The Yazoo sentinel. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1878-1916, 1891-09-24
THE COTTON CRoP.
Prominent Planters, Now IN - l,onle a..l'
Discuss the situation Want Si'ott
Crop.

Crop.
Among the prominent southern plAn
ters now in the city are Dr. \. y; noNS5s'
Palmetto Home, lazoo county. Mis7,' n
III. N0blin from near NlckspGfg Anu "
c. pittman, Of Lake Provence, NarIyn
Parish La. DR.. Powers y one q ene
most extensive planters IN his sectloni
having several large plantations contain
inc altogether some $500 acres q iahul
on which he employs upward OF .OV ne
groes. In speaking Of the outlook TOT
the planters in his State Dr. towers
said:
ave have had bad weather for the
cotton crop this year, and as 2 result
am confident that the crop will be short
at least 25 per cent, in the delta distrlct
and 33l per cent in the hill country.
We are not at an discouraged over TINS,
but. paradoxical as it may seem we rath-
er consider 1t blessing for the reason
that last wear we had All excess ot cotton
and another such a crop would have con-
tinued the ruinous low prices and Sc
riously affected the planters; but the
poor crop OF this year viii sendprlces up
and not only enable the planters 70 uh-
load their excess, but to obtain good prl-
ces for what they raise this year. me
cotton crop oflS90 yielded S,BQO,OOO 0aies
which was a large excess, and sent tne
price down to u cents Tor middling, the
lowest price ever known in the cotton
market. Last years crop was also a very
extensive one to raise because we had
failure In the corn crop, and planters
were forced to buy and ship IN al the
feed for their stock. This will be differ
ent this wear. for the corn crop is splen-
aid and there will be no outlay for inn
ported grain.
saThe Yazoo delta, where / live Is one
Of the finest cotton-growlng sections n
the South. as we grow almost ehllrey
what is known as long staple COTTON,
that which is used for mixing with SILK
1t is now bringing from l29 to 10 cents
pound and yields about half bale q the
acre. The short staple cotton ylelds
about three fourths or bale 70 the acre
but brings lower price, selling now LOT
8 cents a pound. The financial condition
of the planters is very satisfactory, and
ii the cropis generally short,as we hope
we viii have prosperous year IN Ails-
sissippi
"Nnile there is some talk Of labor
| trouble in other States we do not appre-
hend any, as the negroes Of our sectlon
are happy and contented ! really do
not think there is on the globe more
happy class Of laborers than the. negroes
OF our plantations. They receive lalf
wages and make a good living by work
ing about six months IN the year. ~
summer they can liyedove and DC happy
on catfish, dewberries and blackDerrles
and during the winter they least on coons
possum and sweet potatoes we pay
! Them 50 cents hupdred for picking eot-
ton. or where they desire to work " the
month we give them $3.50 month aac
feed them. We allow them to work on
! ahares. cixinc them one hall Of the cr2l
4 in addition X, furnishing everything
The heiehth IL the eambiti0n ot the ltll y
| tv negroes Is 10 oNA 4 lew acres q lana
of their own, and we planters delight ~
encouraging them in this as it makes
them better laborers and has q good IN.
| flueuce on all new comers. These me-
groes have the confidence OF the planters
and can get most any accommodation
they ask for. We not only furnish them
with comfortable homes, loan them
money. but build them churches and
school houses. We have one OF the mn
est school systems in the South, and
will guarantee TO say there aie five me-
gro school houses in our section 70 one
FOR white children. The North does not
realize the kind feeling that exists be.
| tween the planters and the negroes, and
would be astonished If they did. never
let a year pass without giving the negroes
on INV plantations barbecue or an ex-
cursion on the river, and have a physi-
clan hired by the year 10 look after their
health. There would never be any troub-
lie between the whites and blacks but
far few low down white men, who stirup
dissensions and try to prevail on the ne
gro TO enter into politics. Our negroes
do not care to vote, and am sure that
not more than 25 out Of the 700 we en-
ploy ever 90 TO the polls"
Mr.. Nobhn confirmed the Doctor 8
statements in regard to the short crop
Of cotton, and was confident that the hill
country. where he is located, would be
short at least 80 per cent
Mr.. Pittman was rather Of the opinion
that the crop in his State would yield
fairly well, but with the other two gen
tlemen, vas hoping for short crop.
st. Louis Republic Sept. 10.