The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-20
THE NEGRO'S FUTURE
In the South From Secretary Wilson's
Standpoint.

Washington Feb. 20.-Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson today in discussing
the productive possibilities of the south
and the problem of negro labor made
the following observations:
The pressing question is, what is the
laborer down south who has been grow
ing cotton and is not getting enough for
his production going to do in the future
to enable him to live comfortably not
to speak of improvements i'll his condi-
ton, education and all that? The cot
ton crop leaves very little that is val
uahle for domestic animals after the
picking is done, thus differing from the
corn crop of the northwest states There
is by-product, the cotton seed, that is
exceedingly valuable a nutrient, and
much good work is being done by scien-
lists at experiment stations to show
how valuable cotton seed is for feeding
purposes. The great cotton growing in
dustry of the south is not up to date.
The nitrogen contents is greater than
any of the grains; it is richer in nitro
genous matter than peas or beans, rich
er than glutena, meal or oil cake The
northern feeder and the European feed
er have been using this by-product of
the cotton fields with great advantage
to them, while the less of it's fertilizing
qualities to the south has been very
great sat
tages over the north with regard to
production. 1t has more heat and mois-
ture, the two great factors of produce
ton, and If the cotton grower is to di-
veTsify his crops he must use those nat
ural advantages. The dairy cow and
mutton sheep would succeed admirably
in the south, but something for them
to eat must be provided first. The win
tiers in the south are mild; grasses and
grains can be Sown in the fall and
grown abundantly through the winter,
upon which the dairy COW and the NUT
ton sheep may thrive and produce.
From fifth to a fourth of all the
fat of all the milk on the farms of the
iC 0Sf 10
not thoroughly understand when to
churn cream. The churning process is
an art having much more science under
lying 1t. But the cotton grower of the
south only needs to learn the way, while
the man who teaches him can under
stand the science.
Much yet remains to be discovered
in the art of breeding animals, but
enough is known to indicate to the in
structor of the colored cotton grower
of the south who is to be diverted into
work of this kind to enable him to breed
his herd intelligently.
THE south can prepare the spring
lamb much earlier than the north can.
The southern land owner understands
his situation. There is always a. greater
demand for saddle horses than is sup
piled. The world wants carriage and
draft horses and good roadsters. Early
spring chickens can be produced down
there because they have milder winters
and milder springs than we have and
the northern market can be supplied.
Should the market become oversupplied
we can send this product abroad in the
refrigerated compartments of our
steamships.
There is a diversity of opinion in
the south as to the ability of the col
ored man to be used as a diversified
laborer. The colored man is learning
the trades at Tuskegee. He is mining
coal and working the manufacture of
iron at Birmingham. Some southern
men whom you meet will say they have
the best labor in the world and in some
respects 1 am inclined to think they
have. The south has reached the point
that most of the states of the north
west reached years ago. Section after
section devoted itself to corn and wheat
until the land refused to yield their
crops and the farmer was driven to
seek diversification. Prosperity came
to the northwest through the diversifi-
cation of industries on the farm.
know of no other way through which it
can come to the south. 1t seems to me
that the necessities of the occasion are
up to the intelligent land owner. He
should inform himself these lines.
He should have done it years ago. The
sciepces which relate to agriculture
would stand him in good stead, while
his diploma from a literary institution
is worth very little to him. 1t is not
too late. Improvement along these lines
can not be expected to originate with
the laboring men of the south; it must
begin with the men of education