Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1893-02-04
PROSPERITY FOR THE SOUTH
Non is the Time 20 Act-The Most Im'
r,r,pnt Noye of the INV.

The mass meeting OF cotton producers
held in thecity Of Memphis, on the 10th
day of November, 1892, assisted by the
National Alliance. then in session, ini-
tiated a movement that demands Of
every producer, every factor, manufas-
turer and every citizen of all occupa-
tons. their most hearty Endorsement
and cooperation. 1t is a fact that
Southern prosperity depends upon the
profitable production of cotton. The
world looks to us for its available sup
ply. We produce - per cent, OF tho
worlds o In 1921 we produced 60
per cent. OF the entire crop. or the
amount available for the commercial
uses OF Europe and the United States,
in the latter year, we furnished 50 per
cent. We hold a practical monopoly for
the satisfaction Of this demand, and
are acting in a manne the most short
sighted to say the least, when we force
on that demand more than its necessi-
ties require. This folly we committed
in 1890. and again in 1891. In 1892,
absolute inability to secure advances TO
cultivate so much land in cotton, forced
& larger body OF land to be utilized for
other purposes and thereby secured a
small decrease in area planted to
cotton. yet that decrease was not sufi-
cient to meet the dictates OF common
sense, and it rcmained for an overruling
Providence 10 interpose unfayorable
climatic conditions resulting in the ex-
haustion Of the surplus that was being
held over from year to year, and permit
ted the staple to again get back to
above cost OF production. This Provi-
dental interference, despite the mis-
guided action of tho producer, has
| brought about a healthier condition in
values Of raw cotton. The menacing
influence OF a surplus no longer haunts
/ the market. and the experience of those
who produced it has taught them to be-
ware Of another like accumulation. In
reaching this condition forces have
been at work tending 10 reduce ex-
! pcnditurcs, and inculCate habits OF
economy among all classes. | doubt il
here ever was a cotton crop made at so
small an actual outlay Of cash as the
one now being marketed. Patching was
| vigorously rcsorted to by tho laboring
element. and by others the old clothes
Of previous years were reconstructed
and made to serve the purpose Of new
ones. Milk, butter, eggs and vegetables
were largely substituted for meats,
thus reducing the usual annual outlay
for Western meat. 1t is to be hoped
such commcndable practices will con
tinuo until all are out of debt, and the
Southern farmer may know no master
save the dictates of an enlightened and
profitable agriculture. The wealth
producing interests of the South have
in raw cotton an element Of pecUlia'
value, more important than any other
one resource, probably, and for the
present more than ali others combined.
it is doubtless true that cotton manu-
featuring, with its varied industrial
cmplOymenGs, would tend more rapidly
to build up and develop a general bust
ness activity. But cotton manufacture
ing is not indigenous to our soil. II is
not our peculiar province TO conduct
such enterprises. They seem to thri We
unusually we'll in other sections. The
time will no doubt come in the near
future when the bulk Of the American
crop will he manufactured in the South,
but this interest is not here now. be-
cause. unlike cotton production, it can
be prolitably conducted somewhere
else. hut the staple itself is ours, ours
to enjoy, ours to preserve, ours to i'm
prove and transmit to generations un-
born, because Indigenous to our soil
and congenial to our climate to a de-
gree surprising in peculiar fitness and
adaptation that of any other known
region OF the earth. II is an inherit
ance that no power can wrench from us
except We ourselves exert it. Nature
has evidently constituted it a crop
specially "a our section. and now what
are We to do with it? We are practi-
cally without a rival in supplying the
worlds demand for cotton, India has
long since reached her maximum acre
age; She is up TO the full necessities of
the world for such short staple stuff as
she produces at the rate of 60 pounds of
lint per acre Of staple ranging from
one-quarter to fye-eights of an inch in
length. Egypt also, though producing
an excellent staple from one to one and
a half inches, equal 70 American bend
ers. has ceased to increase her acreage
and output. She reached her highest
acreageln lSSs-1,041, 600 acres, reducing
the next season to $4,000 acres. To this
section alone is perfect success in cotton
production possible. No yissitudes of
weather, of finance or trade can long
depress it below a standard Of reason
able profit, provided those who are
actively engaged in its production will
adopt ordinary common sense methods
in the management of their business.
They must live at home and board at
the same ~place'-make cotton a surplus
crop by raising sufficient food crops to
sustain the farm. Have we not been
taught by experience during the last
few years that this is the only policy
the cotton-raiser can live under? 1t
must he potent to every intelligent
farmer and every thoughtful business
man, that buying corn, meat and hay to
make cotton with will bring ruin not
only to the farmer, but to every calling, |
trade and profession breathing the
| same business atmosphere with him?
We have in every community living eX. |
amples OF the wisdom of diversity in |
farming. In every county in the cot
ton States, it is safe to say, there are
individual farmers, who, no matter
what the price Of cotton may be. man
age to pay their debts and accumulate
something. Invariably they are found
to be those 'who live at home" pro-
ducing an abundance for man and beast.
Their farms are self-sustaininr. and
their cotton is the main surplus and
profit. These are examples for us to
follow. The cotton acreage must be
cut down; less cotton produced. and
more food crops planted.
Seven million bales will bring mora