The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-01-12
COTTON ACREAGE.

Is the farmer the only one to blame
for the large crops of cotton and the
low prices of that article? There are
some who advance that theory. We
admit that the farmer is to blame part
lv. but let us look some farther into
this matter. 1t is well known hat the
great majority of the farmers in the
cotton belt are under mortgage, and
can not furnish themselves nor their
tenants unless assisted; and in the past
fifteen years it is we'll known that a
majority of those who give mortgages
have to plant whatever the party fur
nishing them requires to be planted. 1t
is known, further, that merchants and
ers. in nine cases out of ten, have re-
quired the farmer to plant the most Of
his r in cotton, and that whenever
it was desired by the applicant to plant
grain mostly, no advances could be
secured. No questions 7 usually
asked beyond "how much cotton are
you going to plant, and how much
guano are you going to use?" The
| average mortgaged farmer plants not
less than 20 acres Of cotton to the
! horse, and all his labor is expended on
his cotton, the best lands are put in it,
and all the manures are given to feed
it. The writer knows this to be a fact,
not only in the past but now. Any
resolution by the Alliances, or by all
the farmers in this country to reduce
| the acreage of cotton will amount to
nothing while those who make ad-
vances to them continue to control
them as heretofore. Now, let those
who loan the farmers change their tao
tics and refuse to furnish a dollar I'M
less the farmer will agree to plant not
more than ten acres of cotton to the
horse, and the remainder to be planted
in food crops. If tobacco is to be
planted, let it be divided between the
cotton and tobacco, five acres each.
But some charitable felIOU will say,
the farmer has got himself in this fix
now let him get out OF it. Yes but he
was helped to get in it. He was advised
when cotton was at good prices to quit
planting corn and wheat and quit rails
ing meat, that they could be purchased
cheaper than made. This all cotton
crop has grown on the people, on the
farmers of the cotton belt until the
whole country is thorough! pervaded
by this perniciOus system.
But will those who advance to the
farmer agree to this plan. We are
fearful they will net, but hope they
will. There are some noble, philan-
thrOpic money lenders who would will
lingly do this but there are so many
"shylocks" who prefer to continue the
same old course that reform will
amount to nothing in that line, we
fear.
We have read with pleasure an
article from Col. Branch, of Augusta,
| Georgia, upon this line, published in
the Wilmington Star of a recent date.
An excellent article. Some believe
that the farmer is an extravagant
scamp and is fit to occupy only the
place that many of them have been
brought to, as hewers of wood and
drawers of water" and that all the
trouble now is from the shiftlessness
| of the farmer and laborer of this
try. Now, if the reduction in acreage
Of cotton could be brought about,
Systematically, it would benefit
Southern cotton farmers Gas the max
ing Of supplies is a necessity for every
farmer) but | doubt seriously whether
it would be better for the whole coun-
try, especially those outside the cotton
belt. We believe that as to the over
production claimed and which many
Of our farmers believe to be true, there
is a great mistake. There is surely no
more cotton made now than is needed
and would be used if there was money
in the hands of the people to purchase.
! Cotton goods are no lower. There is
not one farmer or laborer in ten but
what would buy 30 per cent. more
cotton goods than he does if he had the
means to pay for them. Give us a bet
ter financial system, something like
the Sub Treasury that would keep the
money lords from controlling the crop,
and would loan money to the people at
not more than 4 per cent. at the out
side, and the overproduction of cotton
and the low prices now on us would
vanish. The accursed financial condi-
ton of the country is the whole cause
because it places the power in the
hands of a few to Cypress the many.
Give US the Sub-TreasurY plan, and