The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-07
KING NO LONGER.
FARMERS SAY THE ACREAGE
WILL BE REDUCED.

meeting nei0 IN tcmpet auIc iAoh
10 Scotland Neck on tuesday OF
last week, December %, 1891, to
consider the question Of acreage In
cotton and its possible substitutes.
The meeting was called by the
Farmers Alliance, but Was free and
open to all interested in the welfare
| of the country, Every occupation
and profession was represented.
There we're about two hundred per-
sons present, mostly farmers-bot
the merchants of the town, the law
yers and doctors and pre- acher, were
we'll represented.
Mr.. w. Fl. Shields called the
meeting to order and q well-timed
remarks stated the object OF the
meeting. 1t was to discuss the
question OF reducing the acreage
in cotton and choosing some
substitutes for cotton. Speeches
we're limited to ten minutes, and the
chairman announced that there had
been no appointment as to who
should speak, bot that the meeting
wasopen to all who felt an interest in
the present financial condition of the
couatry. He iovited al! to express
their opinions on the matters before
the meeting, and declared the meets
ing open for free and easy discuss
srons and an interchange OF views
by ell who felt dlsoo sed to speak.
The editor of The DEMOCRAT WAS
called upon, and RESPONDED 10 a few
remarks. lie advised what has been
preached through these columns for
four years-that the first aGd safest
thing for the farmers to do is to raise
their home supplies. He suggested
the cultivation of rice as one Of the
50 Institutes for cotton. and also the
raising of wbea. as one Of the need>
ed home supplies.
Messrs John L Whitehead and
S. W. Edwards said they had had
some experience in rice culture. Mr..
Whitehead thought it paws. but Mr..
Edwards thought that the lands
: were left somewhat impoverished by
the crop.
|, Mr. w A Dunn said he was lawye,
, and had no advice to give to the far>
. mers bot wanted to give expression
to his hearty sympathy with them in
all their interests, in all their pros
perity or reverses as thu case may
be. He sad the farmers are the
their prosperity or failure means tie
same for all other classes,
Mr.. John I. Liwren, e, an aged
and successful farmer, g aid that the
farmer, To be successful. INST raise
} all of everything he consumes in the
way of supplies and must have lit
, tie of all to spare. He began farm
t ing when young man with supplies
, for one year and the same supplies
, nave lasted him until Low. There ie
, 40 economy in producing cotton at
: the present prices. To be indepen
, dent, he said, the farmer must have
supplies at LONE.
e Mr.. K. K. Hancock agreed that
q the first thing the farmer must do i.
I, to raise his home supplies. HIS in
t dependence, as farmer. is due tt
:, his raising all his supplies on hi;
i own farm. Mr.. Hancock suggested
?. resolutions recommending that The
), farmers reduce the acreage in cot
: ton ONE HALF. He said that he hac
o already reduced his acreage anG
T finds that it works we'll.
: Mr.. r H. Suith, ST., a farmer o.
. lifelong experience, thought that tue
happy and Independent farmer il
the one who makes his own supplies
He did not see what good resolutions
would do, for they could not be made
+ binding, every man would have te
t act after all, upon his own jud gment
t He recommended trucking aud the
raising of such perlshable and other
crops as can find ready market.
e DE. Nj. T. Savage said the system
b OF cultivatiDg the lands in cotton
year after year has Impoverished the
= soil; and there must be a rotation oil
r creLe, such as will leave vegetation
a on the land to enrich it.
Mr. A. ". EARLY q visitor from
:. BERTHE county, sa.G that safe thing
for the farmer to do is to make home
supplies, whatever the price of cot.