The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-03-31
The Cotton Growers Pro-
teetiye Association
Farmers Advised to Diver
sify Crops.

The following address was issued by
the Cotton Growers Protective As
socia,ion, which met a few days ago in
Augusta, Ga. and which advises the
growing Of food crops as the surest road
to agricultural prosperity in the South !:
To tie Cotton Growers Of America
The Cotton Growers Protective As
sociasioo sf America, 10 conseation as
.sembled 81 Augusta, Ga. 90 this 18th
Marsh. 1897. again come to you With
aa urgent appeal for 60 operative action
10 planting the crop for 1897 1t ip q
matter ofextrems congrasulatioo thattbe
appeal made to you 10 1895 and 1896
was SO generally responded TO and that
the crop Of 1895, made upon the di-
miuisbed acreage. did have the effect of
grensly increasing the prices of cotton
The crop of 1895, though estimated to
Be 8. 400. 900 bales short OF the crop Of
1894, was 10 the markets of the world
worth more by nearly $50. .000,000 10
the face of this result to abandon the.idea
of diminished acreage would be- to
sound the retreas in the face OF victory
Il is she copcesus of op;oioo among the
best thinkers shas if by ary ueans the
cotton crop Of America should be held
within the limits Of 8 600. 900 10 g. .000,-
900. bales per aooum for ise years,
the people of these Southern States
would be the richessaod most prosper
oas agricultural people in the world.
Eou can this be brought about? The
answer is with you. We appeal TO
your self-ioteress aud patriotism to do
all in your power to keep down the
production Of the staple. Do no. aban.
don the ground you have won. Fight
on upon the lioes laid down. make the
cotton States self supporting. put more
5laod 10 clover aod grasses for your boes
to rno en. Diversity your crops. aod
when yoa have Gone all this the xrea
devoted to cotton vii yield more pro
fable returns than if you sought to 10
crease the nnmber Of your bales.
WBite the reduction Of the acreage to
be planted in cotton for the sole purpose
of reducing the size of the crop may
be inprac,icable. the increase of area
planted in food crops must inevitably
bring prosperity TO cotton growers. ire;
spscsige Of the size Of the cotton crop
There has never been time 10 the his
tory of our section Of The country that
movement looking TO the increased
production of corn. hay, oats, hogs and
other food crops vas go important and
necessary
L is felt by the most thoughtful men
shas We are entering apon q year Of
great uncertainties, ard that even a
small cotton crop may fail to give ade-
q1ase returns for its production Tbo
mutsering Of q storm are dieturbing
values aud uase,sling all business cal
snlations. The prudent man will
trim his sails 10 meet it With the
commerce of the country interrupted
By sar-aud was may come-ooston
would be uosalable except at nominal
prices Every consideration, then. Of
patriotism. of self interest aud of pru-
de0ce dictates that you adhere strictly
TO the rule OF diminished acreage.
Earnest men are earnestly working to
lead you sod to guide you ioto psospe-
sity. Do not let them labor in vain.
bot cbeerfully AID hopefully respond to
their appeal.
In conclusion. We desire to say to
every cotton grower, whether his crop
is ten bales or cne thousand bales, see
to il first that your place is self-sustaio-
isg-and We mean by<this to be sure
yon grow on the farm an abundance Of
corn, meat. bay, oats. peas, potatoes,
etc.. for all the people on the place,
both white aud colored. If the tenant
vii; not produce these articles. sell
them to him and keep the money in
your own pocket. in place Of sending it
oat of the couotry When you have
done this. or provided for it, grow what
cotton you can
II every farmer or planter in the
cotton growing district will make this
his rule of action. and live up to it con-
scieo,iousiy. 1t will accomplish the re-
salt we 50 much desire of makiog Us
all prosperous aud happy. whether your
cotton, which will be surplus crop.
sells for high or low price. We would
urge yon agaia to make sure first of a
cheap, houe grown living for ali the
people and all the animals on the place,
and then what cotton you can.
We address our argument to each iu
aivsdual farmer Every farmer may
msasurably control the cost Of produc-
ing his cotton
Let each i:,dividual farmer resolve in
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