Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-05-24
RESOURCES OF THE SOUTH.
Splendid Possibilities for Southern
Progress.

constitute theme of well nigh uni
versal interest to the thinking minds
of the entire nation. The almost un-
limited possibilities fer the acquisition
of wealth from the development of
any one of these many latent resources,
renders the subjeet, of Southern pos
sessions one of peculiar attraction to
the speculator and financler of every
land. But there is one question that
occurs continually to the intelligent
mind, and that is, why do not the
people of the South develop their own
resources? We might answer in re-
turn, that they are rapidly doing 80,
as fast as their limited means and in
adequate resources win permit. Yet
there remains much in the question
which we are forced to say is not only
unanswered, but unanswerable. The
truth cannot be denied, that in many
portions of the South, the people are
pursuing the path of supposed ma
terial progress, which they pursued
before the war, devoting seven-tenths
of their tillable land to cotton grow
ing, in the face of ruinously low prices
and ascertained overproduction. The
affect of this inexplicabl0 policy upon
the public mind abroad, may be
forcibly ascertained from an article on
the subject, now going the rounds of
the press, which describes the situa-
zion, after discussing thoroughly the
mooted question, fairly and forcibly,
as follows:
There is a good deal Of force in the
story told by the president Of the
agricultural society Of Michigan con-
cerning recent visit to Arkansas
He was taken from place to place, he
says, and various chances Of making
large profits in the raising of clover,
fruit, etc, where urgently pointed out
to him. "And why,p he asked, "do
not your own people turn their at
tention to these things and make
money if it is SO easyW That Is a
question which goes to the core of the
problem of southern prosperity. The
opportunities are there, unquestion-
ably, but the people do not improve
them. Instead Of diversifying their
industries, they cling obstinately to
the old plan Of giving their time and
labor mainly to single product.
They depend principally upon cotton,
that is to say, regardless of the fact
that the supply largely exceeds the
demand, and that the prices are con.
sequently too low to leave the pro-
ducer any profit. This fact has been
apparent for years, and yet they go
ON planting cotton in abundance
when practical intelligence should
show them the folly Of such pro-
ceeding. The partiality for that one
product seems to be persuasive and
controlling superstition, Now and
then we hear of efforts being made TO
reduce the acreage, but they do not
bring about the desired result Cot
ton continues to be raised in an ex-
cessive quantity, and its market value
continues to go lower rather than
higher with succeeding years.
The idea that nothing but cotton
can be raised in the South is a stupid
and mischievous fallacy. In few To-
calities, perhaps, the soil is not adapt
ed, or at least now DO well adapted, to
any other product; but these excep-
tional districts constitute only a com
paratively small portion Of the aggre-
gate territory. Generally speaking, II
Is possible to raise profitable crops Of
various other things that are in wide
and constant demand. Corn, wheat,
oats and tame grasses all grow there
and yield well when properly cultiyat-
ed. There is no better section Of the
country for fruit growing and for the
raising of staple vegetables. The peo-
pie Of the South can take advantage
of these chances without any aid from
the North, either in capital or immi-
grafton. They have only to divert
from the pro1tless production Of cot
ton the labor necessary to plant and
manage these other crops The Same
money and energy now applied to q
single product with such poor returns
could be made to yield handsome
profit if thus transferred to different
fields. No legislation is required in
the case. The question Is not one OF
politics in any sense, but Of business,
and the people have the means of set
Ting it In their own hands. II Is for
them to utilize the resources that they
are so fond Of recommending to
others. They should get rid of the
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