the fact that h. has not prospered
that he has not made money. but that on
the contrary, he is poor, in debt and
yearly growing poorer aud deeper involved
IN debt ,
III an average season for the growth and ,
production of cotton the majority OF far .
lncrs do not make more than enough To pay
Dh their merchants. As at present pursued
Tue occupation of planting is one of much O
hard toll for mere subsistence !,
With this state OF affairs staring them in O
he face 1t does seem To us that II change =.
II the methods of farming should be adopt
81 by tho tillers of the soil. Ii could u
ardIy make the planter worse OH to ADOPT
Imost any conceivable system of farming. Il
indeed the present system must be- about 4
b" worst that could possibly be pursued. n
There are n few farmers no are free of
rbt aud are every year making a little
loncy. These few make their own corn ~
nj meat. and in some instances other Do
rticles of subsistence. snrh rs syrup co
heat, Sc. The farmer who makes his ii,
VA corn and meat aud dcvotos after thi.
: attention to cotton, can, with economy,
axe good living and money beside The vi
ample of the few farmers who pursue 81;
is system Of farmyuo should hc followed be
all engaged IN the useful auu nouoraUIe M
cupation of agriculture. 1t will pay. 1t On
IS paid those who have followed it, The ;.
rmcr to prosper must have his corn crib
ii smoke house at home. VI
We know that there are many WHO will pr
Y that this il all well enough on paper. lei
t will not do to carry into practical exc G.,
ton. We reply that the present plan of -,
wing corn and meat ON credit has not
id the farmer, he has not prospcrrd I'M az
+ il and that the arguments IN favor of tn
change of methods ale at least strong q :
nush to warrant \ tlial Of raising our m
II meat and corn. ,;o
This year more attention should Lc given
raising hogs, larger acreage planted IN 49,
N. Let our farmers try the experiment Oh
producing their corn and meat at home. bO
hen our farmers adopt system Of farm ito
which produces their own supplies o,
predict that they will have taken a =,
x step towards an independence and WV
'spcrity to which they have hitherto oi
IN strangers. OF
rhc Republican majority in the present
ngrrs. is n considerable improvement tue
r some Of the majortics that par pc
has had in the National lcgislaturr.-pri
g day was when about all defeated ,of
publican aspirant for Congressional hon
had to do to reach the goal of his am
ian wos >, r,;.o IA. or,. -, ,r,r5 and de,
imidatlon. SC, and contest the scat of AM
Democrat who was fairly elected by
g majority, and the party Of great IN,
raj ideas would promptly seat him !
I the day has come when even q Rrpub
M Congress refuses to ignore the voice vi
the people in the selection Of rrprcscn- Tor
ives. The action of the present Con if
49, in the Lancr- King contest. and in co,
Smith Robertson contest, both from
: State indicates that the present Com