The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-05
What About Reducing Cotton
Planting.

"Lessen the acreage OF cotton in
futures" Is now the general recon-
mendation as the quantity made
has reduced the price below the cost
of production. This is good advice,
but will it be taken! | doubt it, for
cotton planting has become craze
With our people, and they will con
tinue planting 1t II it will sell at any
price. They whom the gods wish
to destroy, they first make mad"
and | think the cotton planters are
in that condition now, as they seem
bent On self-destructioD, so far as
cotton is concerned. | would sug-
Rest another plan for our people to
pursue, believing they will never
give into planting less to amount to
any beneficial results.
The plan l suggest is this: Let
every farmer resolve to plant enough
ground to make oil the provisions he
needs, CORD, wheat, oats, grass, and
raise his meat, ia short, make his
farm entirely self.supporting in that
line, and then plant AL the cotton
he can tend, If that system was
adopted, no matter what the price
of cotton may be, If it only sold at
five cents, the money the cotton
brough bit would be his, and full sup :
ply of provisions of his own raising
would make him independent.
Somewhere about 1916 or 1847 |
paid large debt with cotton that
brought from three to four cents. |
did 1t by raising all my food supplies
and using economy, and applying
all my cotton money to my debts.
At that time some planters who were
also in debt failed and others sold
come Of their slaves to release them
from debt, for the reason they plant
ed large crops Of cotton in hopes OF
paying them out of debt, and SO cur.
tailed their provision crops that the =
had to buy their provisions and
having to buy their provisions, they
were unable to pay their debts. But
all who raised their provisions were
enabled to apply all their cotton mon
ey to their debts, and by scaling
their debts down IN that way, by in
dulgeEces survived and got out Of
their troubles. And why can't that
system be adopted nov? All whc
are in debt raise their food supplies
and apply their cotton money &c
their debts. II it proved COOS
system In those days, why would i,
not prove equally as good these
days.
1t is too much cotton and too little
provisions that Is proving SO disas>
trous to Southern farmers. If sill o.
our farmers raised their own food
supplies, cotton would not prove 6
drawback to our farming. Oar
troubles all arise from tho farmers
not raising their own food supplies
1t Is having to buy all their provls'
ions that keeps them so poor and
depressed. The want Of making oal
own supplies hurts Us more tnan ar
eight million bale crop. Suppost
we raised enough provisions to sup
ply all the hands we employed
What difference it would make If
our expenses, and instead Of thei
being supplied by merchants, VIZ
would supply them ourselves at tht
market prices,
ALI L can say, our system Of far m
ing is all wrong. We bring all on
troubles upon ourselves Chang,
our present system Of farming, whicl
is ''farmer Is producer and no
a consumer" and soon will be see,
a different exhibit of what is no,
show. 1t is ell nonsense to tai
about reducing the area planted i
cotton. Talk provision crops, an
it is the only way Of reducing th
cotton crop. The Alliance was t
have instructed their brother A
liancemen in the benefits Of divers
: fed farming; but it seems tn, ha>
. made no progress in TIL. way; s
they have put Alliance stores to fu
nish Alliancemen with their foe
supplies. Well If they will persi.
in buying their food supplies, pc
haps 1T is better that they be su
Piled by stores of their own.
:, JOHN 81. DENT.