The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1899-06-24
Correspondence.
OUR FUTURE.

years past coupled with the fact OF
the recent sharp advances III the
value of live stock have given rise
to disposition, to gradually
curtail planting operations and
corrcspondingly increase the area
devoted to meadows and pastures.
Now if this disposition continues to
grow, | trust that ere long many OF
our people, especially those who
are possessers of large tracts of land,
will give up trying to solve the
problem, what increase of cotton
acreage must be made in order to
bring about such an increased
Weld of the staple as will compcn-
safe for fall in prices? This is one
that can never he solved and sever
al can prOftably be substituted
for it.
Few have the means TO 90 at
once into stock raising Oh an ex-
tensive scale but nearly all have a
few head to make a start with. let
the change come by degrees. We
will raise what Gotten We have to-,
but try to have something coming
on to substitute in part for cotton
raising after a while, keep for
breeders all female additions to cX-
listing herds or focks, gradually
increasing areas given TO meadows
DC pastures, by cOrrcspondlngIy re-
ducing cotton acreage, as increase
in number Of live stock makes the
change necessary or advisable.
While cutting down the acreage ]
think we should cndeavOr to so in
crease the fertility Of lands planted
in cotton as to keep up the present
Weld. The world needs cotton, it
will have it, and a reduction i'll the
yield in regions now devoted to it,
culture will no doubt be followed
BY its increased cultivation else
where. There are those who say
they do not want to see three or
four bales made to the acre, ] want
to see it, for then we could spare
more land for other crops, pastures
Of meadows. The successful prose
cutiOn of other lines of business is
of itself calculated to cause increaS-
cd demand for cotton products, and,
in consequence, tends to keep up
the value of our great staple. These
suggestions are for those farmcrS)
who are poorly prepared to give
substantial aid to enterprises of an
other character. Now for the man
of wealth who desires to benefit his
community, a good way is to sub
scribe freely towards the establish
ment of local cotton factories, for
thereon wa must found the financial
and political regeneration Of our
country. No constitutional prOyis.
ion can do for "white supremacy
as much as a vastly increased army
Of skilled white lalNrers brought
into our state by the home manu-
facture of Il staple truly the glory,
and, under proper manipulation, yet
to be the blessing Of our land. The
state government should keep az
much as possible Of it's burden off
of the cotton factory until it is firm
" established, and the patronage
Of the people should always DC Civ
en- to the local factory.
No doubt the rearing Of live stock,
increased yield of present staple
crops per acre, and home manufac-
ture of leading staple will only be
some of the factors in development
Of this country. | hear tobacco
spoken Of as a possible rcmunerative
money crop, but prefer to wait and
see others make 4 success of its Cul-
ture, preparation,and marketing be-
fore becoming financially interest,
ed. However this is naturally a
wonderful country, and l have no
doubt that many Important indus
tries, yet unknown to our people,
can and will DO developed herein.
A. S. }. Evans.