The sun., 1894-12-10
THE TEXAS COTTON CRAZE.
The People Determined to Make Their state
the Greatest Proancer Of the stnplr.

DALLAS, Tex, Dec. 4.-The people of Texas
have gone mad upon the question of cotton cul-
ture. 1f any other evidence Of this fact were
needed It has been furnished in the enthusiastic
interest which all Texans have shown in the
Cotton Palace exhibition at Waco. in the heart
of the cotton culture districts OF tho State.
From the opening of this exhibition early In
November to the present time the little Central
City has been a veritabe Mecca of the faithful
devotees OF King Cotton. which they have
crowned with all the Pomp and circumstance"
possible. The fact that the price OF cotton has
steadily declined with its increased production,
until 1t has reached the ruinous price Of FIVE
cents per pound, and that all the best newspa-
pers In the state insist that farmers must diver
sify their crops more or go to the wall, does not
appear TO have any influence upon cotton pro-
ducers. The slogan Of all the people is: I'VE
must make Texas the greatest cotton State in
the Union"
The vast improvement in machinery for the
packing and pressing Of cotton has greatly re-
duced the cost of production. and the Cotton
Palace exhibit of such machinery was liberal
TO invent a cotton picking machine upon which
so many people have experimented. still makes
cept SPECTATORS, and the prices tumble so unex-
pectedly and rapidly that some OF these are fire.
Sf sRes cfSsa 's Sey n:
over the state, not only in the large cities, but
In the small towns and at the crossroads. Like
Uncle Rastuss rat trap, they catch the farmer
often dealers IN general supplies as well as cot
chandise instead OF cash for his staple. In this
way, which is more common In all OF the South
the speculstor reaus a double profit. And
then the small farmer has two good res-
for his cotton. Having devoted the most
OF his acreage and energy to the production
other necessary supplies from the storekeeper.
who is also general cotton buyer; and In the
Texas The state is fioedsd i with silver dollars.
A hundred OF them makes pretty good load TO
ds % se@ o
silver certificates but banks don't flourish in tho
small towns and at country Crossroads, and the
small farmer never cares TO bother with check.
lie regards It with suspicion, and in q majority
OF instances is unable 10 read the face OF II. Tho
and keep. in stock a plentiful supply OF general
merchandise and silver. The good farmer Is at
liberty to take his choice OF these evils. or cart
his cotton To the city.
There can be no question about 10 that Texas
The non yat area Of sr soil IS sdspted 10
nothing else, and yields this stable In as great
% iiBre, of Course. @ as the Sea IL Islands Of south
Carolina. The chief industry OF the largest
cities 4 eotSn S buying and presi'Phs Bn, .hsrs
thousands OF miles on the Texas Central, the
Missouri. Kansas and Texas and the Mexican
Central railroads, and seen thousands OF acres
OF upland devoted TO cotton culture. which rep
resented so much idiocy. In the main the cot
ton, stalk was from one To one and half feet
high, and the boil was not much larger than .
'longshoreman's thumb. Such cotton was not
of the planters appear 20 have reached, as have
seen miles upon miles Of such cotton rotting in
due 10 drought, but 1t appeared To me 10 be the
result Of inadaptabillty OF the soil. and that the
sns and he SSGn @ .ss
10 be out Of the fashion. lie was willing to
pRik lar dRVnIlnU