The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-13
THE SAGE OF CHICKASAW
lie Tells us How Five Cents Cotton
Nav be Robbed Of its TerrOrs.

Mfr. Editor: The Unprecedented "low
price" OF The cotton product obtained, has
been inadequate in liquidatlng ooilSations,
and the farming class are puzzled 10 deler-
mine what method of farming 10 pursue IN
tue approaching crop year. Much specula-
uOn is enuuIged Ill. Many emparressments
boom up In ugly array, creditors nave not
ueen able TO cancel their manifold lndulgen-
ces anu are not satisfied sufficient 10 encour-
aye them 10 risk additional advances. Com
nIercial fertiIisers, which has become In Ibis
State an Indispensable necessity In raising
the tleecy staple, have not been reduced TO
that extent TO Justify farmers 10 use them In
raising cotton at the present price.
Credit system has been 30 ignored IN pay
meut is commanding high premium,
scarcely obtalnable. Liens and time prices
nave almost become a"thing" OF the past
Bureas recently In his chilly and Icy eXnal-
ations has capped the climax, made COM
pIele havoc OF The oat cereal aud likely given
the wheat prospect "blacK eye. Inc cry H.
no more oaL seed on hand, no money or cred
IL to obtain them; continuous rain and sever
Ily ui the weather Is causing rations " "hide
our without any equivalent ol larm WORK
In progress ths outlook IL extremely P"rteh-
teuus. The question might be mooted are Tue
prevailing calaInlties providentlal Judg-
IN enls, or fiery ordeals TO bring about some
unforeseen glorious event? so mote IL oe.
They are certainly canslng heavy ana
dense gloom Of despondency TO hover over
the horizon OF the farmers agrlcu tural SKY:
In every nook and corner hard tiineS,
that terrible demOu, as II were. preylnS upon
our vitals, are discussed threadoare. 2nes
lions are propounded III nuDy %sys. What
will become of US? What are we going 10 DO
for q living? How are we going to get money
to pay deuts? How can we make crop win
out supplies, etc. Such proiusion OF lnteros.
utives are audible daily In every coiiection
of the tIlersof the soil. Life Is too short u
indulge in such an outburst of intermlnaole
amount of nonsensical tUmfoolery.
Solution of the above questions apparent
1 10, INF ELn
puzzling race problem that perpleXed the
governmental political official aspirants The
writer, little touched with presumption
will give vent 10 u thought in an interroga
tory style. Are the farmers The backbone
Of all professional pursuits, still adherlng tc
the slender thread Of expectancy OF realizing
at an early day some relief In Legislation
| from the powers that be" In Congress ln the
shape OF remonitized silver (bi-Inetalism) re-
iustatlug the silre metal Ozone of fcontention
ON par with gold, thereby, In Hating the vol
ume Of money circulation and enhancing The
value of mother earth's products such profler
ed or conteIu plated relief am apprehensive
! are not in the near future You are certainly
! lean ing on q "broKcn stick In expecting any
solace or cnmiUrt from that Quarter. despair
| mas long ago usurped the lasLNeSage OF my
! inward a. ticapauon OF ever enjoying any
! "ualm OF Gllead'' from that source. Are you
! imbued with the hope that the cotton grow
| ers protective association and county con
! yention will accomplish much needed good
! by discussing various measures and adopt
| ing resolutions descriptive of what Is bes
| To do To avert Impending bankruptcy? II
! YOU en- ntertain such . hope, I'll venture to as
. serL, sore disappointment Will be your ineV-
! table.
! have no ambition OF an ominous charac
| ter to reprOach' or TO throw danper upor
such Intelligent and well meaning Assem- olies
but 1 cannot well resist In saying they are
not worth CONTINENTAL" SO TO speak they
calculated 10 afford rather Il stimulus 10 al
increased cotton acreage, than curtailment
! The presu III ptiOus writer Is In possession
! of the OPT nion that the whole secret OF the
! difficulty is encaSed In a nut shell. TO wit
/ the farmers with AN indomitable Will mus
! depcud upon their own resources and Worf
out their own salvation by strokes OF indi
vIdual energy. Doubtless each one In TIT
/ past year has learned practical lesson tina
| il would be u suicidal policy 10 persist III
raising big cotton crops" and Will eXpent
much thought and labor In the present yeal
in raising supplies for table and STOCK con
sumption, such a cou Sc will necessarily re
duce cotton acreage. The writer will assume
to make Il suggestion not In the shape Oh {
resolution, however. insignificant u may ap
pear Let every farmer with fixed determi
nation, with Il heart for every tate, sink o
swim, survive or perish, start out the presen
wear with the most rigid aconomy ana snaK'
| double Increased efforts in producing diversi
fled crops TO appease the hunger OF man ano
beast, and work as hepieaSes on the INTENSIVE
! system, tfew acres highly fertiliZed) ana wei
cultivated. such an agricultural career push
ed "hard times" would soon be II nonenlt.
aud five cent cotton be robbed OF It's terrors
O. p. II.