The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-10-27

FaiseFs sank lower 10 the scale Of JIG
than ever before. 70 is caused by
the failing price Of the heecy staple
the chief product Of their labor.
Cotton, this year, fell 10 It's lowest
price in fifty years, In l848r which
was the lowest year, the price wa.
five cents, while this year, the lowest
since that time, is 81 cents per
pound. What can our people do,
with Al average Of not over $50 a
bale for this crop, out Of which
comes 90 for gathering, 50 for gin
ming, o. for rent Of Land, and teams
or payment Of taxes, and improve
ments, and inteFest?-TheY can do
nothing.
The raising Of cotton at its present
price will have to be abandoned. No
man In the Delta this year, unless he
raises over a bale to the acre, can pay
the interest ON his outstanding
debts and run his hands next year,
much less pay back any of the debt.
Many farmers in the hill sections of
the state are turning their stock in
upon their open cotton, claiming
that II would be more money lost by
gathering It. heinyention and per
lection OF a cotton picking machine
that will gather the crop at a cost Of
from ten to twelve cents per hundred
pounds will enable a farmer to make
a profit even at the present price.
But such q machine will no doubt
reyolutloni2e the glnnery system Of
today, allowing the Munger, Eagle
and such systems, II they cannot
be utilized by the new invention, to
be entered in the loss column of the
farmers books. with a saving Of from
six to eight dollars a bale, the new
system would give, win justify the
planter, to set them aside, as are the
old screw presses and glnneries Of 10
today for these improved systems.
Machinery for the cheapening Of the
cultivation and gathering Of cotton
the same as for grain must come.
The price this year Is making
the planters think. 1t is a question
interests them more than
DolltiCs-for It is their staff Of
life, their homes and their country
ghich Is affected
The rich aIluyiaI lands Of the Del
"a, the black waxey lands Of Texas,
md the fertile valleys Of southern
alone can raise cotton at a
lrofit, provided the other farming
eCtions Of the South turn their at
to stock raising and DIVERSE
ed farming.
The turning Of the attention Of the
OF the state to wheat raising
, a good thing II raised for home
assumption. But II il is raised for
he market it will be another lesson
, them that the over production Of
ny crop must be done at a loss. Last
ear was the first In ten years that
10 wheat raisers In the country got .
living price for their cereal. Our /
to the farmer is to raise more
title hogs and sheep, more horses Of
blood, finer milCh COWS that
III bring you from $40 to SIS in
cad Of from eS to sI2 as they do to-
ny, stock your farm with fine poul-
y. Raise all the corn YOU can
heat for y9ur bread and cotton for q
.oney-and It matters not whether
sells at Ave or twenty cents, !
nd whether the horseshoe over your
COR is with heel up or down you ,
m prosper. II you don't do this,
nd the claim Of over production is
'uo today, what can we expect the
rice to be when the now thousands ,
acres Of timber land in this rich :
nd alluyial Delta are cleared up to
lesson with the tleecy staple,