The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1883-03-10
Advice to t!le Son til.

We have time ana again callel thsA ats
tention of our farmers and planters, TO
what we considered very serious error III
planting so much cotton 10 the exclusion
If better paying products. 1t seems that
every body Sees tho error except the plan
rs themselves, and the cotton factors Of
St. Lo,ais have united in the following adj
dress in the hope of influencing the
growth of fool products in the South the
the coming season. We sincerely hope
their at, yice will be beaded and acted ap-
on.
ST. Lov1s, No, February "a, lsa3.-T0
the Merchants, Farmers, and Trna:Its Of
the Cotton Belt: The Solith is now on
the eve of printing another crop, and after
ii, experience OF seventeen yeats it seems
advisable that snuc change Shrull he
made IN her manner Of farming anl We
cali yr,r carrin! attention TO tie fellow
inr facts. which ar" o,trrrti with the sin.
cc,r hope tat the people will give them
proper consideration.
Your section ,,o>,.S,cs the finest farm
l o laaG, and the iI.Vs saiibrious climate
in tie wor.i, HuI sit-Hla DC to-day iiaau
chilly independent; instead OF having 10
borrow on Il crop !r:olr it is nia'!e. should
have II"r cora bins and lasdcrs filled be-
fore commencing "a crop.
Compare sour situation with tie f,rm-
ers OF he Merit! aHd West. They by sys-
.ctnatlc labor are growing richer cac',
year, While you With patient toll an cios,,
economy are neither so thriving nor pros
ierons az you should lie.
There is q causc for these troubles, ana
we assertion men, whose interest is clnss
~ identified with yours. believe We are in
position to note many Of the evils that
exist, and offer, WITHOUT rresunins, the
following srgg"stioli:
l. TIE credit ITEM a. at present in
vogue tLroaghout NJ. South is disastrous
to the plan.els nna sa;..s s,rei,,s them
to pay'extravagant Ticos for siippafss,.
and causing their crfps to be forced Into
market with such rh,i'litN and in such
qu:n titirS as TO break iric aim nyali
ably below cost Of production.
.. After nothing for years the effect Of
large crors OF ION. we find that the
oy'r-production of this staple is the key
note TO the situation, aud we strongly
advise all parties interested in the pros
perily of the South to discourage the
planting OF a large acreage this year and
devote their lab0rs first to the raising Of
grain, csttle and hogs. ana give the bal
ancc OF their tinle to the culture ofcottOn.
This policy viii! bring good results in
many ways: for instance, many small fay
mers, and Jorge ones 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 intrinsic worth;
while If tie had supplies at home, pro-
,luceh, and not bought on credit, they
could afford to hold their eottou until they
feltiustifed in selling. .l'' .".
The price of cotton to-day is fully Is
per cent below the average of the past
i've years, while on the other hand corn is
33 per cent and provisions SO per cent
above the average. Thus are sou losers
both ways. l.."trl
With the production Of enough provi-
SlOnS Gu each t.iri cotton would become u
surplus, aud soon tho incubus Of debt
would be lifted from your people, and
each year wonid record rapid strides in
wealth. =.
Decreased promotion Of cotton and in.
creased nrodu :tinn of bread. meat and
other ns,essalics will bring about luore
prosperons condition of affairs for the
South, and instead OF sheriff sales to sat-
isfy the mortgages that tho poor llborers
must now give, wo would see grinding
poverty banishcd forever, and plenty
would pour innpOn you. w..
We ask, that the merchants and planters
Of each State, b. calling a Convention, Or
in some practicable manner, ,ayiyate this
question until the iniiuence is le.t
throughout the eutire cotton belt.
Signed by the following cotton factors
Gileson 4 Gloss Co., Scntyr l. Co.,
Allen, West u Co., Ni'l, Fontaine& Co.,.
Malone s. 'r!los. II. Allen Il Co.
Blake, fs lew. y. Obear, r.
Taylor Il Bush. ~ L N. Wiener 4 Co.
: NJ McCalllm & Co. H. w Brooks 81 Co.,
G. G. Peper Il Co., Saylc, Stegall ss,Co.,
Adler Goldman g. Go, Warren, Love u Co.,
Wolf Bros. Il Bath, Fisher Bros. & Co.
Meyer &Aronson. Az Bophain 4 Co.
~ 81 Ni,scnf& Go. tG" rH 81