The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-09-14
LOOK ON THE OTHER SIDE.

LOOK ON THE OTHER SIDE.
1t is an unfortunate thing that peo-
ple arc so prone to look only on one
side of gu, stion-their side OF 1t. u
ia the cent piece held directly IN
front of the eye that stops the range
or vision, rather than the huge, tow
ering mountain away off yonder. LII
is our environments, the little things
that meet us every day that hold our
attention rather than broad and grand
results. So it 10 that it is more
matter of training and custom than
of choice that we grow to regard
things simply as they affect
rs and not other people
This may be q species
of selfishpess, hut as it is exercised
along the line of almost universal GUS
tom and to the end of bodily support
and maintenance more charitable
name must be used for 1t.
But is it the true method OF proceed
ure? Look about you-who Is the
most successful student, scientist,
LAWYER. merchant, banker, business
man and farmer Is it not he who
studies not only his own side OF the
ouestion but his opponents ? 1t is
the lawyer who anticipates the de-
Tense of his opponent and prepares to
meet it who is the most sue
cessful. So with all lines OF
business and professions. The IN
telligent farmer who is Wiling
to get out of The old ruts and try new
theories is the one who wins. And
what shall be the practical applica-
ton of this moralizing which is SO true
that it is automatic? Let us apply it
right to our present conditions,
The nation is just emerging from
one of the most trying financial up
beavals n it's history. We OF the
south have not felt it as they have in
the North, but we are feeling 1T now
as we attempt to move our great crop,
cotton. The season opened with cot
ton at 6 cents-a figure at which there
is no profit in cotton. The house OF
representatives voted TO re-
peal the Sherman act, which
wonderfully helped to re-
store business confidence ana
cotton has gone to cents. 1t is ex-
pected when the senate shall have
acted likewise, that cotton will go to .
cents; but tae senate is wantonly and
outrageously delaying its action, and
what of the condition in the mean
time? Naturally the farmers desire
to hold their cotton for a raise, but
there is another side to this question.
All over Texas there are merchants,
small and great, who yearly deal in
cotton, i. g. they furnish the farmers
supplies to carry them through the
wear, and expect to be reimbursed
from the farmers cotton. Now it is the
condition of these merchants, small
and great, that presents the
other side, that farmers
should consider. These farmers
were very anxious to secure their
supplies during the year, and the
merchants were equally as anxious to
furnish them. But while the mer-
chants were carrying the farmers
someone else was carrying the credit
Of the merchants. Now the merchants
make their paper fall due at the time
when the cotton crop, according to
custom, will be sold. But if the farm
er, instead of selling his cotton, con-
cludes to hoard it and for that reason
cannot pay the merchant, what is to
become of the merchant when his
creditors press him? It is no answer
TO say the merchant has made his
nrofit out of the farmer and so must
look out for himself He has not
made his profit until the debt he in
curred because of the farmer has been
Maid and besides. that question of the
merchants profit was settled when
the farmer went to him and made hi;
trade for supplies. 1t has nothing tC
do with the question of the farmer
paying his debts:
Now all this of course has reference
only to those farmers who owe mer'
chants. Those who are free from debt
are entitled to hold their cotton back