The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-11-05

If the present acreage and yield is
kept up, it is quite clear that, in the
absence OF increased consumption,
prices next year will be lower than at
present. The sooner these facts are
realized and faced the better.
What is the remedy? Until con-
sumption has been largely increased,
there appears 90 he only two Ways o.
making cotton proving more prOHJ~.
bic, and that is by reducing the acre
age, and the cost of production.
Nearly every small farmer plants
nearly twice as many acres as he
ought to handle, with the result, that
his crop does not receive the timel Y
attention it requires, and his acres do
not produce much more than half they
are capable of, and that, at fifteen to
twenty-five per cent greater cost, than
if grown on half the acreage.
This is q well demonstrated fact,
and the only farmers making proht
on cotton this year, are those practlc-
ing this principle of fewer acres and
intensive cultivation.
/ know it is impossible to have con-
certed action in this matter, the field
is too wide and interests too diversi-
fed, but, if Farmers Alliances would
devote some of the energy they are
now squandering over politicalmatters
and new parties to legitimate affairs,
they might do the class they repre-
sent some good, instead of, as at pre- :
ent, evil.
But this reduction of cotton acreage
is worthy of individual consideration.
Not only can the cost Of the staple be
reduced, and nearly or altogether as
many bales raised, but the liberated
acres are at hand for other and often
more profitable crops. One great OBJ
stacle in the reduction of the cotton
acreage is found amongst land owners
employing renters and the merchants
who run them with supplies.
They often stipulate that renters
shall plant an excessive acreage Of
cotton, as if they had the best of
teams, implements and inclination for
cultivation, while as rule the very
reverse is the fact. This is short
sighted policy and financially unprof-
liable to all concerned.
1t is popularity asserted and believed
that the farmers as class are in a
chronic state of "hard up" and tho
blame is laid broadly at the door of
agriculture, with the sweeping asser-
ton that farming don't pay" Now
it must be candidly confessed that
under the most favorable conditions
farming is not the shortest road to
riches, and under existing circum-
stances it takes hard work
and good management to keep
the balance on the right
side of the ledger. There are many
causes for this regretable state of
things, but the number of poor,
thrift!ess renters is one of the chief of
them. There are thousands of them
up and down the country that should
be engaged in any other occupation
except farming. They are not farm
of the soil, although
they pass as such and are included
when the class is quoted. l only
allude to the thriftless, unambitious,
poor renter; for some of the most
practical and progressive farmers in
the state are renters, who are fast adj
vancing to land ownership and are
now the best of citizens. But the
farming industry is now overloaded
with the dead weight of this misera-
BILE class of thriftless renters. Their
constant demand for acres causes
land owners to break up virgin sod
that should have been left for grazing,
and the aggregate of their production
in cotton, the only crop in excess of
barely furnishes them an existence,
goes to swell the total crop beyond
the worlds requirements. They bear
none of the burdens Of citizenship,
having no taxable property, and sell
dom even qualify for service as jury
men.
In all the mechanical trades
and even amongst common day
laborers in cities they have
rules against the employment
of men who will reduce their wages;
and if employers attempt to introduce
"scabsn and "blacklegs" we know
what happens. But farmers have no
to such competition. L do
not not council Farmers unionn on
the principle of "trade unions" but
have given a reason not generally
recognized for some of the farmers
JrOuDle, Ill OIu6I UudG uc uldy Illuh
and act knowingly.
/ have said that many Farmers AL
Iiances have abandoned their first
holy principles and are now worship
ing false gods. Very few of the
farmers troubles can be removed by
political action; and new party is no
more needed at present than new
sun or moon. If farmers would at
tend strictly to their own business
and pay less heed to itinerant,
hungry, place hunting politicians,
who are now pulling the wool over
their eyes, affairs would have better
chance Of mending. / don't say that
politics should be altogether eschew-
ed, for every good citizen should be
in the history and laws of
his country; but politics should not
hold the first rank. If we had sub
stantial reform in the tariff laws the
farmer would find that the next most
reforms were needed on his
own homestead.
reform begins at home"
PIG OR HOG.
In the common economy of the farm
there are no hogs but only pigs, for as