The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-01-04
THE QUESTION CT c0Tr0E
ACREAGE.


The New Orleans Picayune ha
this to say on the Memphis Cottor
Exchange, advising against large
acreage in cotton this year:
The Menphis Exchange point,
out that the big crop of two years
ago greatly exceeded the worlds
consumption, and that the presen,
crop, although fully third smaller,
win probably sell for as much, il
not more, than its predecessor. II
| is also shown that, as result of a
| wise policy of producing supplies
at home, Southern farmers are now
more Independent financially than
they have been for years; hence it
is argued that the proper policy is
to devote every attention to food
crops, and to produce only so much
of the money crop, cotton, as can
be sold TO advantage.
The advice of the Memphis Cot
ton Exchange appears to be sound
in every particular. There can be
no denying that the crop of two
years ago out-stripped TO a consid-
cradle extent the worlds consump-
ton, and it is equally patent that
the consumption has not increased
since to any material extent; hence
it would be merely to court return
to the prices ruling during the
winter of ls94-95 were farmers to
plant for a large crop during the
coming season.
We do not mean that there should
be no future increase i'll the product
ion of cotton. On the contrary, we
belive that the United States should
furnish all the cotton that the world
consumes, because it can be grown
to better advantage here than else
where; but no more cotton should
be grown than the world will take;
hence the expansion of the industry
must be steady and gradual, not by |
jumps OF two or more million bales
at time.
The South appears to have at least
fully learned the importance of crop
diyersificatIon and the production
of all supplies, as far as possible, at
home. The policy Of making cot
ton surplus or cash crop is now
becoming more generally under.
stood, and, when the change has
been fully brought about, the fiuct-
uations in the price of the fieecy
staple will no longer mean lite or
death to the entire section.
OF couse, the temptation to Giant
a large crop will be too strong for
many to resist; but the great mass
Of farmers are now fully convinced
Of the folly of big crop, and Of
The advantage of cooperation in
Uniting production. The good re-
suits which followed from such
policy during the past season will :
,elp to make the great mass of
'armers enthusiastic supporters of
be limited acreage movement dur ;
ng 1896.
We do not believe that the de-
'rease in acreage is the cause of the
xtreme short crop; and that if the
eason had been favorable, we :
would have had perhaps a million !
n more bales added to the 'o5 crop. s
every person knows that if the sea- !
on had been propitious, the Texas t
otton crop would have almost been 6
oubled; they had rainy season
nd thousands of acres that had >
'een planted had to be aband- Q
med, and about half a crop was |.
nade. If East Carroll parish had
ad favorable season she would t
ave made fully 1900 bales, in. =
tead of $500 bales, and this on
he land in cultivation. This is
bout the way it has been all over b
be cotton-g growing county. We = !.
o not believe that the short crop Il
an be laid at the door of the de- o
rease In acreage, bat at the bad $
eason. +