The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-11-10
DECREASE THE COTTON ACRE
AGE.
AGE.
BLTFF ALLIANCE. Y

BLUFF ALLIANCE, No 81
Mr.. EDITOR:-I IN not at all accuS-
toned to writing for newSp tperS, but
trusting that the necessary allowances
Will be made for mistakes. etc, | viii
undertake to State some things that
our brethren Of Bluff Alliance have
been discussing. First, we have been
discussing the prOprIety of a reduction
of the cotton acreage. 1t was generally
admitted that If tins system, say ten
acres or less to the horse could be
adopted and carried out through the
entire cotton belt OF the southern
States, that The benefits derived from
1t would be- lnCdiCulable. How Is TINS.
some would argue. We say in this
way 1t would decrease the quantity
made to some extent and not a great
deal either, for farmers could aft nd to
improve q few acres better than many,
therefore making more to the acre and
a better article. The decrease of GUAM
tlty and a better article certainly would
demand better prices. Again this
method would enable the farmers to
diversity their crops, raising more for
home consumption and not depend
up d foreign markets for supplies,
which they have been doing for many
years, almost to their utter rum.
AgHIn, a reduction i'll quantity would
better enable US 10 educate our chtI-
dren, for 1t certainly takes the old
man, Old woman. children and all these
days to save n cotton, therefore chill
dren cannot go to school but little.
This thing of an education has and is
being neglected to an alarming extent
and should be remedied. These are
some of the reasons we offer for a re
ductlOn OF acreage, and many more
might be adduced.
l notice an article in your last issue
written by a brother upon the same
subject that we r herein discussing.
He says the Alliances should act slow
ly and cautiously III this matter. We
agree with the brother in this p~articu-
lar, for 1t is going to take time to get
this thing on foot, if ever. Yet there
Is such a thing as being too slow. We
think this subject should be hurriedly
agltated. | do not deem it ~expedient
for the lodges to pass any resolutions
In regard to this subject until the puO-
lie becomes well fired up upon it | am
persuaded to differ a little with nv
brother IN n particular, that If such
actions as mentioned should be had in
Ol1C 1OOSCS, O1lbG IL "Oulu play llDGfdllN
into the hands of our largest cotton
planters who are nOn-Alliancemen. Our
idea is this: that we could not be hurt
much in this way because undoubtedly
most farmers plant already as much
cotton as they can cultivate and ave.
We are caused to feel sad and even
mad at the abOminable falsehoods per
petrated upon our noble, unfinchIng
leaders nv n9TfIG4n n9nnrC Nov rho
wicked turn from the error of their
ways before it is inevitably too late.
Stand firm and immOvable, brethren,
be not deluded by the enemy but march
with an uniinching step, unvielding
determination and we believe God will
give us the victory. l think he is with
n for US. Our noble Order has caused
a great moral reformation throughout
n land already which is glory enough
for 1t should never die. Success to
your noble paper.
Yours fraternally,
! ). II. BRYAN, Pres't.