The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-07-16
LETTER FROM WOLVERINE.
Timely Criticisms and Valuable Sug-
P~eStionS.

Timely Criticisms and Valuable Sug-
gestions.
Mr.. Dodge, who complies the u. S.
crop reports at Washington, says in
the May report: "About one-tenth of
our agricultural products are exported.
Yet the articles shipped abroad are
few. They are cotton, tobacco, meats,
breadstufs and cheese. All other
articles are but three per cent. of the
exports" Europe produces one and
one-ffth billion bushels of wheat and
buys 95 million bushels Of us. Half
a billion pounds of tobacco and buys
about half that amount of US. Europe
buys 1850 million pounds of cotton
of us, which is over one-half of the
European import. Fifty-nine thou
sand tons of cheese they buy of US,
and with meats and a small amount
of other exports this has to buy all
we import, except what is paid in III
We made Is million tons of sugar
last year and imported five times as
much. Every bit could be produced
at home from cane and beets.
Germany and France export mil
lions of tons of beet sugar. Here is
a chance for Southern industry. The
trust adds about the amount of the
tariff to its cost to consumers, or
about 100 millions of dollars more
than our sweetening ought to cost us
annually. Probably nearly a million
of dollars net profit goes to the trust
weekly. BeJford's Magazine puts it at
80 million dollars last year. W. i'm
port 35 to 40 thousand tons of tea
annually. Every pound can be grown
at a fair profit in California and the
South if American brains will but
work to develop improved plants, cul-
ture and extracting the active princi-
pie for popular Use The laborers
employed in it's culture would e
your cotton, chew your tobacco, eat
your provisions and compete in none
of these products.
We import from Is to Is thousand
tons of wool annually, largely from
Australia, South America and warn
climates. One thousand tons each to
fifteen Southern States would about
supply this deficiency, and yet, ex-
cepting Texas, the whole South isn't
recognized in the wool market as
much as Ohio, Kansas or even Mich.
gan.
With it's myriad acres of billy land
and mountain sides sparkling with
streams and clothed in perennial
green, it is the natural home of the
sheep, and yet!!!
Our agricultural exports exceed 70
per cent of all, our manufacturers l6
per cent. We car compete with for
eigh manufacture but to a limited ok
tent, and in but five farm products.
In only two can we compete to any
extent-cotton and wheat. Both are
menaced by English capital and East
Indian cheap labor. Our only saliva
ton is in diversified industries and a
home market.
By the census of 1880, New York
had 265 agricultural implement manu-
factories; North Carolina "a, car
riages and wagons 667, against At;
clothing 1850, against 3; drugs and
medicines 1l2, against 600; fertilizers
IS to l; furniture Oil to AZ; glass al,
to 100000. But enough of comparison
except the total number of establish
ments which for New York it AZ, 739,
and for North Carolina is 1902. New
York has an area Of Al, 600 square
miles and North Carolina 5O,O 100.
One developed home markets and di-
versifed industries; the other depend.
ed on land and labor to pay for
everything wanted with two or three
products. You have dwarfed growth
and impoverished the soil and now
feel the throes Of financial death as a
result.
It took the sword to cut the scales
from the eyes of this Southern St,
Paul and the burning brand of wal
to scar the wound, but now that you
are converted, let faith produce its
perfect fruit.
Diversity industries-so shall the
danger of over-production of one
thing grow less, and competition less
ruinous. Home markets save cost OF
transportation, commissions and rob
berries. They are best.
"Have hope i'm your future;
"Have faith lin yourselves.
"WoLvERINE."
TUT rAnHREn A YTYAAI~E ANT