The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1893-03-25
WORTH CARRYING OUT,
3 FARMER MAKES SOME VRLUA
BILE SUGGESTIONS.
lie Wants Meeting OF the Farmers nn'
Merchants to use Their Efforts io
CurtaiI Cotton Planting.

lie Wants "a Meeting Of tbc Farmers ana
Merchants to use Their Efforts to
CurtaiI Cotton Planting.
DANvuIu, La, March 20, 1888
10 the Editor of The Progress:
As your paper is an advocate of ali
things which will assist the country
IN reaching position which will in
sure, as far a mans yency car, % n
tinued prosperity, | thought l would
address you this, eAprC s'ing my viewt
IN a subject which is eff deep interest
% the country at large, hoping that
You will give it space in your col
umns. supIo | should not haI g
aid | hope, because THE PEoGRFss
aas ever been friend of the people.
,ud has never, to my knowledge, re
fused space to the publication Of
mything that was of general interest.
But | don't want TO ge' off my sub
ipct.
OF course | am a farmer and low,
hat class of the industrial world,
5hat is that portion of them who ar,
honest, thoughtful and are willing f.
put sensible theories With their ear
nest, manual labor
do try to think, and l am convin
'ed and have been for some time.
hat cotton planting is the farmer
stumbling block aud will inevitably
ruin all who continue chase tn,
deceptive GODDESS of chance which
rts over the field in
planting time, and sings he,
siren songs to the impressionable
'armer and leads him to the goal OF
disappointment. For years l listen
ID to her dulcet tones and followed
ler vaiI ly until my feet grew foot
sore and my spirit weak, but thank
Heaven l learned to turn a deaf ear
20 that sweet song, for ] learned only
100 well that marble heart control
led it all.
The corn field and hog pen may
rot present such an inviting pictur,
rs the white sea of cotton in full
opening, but they furnish a far NOR,
plenteous larder and yield more rev
enue for spending money. For years
[ h we raised my own meat and bred
md planted cotton only as a side is
sue. i am no Creosus, but can say
With all the satisfaction the word.
IMPLY, that there is no mortgage OF
ny farm, no crop lien mortgage re-
corded against me nor merchants &C
count with its 20 or % per cent in
crest charged against me- Now
what have done others can also do
| am no special favurite with som,
pirit spirit which has in
duence with Providence, nor am J
possessed of an unusual amount o.
energy or judgmen', but my presel t
condition is the result of the abon.
donment OF the idea that Cotton is king
md a greater number of the same
opinion is what our parish and coun-
Try need to-day.
For this reason / would suggest
hat the farmers and merchants Of
Caddo parish meet in convention at
Shreveport on Saturday, April s, and
levise some means of curlailing the
cotton acreage for this season. If W.
can get good meeting and the farm :
ais will enter into a written agree
ment to reduce their cotton arre-
age this year, and the merchants 81 ~
with them TO use their best endeavor,
To influence their patrons TO do like
wise, we can accomplish a wonderf N
amount of good. Nothing in my
opinion but some concert of actior
like this will accomplish this. and O
ne knows better than you that ut
less the farmers do increase THEN
'o:n and forage crops, and decreas e
the cotton production that nothing
but continual distress and ultimate
ruin will await this country.
If you can indorse this idea OF
holding the convention at this place.
do so and assist the movement as
much as possible. Your friend,
FARMER.