The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-02
oooD ADVICE TO OUR PLANTERS.

q mercy Of q spell OF unusually wet or dI
!, weather, to say nothing OF the losses an
. disasters resulting from an early or lei
II season, o. fuctuation in the prices of Ii
Il article. And yet, our farmers and planter
a within the cotton belt, still laboring unds
i the old idea that "cotton is king almos
refuse as class to turn their attention I
!, the cultivation of any other product. Som
improvement is taking place in this matter
however, we are glad to note, but still GU
planters will not adopt the pltl
of raising a diversity oil prt
ducts. Their meat and brea'
must continue to come at exorbitant rates
from the north and east, while they con
tinue to devote themselves exclusively Il
the raising of cotton. The policy is Ger
tainly an unwise, and 10 great extent sui
cidal one. The sooner the farmers of th,
cotton belt recognize the necessity for di
versiiying their products and raising To-
themselves at triiling cost and labor wha
what they now pay ruinously high prices
for, the better ii will be for them and theii
entire section, which is always more largely
dependent for prosperous trade upon the
prosperity of the producing class than upon
any other fact or influence. So great is the
necessity becoming for variety Of
crops In the south, and particu-
larly the recognized cotton belt"
that the cotton factors have commenced 10
speak out on the subject, and those OF st.
Louis have published an address to south
ern agriculturists relative to the matter.
The address is published in the hope of in
iluencng the people to pay greater atten-
ton TO the cultivation OF food products in
the south, and contains the very soundest
advice, which, we trust, will be extensively
read and needed by our farmers and plant
ers in Texas. The address is signed by
twenty prominent firms Of cotton factors.
After referring to the unriyaled salubrity Of
climate and fertility of soil in the south,
these gentlemen say Compare your situa-
ton with the farmers OF the north and west.
They, by systematic labor, are growing
richer every year, while you, with patient
toll and close economy, are neither SO thirty
ing nor prosperous rs you should be. There
is Il cause for these troubles, and we, rs cot
ton men, whose interest is closely Identified
with yours, believe we are in Il position 10.
note many of the evils that exist, and offer,
without presuming, the following sugges-
tions:
/. The credit system as at present in
vogue throughout the south is disastrous
to the planters and tenants, forcing them TO
pay extravagant prices for supplies, and
causing their crops to be forced into market
with such rapidity and in such quantities
as to break prices almost invariably below
cost Of production.
.. After noting for years the effect of
large crops of cotton, we find that the over
production of this staple is the keynote TO
the situation, and we strongly advise all
parties interested in the prosperity of the
south to discourage the planting of a large
acreage this year and devote their labors
first to the raising of grain, cattle and hogs,
and give the balance of their time to the
culture of cotton.
Thispolicy will bring GOOD results in many
ways; for instance, many small farmers,
and large ones also, are so heavily in debt
when their cotton is ready for sale that they
arc 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 afford to
hold their cotton until they felt justified in
selling. The price of cotton to-day is fully
10 per cent. below the average of the
past fyc years, while on the other hand
corn is 80 per cent. and provisions so per
cent. above the average. Thus are you
losers both ways. With the production OF
enough provisions on each arm, cotton
would become surplus and soon the incu.
bus of debt would be lifted from your peo-
pie, and each year would record rapid
strides in wealth." The arguments used in
the above excerpt from the address speak for
themselves, and ought to sink deeply into
the minds Of our producing class. With
every facility for raising their own supplies
and greatly diversiiying their crops with
products that are now bringing extremely
high prices in the markets every
where these planters and farmers of the
cotton belt as these factors say are paying
out money for their food products and
devoting all their energies, time and acre.
age to the cultivation Of staple that is
seemingly depreciating in value annually.
AS result they are getting poorer year
after year, while in other sections, wheat,
corn, mules, horses, hogs and a variety of
other objects of concern to the farmer are
being raised by him, with constantly
increasing profit and success. 1t is strange
therefore that more OF our own citizens do
not indulge in such Il cutting Off from old
methods as will better their condition
almost from the very start. Aside from
the convenience and profit, the fear and
anxiety attendant upon the cultivation OF
but one product will be removed and all
the channels of trade be proportionately
benefited. We therefore especially com
mend to the consideration of our Texas
farmers and planters this address OF the ST
Louis cotton factors.
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THE lottery mania has become so ex
tended and alarming in France that tn,
| .xn,a,n,,a,,t has lat,.,,;nnl pnn, ,aL;,.