The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-12-23
What is the Remedy

Our people, who think much, are now
wrestling with the food problem as they
have not done since the war. All sudden
and great Huctuation In the values of
agricultural products lave ceased. What
is known as an exciting day in the wheat
market of Chicago does not affect the
price of -four here. Prices have settled
to their normal condition. Men cannot
make money by specializing. Trading
in futures and making corners does
not "pan out" as this business did a few
years ago. Our people begin to see this
and they feel that all the money they get
has to be made by very hard licks and
close saving. They also see that when a
bad crop year comes, chat they get be.
hind, even if they do nf want the actual
comfort of life. Here, il the close of the
year 1886, the farmers of this county are
worse off than they ought to be-. This
condition may prove blessing in dis
guise, if they will turn over new leaf
and adopt more rational plan of farm
ing. One thing the matter with the
country is that they pay out too much
money and take in too little. The indi.
yidual that spends more than he makes
will soon become bankrupt. Tho coun.
ty that sends out more money than it
receives will get poorer and poorer. Is
this the case with us? Let this question
be considered seriously. Now the only
articles which bring money from abroad
to this county are cotton, cotton seed, raw
hides and rags. If there is any thing else
re do not know what it is. At the pres.
ent prices these articles, in an average
year, will not bring 10 the county not
more than .1,250,000. If half that
amount could stay with US, we would
prosper and flourish. But we buy nearly
every thing and the money we pay out
goes from the county. A rough estimate
indicates that we pay for guano, corn,
-four, bacon, molasses, lard, hams, sugar,
coffee. rice, shoes, clothing agricultural
implements and machinery, insurance,
garden seeds, cabbsge and potatoes about
81 100000. Make your figures for the
whole, county and see if you can get
them any lower. There are many things
you will hate to add. Now our cotton
crop Ia not large enough to meet this
expenditure and one more very short
crop at the present prices will bankrupt
the county. This is plain talk and it is
not for the purpose of breaking your
spirits or weakening your efforts that it is
made.
What is the remedy? 1t is for each
man to make the stuff that will bring in
more money than he pays out. If Gotten
is the thing, stick to cotton. But that
policy has brought US where we are TO-
day. Make your own corn, wheat, oats,
rye, molasses, meat, potatoes and vegeta'
bles at home, with surplus. When you
20 to a town carry some of this surplus
to exchange for such things as you cannot
raise or make. Raise your own horses
and mules. Ifyour wheat fails, live on
corn bread. If bacon is scarce, fall back
on milk and butter Let the women
folks study kitchen economy, 80 as to
prepare cheap and healthful dishes and a
variety of them. With fowls, eggs, milk,
butter, vegetables and fruits, all Of which
should be on the farm, q great variety OF
nice aud tempting dishes can be prepared.
A good cook book in the hands of a
thrifty housekeeper will make the com
mon everyday material look like differ.
ent focd.-Spartanburg Spartan.