The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-01-26

piece of shameful recreancy to
public duty and a stigma upon the
reputation of Mississippi.
A Change of POlicy-Sensible
Talk.
EDITOR LEADER 1T seems that
cooperation in Truck growing
either for the Canning Factory OF
shipping is likely to prove fail
ure. l do not mean that the grow
ing of vegetables would likely
cause financial loss, but that our
farmers are so firmly welded to
their idol, cotton, that they ap-
parently cannot be induced to con
slider anything else. The system
of farming prevailing among us
makes it almost certain that
given amount of land and labor
will produce a certain amount of
cotton and that the cotton will
bring a certain amount of money.
History is in the habit of repeat
ing itself, and conditions are now
similar to what they were before
the war. Then we raised cotton
to buy niggers and then bought
niggers to raise more cotton. Now
we buy phosphate to raise more
cotton, and raise more cotton to
buy more phosphate. We are at
best only swapping dollars, with
their value being constantly de-
creased by the natural process of
wear and tear. / like to trade
sometimes for the fun of the thing,
provided the other fellow don't get
the most of the fun, but in this five
cent cotton trade the other fellow
has for long while been having
the fun all on his side, and /, for
one, am ready to hOller enough.
The amount of cotton l expect to
raise this year would not not make
a decent lining to humming birds
nest. l shall grow corn, peas, po
tatoes. pinders: pumpkins, toma-
toes, beans, and other vegetables,
and if | don't get much money out
of it, I'll be likely to get whole
lot of "gooJ eatin'.' And then
there are so many nice things that
naturally follow and go with the
crops mentioned-fat pigs in the
pen, cackling hens in the poultry
yard. cows with distended udders
in the barn, the dairy overfOwing
with milk and honey. Oh, won't
me and mine have jolly time {!
no picking cotton on frosty morn
ing, no worrying over Cultures"
just plenty to eat seasoned with
the salt of cOntentment.
Seriously, l am of the opinion
that if we engage prOfitably in
trucking, each individual has gOt
to rely upon himself,-but with a
determination that will brook no
obstacle. Strike the manacles Of
King Cotton from you, and with
that reliance, characteristic of free
born Americans, strike out for
your very existence, as "a class. Ii
you are prosperous, rest assured
no one will envy you your pros
perity, and certainly no calamity
lis likely to prove more disastrous
than the present suicidal policy of
continuing to worship at the shrine
of King Cotton. An equal mum
Der of dollars from other sources
than cotton will do just as much
to promote the prosperity of the
country as if they had been de-
rived from the feecy staple. So
Instead of monBeylng any longer
with this stem winding, double
action, cyclonic boomerang liking
ECotton," which almost invariably
topples us one rung lower every
time we tackle it, let us, as ]
have said before, "about face' and
try our hand at something which.
Lif not more remunerative, will at
least give us breathing spell at
times. Plant corn, plant oats,
sugar cane, sorghum, peas, pota-
toes, fruits and vegetables of every
kind suitable to our section, and
my word for it, yonr manhood will
be better, your spirits better, your
moral character better, your fami-
lies happier, your bank account
larger and your credit stronger
Ethan ever.
SAxS ID nr yurD