The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-29
The Anti.Cotton Growers.

The meeting OF the Cotton Growers in At
lanta went off on the wrong tack. Instead OF
reducing the cotton crop. they should devise
ways and means to grow more of it, 80 as to
make good ip quantity whatever deficiency
there might be in price. =,
In this world, or at least in the cotton belt,
the race is won by the swift. Nobody waits
for the slower contestant. in these days. but
the faster and wiser competitor makes the
swifter run.
When manufactured goods get cheaper, the
manufacturers must reduce expenses, get bet
ter machinery, adopt better methods, or else
60 to the wall. The same principle will hold
good with the producer. He must make
greater crops at reduced cost.
We have an object lesson In the result OF
the last years business.
Everybody in August expected seven cents
for good crop.
The expectation as to price was sadly dis.
appointed, but the Almighty in his wisdom,
chose to teach our people lesson. The sea-
sops were favorable, and the time for the
opening and gathering OF the crop was ex.
tended for from four 10 six weeks. All the
crop IN the fields had ample time to mature
and open before the falling Of the frost,
which was q month or six weeks later than
usual. The dry weather and the pleasant
sunshine In these extended days for gather
ing the crop may be taken as instructive and
proving the point which we make.
When the price went down to five cents
men in all lines Of business were greatly dis
; couraged, and calamitous times were pre-
dicted.
But the result shows that we have had
prosperous year. The greatly increased
crops under the blessing OF y divine Provi-
dence, more than mate up for the deficiency
In price. \
Our merchants, as far as we have been In
formed, are we'll pleased with both their COL
lections and their sales.
The sales In many instances, we believe, are
far in excess Of the sales last year.
And this could not be except for the large
crop which was made.
Our people need not expect to have as IA
vorable Fall for gathering the next crop,
but they should strain every nerve to farm
more intelligent!y, so that theif product may
be large.
There is no use In trying TO get active, In
telligent and progressive farmers to adopt the
uotuOub "uiCA Will hcop GuOin oaCh "2eh
lasgards, or men who are unfortunate in their
business.
Urge the laggards to greater energy and
wiser action.
Speed the progressive farmer with his bet
ter business methods and his more sagacious
direction Of energy.
Let anti.cotton growers and the political
farmers 60 their way, but let the man who is
in the business for the money there is on the
farm 60 his own way, paying no sort Of atten-
tion TO the foolish resolutions which may be
adopted By any aggregation OF impracticable
farmers who may be dominated and outnum-
bered by politicians who may seek to ride in
to Office on the shoulders OF the real farmers.
Real farmers have neither time, mon
ey nor inclination for needing high.sound-
ing resolutions which do not contain q
single grain OF common sense, and which
would ruin the men who follow their advice.
Advice about farming is about like financial
declarations. The men who furnish In them
selves the best examples Of dead failures at
producing cotton and accommodating compe-
tency for themselves, too often know all
about the production of cotton and the best
financial methods for the nation.