The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-03
THE FARMERS
OF THE SOUTH.
Gov. McCorkIe Says They Cannot
PtOsper Under Present Conditions.
FACTORY AND FARM TO COMBINE
n the Southern Farmer Would he
Prosperous Draws IA Striking
Lesson from Conditions in the
New England states
FACTORY AND FARM TO COMBINE

BALTIMORE. MD, Jan. Especial
Hon. William A. McCorkle( ex-governor
Of West Virginia, who made a national
reputation for the great work which he.
did i'm the development of West Virginia
while governor. contributes to the Janu-
airy number of the southern Farm Mag
azine." of Baltimore. an unusually inter-
esting and striking discussion Of Southern
farm conditions, and how the agricultural
interests of the south can alone be made
prosperous
Governor McCorkio says: "The farmer
IS not in a good way I'm the South. The
totals OF his labor. taken as a whole are
enormous. but the farmer is not the gain
er. and the South does not profit by nor
enormous yields as she should she is
another example of the proposition that a
country cannot become rich and strong
through agriculture alone. The loom'
the reaper and the anvil must 80 togeth-
er. Severed they but furnish the raw
material for other and more favorable
communities Transportation. the fac
tory and the farm under wise and es-
tabHshod laws can make the South an
Industrial empire and the Southern farm
or mighty power I'm the worlds az
fairs
CONDITIONS MUST CHANGE.
Discussing the situation. he says: we
cannot live under such conditions as have
existed. Tie Southern producer must
change the more raising of the staples
aud seek other products for his farm. Tie
cannot do this as things stand with him
to-day. Tor with "a long haul and no close
..Hf !. fI. g NHI
raise the staples of heavy farming. IL
needs no argument, but simply the re-
expression OF the statement that tho
glory of the Southern farmer is 10
come through "A change of methods
duct How shall we do this2 There is
one way. and that is. enlarge our horizon
liberaiizc our laws. turn our faces 10 the
east. welcome eastern and northern cap
ital establish by the side of the waterfall
and in the midst OF our cotton fields. en-
throne ON our iron mines and locate
amidst our magnificent forests. the rail-
roads and the factory
Discussing The farm situation I'm New
England and the lessons 20 be drawn
from If by the South Governor MacCor-
kle states that while Zoo New England
This summer Dee made a careful investiga-
tiou OF the situation. by reason Of cheap
Western land, vast changes I'm the eco
nOmics OF transportation. greater
fert~,y OF soil, there was pro-
duced I'm New England some gears
ago a tremendous farm depression. Great
numbers of farmers. who had not been
able 90 understand he change that was
taken place, abandoned the East and
went West. They did not grasp the
situation and thought that If they could
not profitably raise the cereals i'm com
petition with the West there was no life
for the New England farmer: but IN the
last nfteen years marvellous change
has taken place i'm the agricultural dis
tricts of New England. They have found
out that they cannot compete with the
West i'm the growing Of the heavier
grains. in the raising of beef, hogs and
sheep. and wisely they have turned to
new fields Of agriculture The teeming
manufacturing towns demand poultry
eggs. butter fruits. vegetables and lie
thousand small fruits that can be prod-
tabiy grown adjacent 20 a great popula-
ton.
SOME ILLUSTRATIONS.
The result is shown I'm a few illustrl-
tions. In 1865 the beer product Of Mas
aachusetts was SS.1SS 5G4; in 1885 It was
SllN@2-a loss of over S7Oo0.000 But
these figures. which seemed 20 indicate
great destruction Of the agricultural in
tercsts Of Massachusetts, were Offset by
the increase in milk, 10 which farmers
turned their attention when they found
the change that was taking place. and I'm
1855 the value of the milk product was
Si0.3i2 ,62. while I'm 1865 it was only 81 $50
iG-a gain of SS.3l657j. making up the
loss ON beef and having Si,o'0O00 To- spare.
And last year. or in 1897 the milk pro-
duct was worth sij0000o. Tn 1897 the
value OF the vegetable product. due al
most altogether 10 the growth Of manu-
featuring cities was more than $4,000 900.
while strawberries and cranberries
brought over S20)0000
Notwithstanding the naturally poor
soil OF the New England States the hibh-
est acreage value Of farm products OK
improved land is found in Alassachu-
setts Rhode Island and New Jersey-three
States in which YOU are never out OF the
sound OF the whirr of the wheels OF the
factory while the lowest value of farm
products per acre OF improved land is I'm
The purely agricultural Stairs.
Governor AlncCOrkie then illustrates
his point with one case Of which hum
dreda could be given. basel on the esiab-
lshmenr in his State Of a factory en-
pl0ying four hundred men I'm that
change Ia the whole agricultural situa-
ton. The boys. instead Of going West.
became operatives in the factory. n town
grew up. every class Of small farming
gave the best results az least 500 "a
year OF farm products was required 10
feed the --srativcs or $4,000 as "a total
The variety OF products raised included
eggs. beans. peas, fruits, vegetables,