The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-25

Southern Farmers.
We venture to say that the farmers OF
the south know very little from experience
OF hard times and OF the business depres-
sion OF which so much Is said In the news
papers, though It is safe to assert that
nine out Of ten of them have heard so
much about the lack of prosperity that
they believe their material condition is
steadily growing worse instead OF better.
They do not compare their material condi-
ton of ten years ago or even year ago,
with that of to-day. In fact, they do not
inquire Of themselves as TO whether they
are freeing themselves OF debt or are in
creasing their debts They accept the pop
ular opinion that the country is not pros
porous and that hence they are not pros
pering. If they, and many engaged in
other occupations. were to scan the facts
closely as to what their material condi-
ton was, and what it Is, their talk in re-
spect to the hard times would have
wholly different tone.
This view of the case was strongly pre-
scented a few days ago by banker of
Charlotte, ". c. He said that the talk Of
a prominent farmer, who resides a few
miles from Charlotte, attracted his atten-
ton recently. The farmer was discuss
ing the condition of the country with a
merchant Of the town. They were in the
bank, and the banker overheard their con-
versation. The farmer declared that the
times were so hard that the farmers were
becoming disheartened, that the condition
of the country was deplorable, and that
unless times got better soon everybody
would be a candidate for the poor house.
The farmer had been a customer of the
bank for a dozen years and the banker
had noticed that the amount he borrowed
each year steadily decreased, and that he
had borrowed nothing the present year.
A few days after he had heard the talk
Of the farmer and merchant in his bank
he met the farmer and engaged him in
conversation. He said to him: you
have been a borrower at our bank for
quite a number of years. / notice that
you borrowed a smaller amount each sue
ceeding year, and that you borrowed moth
ing this year. Tell me, are you better or
worse off than you were ten years ago"
The farmer, not suspecting the object
of the banker, said: II am much better
off. Ten years ago l had to borrow money
TO make my crop. Now / have the means
to make my crop and am out of debt"
The banker made another inquiry. II was
this: run over in your mind the list of
your farmer acquaintance within a ra-
dius of ten miles of your home, and tell
me II they are better or worse off than
they were ten years ago" The farmer
said: "They are much better off" why
then" said the banker did you make
such an cutlery about hard times IN my
bank a few days ago?' The farmer said
he had not considered how much his ma
terial condition had improved during the
past few years; that everybody was talk
ing about the lack of prosperity and that
therefore he had believed that times were
bad and everybody was becoming poorer"
We don't know much about the material
condition Of the farmers in other sections
of the country, but We are confident that
southern farmers are more prosperous
than they have been at any previous times
since the war They are practically out
Of debt, and to a greater extent than ever
before, and to greater extent than 1t was
ever thought they would they are raising
their own food supplies. Ten years hence
they win be independent virtually of the
rest of the world. They will have money
In bank and to invest. and they will in
vest 1t in the south. The south then will
have a marvellous growth.
The business of the country Is depress-
ed. Business men are complaining, but
southern farmers have no reason to com
plain. and southern business men viii soon
have no reason TO complain II the. south
ern farmers continue to prosper.