The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-04-07
TOCONTROL COTTON.
How the Growers May Regulate the PrIcs
Year by Year.

Mr. George c.. Munro. County cor
respondent, United States Department
of Agriculture, in writing to the At
lanta E yening Constitution about con-
trolling the price OF cotton says:
I have been asked to give my views
on the subject Of whether the cotton
planter has it in his power to control
the SS;ce of cotton or not Il articles
written 10 the agricultural journals
over forty years ago I contended that
the farmer: had, and that the only
way to make cotton raising remuner-
ative was to make our farms self-sus-
tanning in every particular, to raise
corn, oats, wheat, rye, potatoes, chu,
fas, groundpeas, field peas-in short
everything that was needed to sustain
man and beast, and also to raisa his
own horses and mules.
That if he pursued that plan it
would not be possible to raise SO much
cotton and that the small crop would
bring him in more clear cash than the
larger ores, which would glut the mar
ket and put him where, instead of being
the master OF the situation the situation
would master him by forcing the sale
Of his crop at the dictation OF spec
ulatcrs' prices, without enabling him
to have a ward in it; only to march
up like lamb for the slaughter and
say:
Here is my cotton, Go for con-
science sake allow me enough for it
to pay for the making OF it.
While. if he pursued the other policy
he would have the buyers to come to
his doors and he could dictate his
price and sell or hold as he thought
best aad have it in his power to con-
troll not only the price for his cotton,
bat the price for his labor and their
efficiency. He would have time to
make necessary Improvements On his
farm, raise more 10. and stable ma
nure, terrace his land better and keep
his terraces in better repair, SO that
this continued washing away to the
sea which we see going or during
every big rain would be stopped and
prevented; our lands would improve,
in value and those Of the
North and Northwest which are sell
ing at $3.50 per acre, made high by
raising stock, corn. wheat and meat to
sell to us, would depreciate and the
cotton producing portion Of our coun-
try would become the ideal home of
the natives as well as the emigrant,
and the South would be built up and
become the garden spot of the world.
We have the most healt1ful and
pleasant country on the globe to live
ia, free from extremes Of heat and
cold, blessed with never-failing springs
and wells OF the purest water; our
children raised free from pulmonary
diseases or liability to be cut down in
tneir tender years by Group or malaria.
We can raise the finest fruits and
melons, the mcst chickens, turkeys
and ducks and the finest hogs and
Jersey cattle, luxuriate in rich milk
and butter and every variety of nice
vegetables. We can live like princes,
neither freeze 10 death IN the winter
nor melt in the summer. Raise
enough potatoes on one acre or sirup
to feed fifty children for year.
Now why can't we, the most ince-
pendent and the happiest people on
earth, having eyes, see and having
brains, understand
Turn on your X-rays, Mr.. Editor,
and let us all see our innumerable ad-
vantages over other sections and so
pitch our crops this year that we can
sell our cotton next fall for a good
price and have time to build up the
waste places. Let US get some fine
stations and stop all this needless ex-
penditure for stock that we can raise
so easily at home. Send men to the
that will have sense
enough to see that it is better to raise
sheep than dogs; that wool and NUT.
ton will increase our revenues and,
give US some OF the best eating that
ever tickled the palate OF an epieure
Or a Georgia cracker. Sheep will
fertilize our lands keep down the
weeds and prove the cheapest as well
as the most palatable diet we can raise
for our families.
I can't close without a wori on iSee
iced distribution. It is q malicious
practice of paternalisn that is need
less tax on our public treasury, help
ing to embarrass our government; that |
cenefits no body but a set of rascally
aorticulturists; that enables them to
palm off millions of dollars worth OF
Did worthless seed on our government
that seldom ever germinate and are q |
curse, a delusion and aggraVation to
The one,that receives them. come to
this conclusion after trying hundreds
and thousands Of packages for the last
twenty Years.