The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-08-10
FARMER AND PLANTER.
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
sghail the south Abandon the Culture of
Co<tonf or How shall We Make 1t More
Rsnunerative7"
No question is more important than
this. To the south, the proper an
swer involves every interest. The
culture of cotton has been for many
years the principal industry of this
section.
Upon it was based not only the sue
cess or failure of the farmer, but, in
large measure, our entire financial pol
icy. Merchandise. banking and trans
portation were largely modified by this
crop
THE MONEY INVOLVED.
The lint sold. the seed products and
the manufactured goods, annually
brought. into circulation among us
over four hundred millions of dollars.
This gave life To every artery of trade
This of itself was a circulating medi-
Ium ofnearly or quite twenty dollars
per capitol added every year.
WE CAN NOR ,aBANDoN IT.
1t would seem evident to the most
casual thinker that the abandonment
of such a money producing crop would
paralyize every branch of industry in
the land.
The immediate effect would be
general cutting down of values. Every
acre of farm land would be worth less.
Every species of real estate would de-
preciate. Merchants would have to
give up their merchandise. and the
railroads would run empty trains.
Lawyers would be without clients.
Schools would rapidly fall into decay,
and general collapse, If not universal
bankruptcy. would ensue.
PRovIDESTrAL CAUSES.
We have the climate, the soil and
the labor to grow cotton, to a greater
advantage than any other portion of
the globe can produce similar grade.
1t would not be wise to fail to utilize
all these. -
THE CONSEQUENCES.
If we abandon. the culture of cotton,
1--WE have in our midsta vast contingent
Of unemployed labor. shiftless and
homeless The negr6 doesenot know
how to support bi,ned1f in any other
/ branch of q gf;Hl1lt ures
/ We must plans an t1se lands now
used in craving cotton IN some kind
Of feo.tTroducing crops. This would
ksqyp gfut the market with all that line
of produce. 1t would ruin the north
fwest, cut off the largest source of in
come TO the railroads, break all the
! commission men and provision dealers,
reduce the price of provisions of all
sorts so low that it would be losing
business TO grow them. and the farmer
would be in worse condition than
now, with cotton at I've cents.
WHAT sHALLwE DO THEN?
There is a much better way ont Of
this trouble. We. can cheaper the pro
duction of cotton by growing all oul
home supplies upon the farm. a Then
plant smaller areas in cotton. and
manure and cultivate better, SO as t.
increase the yield per acre. Make nc
accounts, pay as you go, so that the
cotton when grown will belong to the
grower. Quit forcing the entire cror
upon the market in three months
Distribute the sale over the whole
kelve months, only selling as the fac.
need it for consumption; thi,
neatly improve the price.
gin cotton because it brings .
price in lint and is easier han
died; ior the same reasons, let us spir
the cotton and sell thread and cloth
Lint cotton is worth three times a.
much as seed cotton. Thread is worth
three times as much as lint. Cloth, Of
woven cotton. about three times a,
much as thread, or six times as mucl
as lint.
The increased value of one or tive
crops will pay for all the machiner,
necessary for the manufacture of tn,
entire crop. A little concert of actor
will enable us to regulate this matter
We can inaugurate this movement
easier than we can give up the cul
ture of cotton and adapt ourselves t
a new system of farming and new
set of crops and hunt up new markets
We only need little more common
sense economy.
REHABILITATION.
/. Grow crops that belong to us
and thus cheaper the cost of produc
ton.
| 2. Sell only rs consumption de
mands.
| 8. Manufacture all or nearly all TIN
crop here in the south.
4. Inaugurate these reforms b,
economy and concert of action.
| 5. Thus the cotton crop will brin,
us annually 500, 600. 900.
The above is not intended to be ex
baustive, but only suggestive. Tn
changes suggested will not come abou
of themselves without thought an,
action. Neither will any other ad
| justment of our present deep-seate,
troubles.
| Above all things, our farmers mus
better educate themselves. SO as t
know how to be independent Of trick
sters. We can not change the habit
of a lifetime in day, but we can be
gin and press on in the right way, an,