The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-03-15
ADVICE no THE SOUTH.
HOGS AND H0MINY FIRsT-THE SURPLUS
IN COTTON

The cotton factors of St. Louis have
united in the following circular in
the hope OF influencing the growth of
food products in the South the COM
ing season:
ST. LOUIS, No, Feb d. 1S93-To
the Merchants, Farmers, and Tenants
of the Cotton Belt: The South is
now on the eve of planting another
crop, and after an experience of II
years it seems advisable that some
change should be made in her man
ner OF farming, and we call your care
ful attention to the following facts,
which are offered with the sincere
hope that the people will give them
proper consideration.
Your section possesses the finest
farming lands and the most salubri-
Gus climate in the world, and should
be to day financially Independent;
instead of having to borrow on crop
before it is made, should have her
c,rn bins and larders filed before
commencing a crop.
Compare your situation with the
farmers Of the North and West. They
by systematic labor are growing rich
er each year, while you with patient
toll and close economy are neither so
thriving nor prosperous syou should
be.
There is cause for these troubles,
and we, as cotton men, whose inter-
est is closely identified with yours,
believe We are in position to note
many of the evils that exist, and Of
f3r, without presuming, the following
suggestions:
/. The credit system, MS at present
in vogue throughout the SJutb,is dis
astrous to the planters and tenants,
forcing them to pay eXtrayagant
prices for supplies, and causing their
crops to bo forced into market with
such rapidly and in such quantities
as to break prices, almost invariably
below cost OF production.
2 After noting for years the effect
of large crops Of cotton. we find that
the ovar-prcduction OF this staple is
the key note to the situation, and we
strongly advise all parties interested
in the prosperity Of the South to dis
courage the planting OF o large acre
age this year, and devote their labor
first to tie raising Of grain, cattle
and hogs, and give the balance OF
their time to the culture Of cotton.
This policy will bring good results
in many ways;for instance, many small
farmers, and large one also, are so
heavily in debt when their cotton is
ready for sale that they are compelled
to let it go, even though the price is
below its intrinsic worth;while,if they
had supplies at home, produced, and
not bought on credit, they could af-
ford to hold their cotton until they
felt justified in selling,
TIE price Of cotton to-day is fully
Is per cent. below the average of the
pas years, while, on the other hand,
corn is 80 per cent. and provisions so
per cent. above the average, Thus,
are you losers both why's.
With the production of enough
provisions on each farm, cotton would
become n surplus, and soon the incu.
bus Of debt would DO lifted from
your people, and each yepr would
record rapid strides in wealth
Decreased production Of cotton, and
increased production Of read, meat
and other uecossarics will bring a
bout more prosperous condition of
atfiirq for the South, aud instead of
sheriff sales 0 satisfy mortgages HAT
the poor labofers must now give, we
would see grinding poverty banished
forever, and plenty would pour i'll
upon You.
We ask that the merchants and
planters of each State, by calling
convention, or in some practicable
manner agitate this question until
the influence is felt throughout the
entire cotton belt.
Humphrey, Malone & Blake,
Gilkeson & Sluss Com
Allen West & Company.
Taylor 81 Bush,
S. NJ McCalum & Co,
Chas. G Poper & Co,
Adler, Goldman e. Co..
Wolf Bros, * Bath,
Never 81 ArOnsOu,
Wilson ~ Co,
@ortcr & Co.,
Hill, Fontaine & Co.,
Thos H. Allen & Co,
". 4. O6ear,
I, NJ Wiener & Co,
H. w. Brooks & Co.,
Sayle, Stegall & Co.,
Warren, Love & Co.,
Fisher Bros, & Co.,
X poOhnn1 g. Go