The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-02-04

of the. old trainer were ell
oaged TO train this new lot. II
But this was not such an easy mat
tor ga was at first thought, for many
~ tho new monkeys were still wild.
Rut fbe iraiper thoroughly understood
mis- business, having served for long
lime under Barnum as trainer OF
monkeys. Finally with the aid OF ten
old monkeys, who were ofgreat assist
ance. aud great deal of punishment
and rewarding, the new gang were
nretty well trained by the middle OF
October.
have wat hed ihis experiment Win
greater interest than l have wa'cheo
any new thing in years. l have KEEP
in constant correspondents WIN mr.
Mappum about this matter and about
the middle of November visited his
pIantation near Smedes TO see Inc
monkeys al their work. L must al
NIT tina, il was glorious sight to see,
and one that did my heart great gooa.
The rows were filled with monkeys,
each one with her little cotton sack
around her neck, picking away quietly
and orderly. and without any rush or
confusion. When they got their SACKS
full they would run TO the emu OF 'he
row. where a man WAS stailoneo 10
emn,y them into the cotton basket,
when they would hurry back to their
work. The monkeys seemed actually 10
enjoy picking.
Tha, night stayed all night with
Mr. Mapgum aud we had a long talk
about this matter. L asked him 10
give me the plain facts about The case
so | could give them III the Cot' o"
Planters Journal, to the cotton grow
ers of the South, Mr.. Mangum SAID I'D
substance:
az consider the day that Professor
Tracey suggested TO me the training OF
monkeys as cotton pickers, as The mos'
fortunate day the South has seen ~
many years. Ii means more 10 the
south than a cotton picking machine
tor the monkeys are success as pick
ers white the machines have been fail
ures. The monkeys are in every way
:, superior to negroes as cotton pichcrs
= In the first place the cost of picking Il
only about one-third. Then they ar
I more careful than-pegroes, and pick
cleaner grade of Gotten. Even IN TIL
= rainy fall. when all other cotton was
II low grade, that picked by the mon
: KEYS was all middling. and sold for a
- least one-half cent more than tina
!. :. picked by the negroes. Thea the
!! will pick in weather in which 20
= cao'i get a niger in the field. In lac
70 believe that it is the greatest dlsco'
~ ery that has been made for the coUo
p,auter since Whitney discovered if
cotton gin. People laughed at me
le first when tried this, thing, as the
" ALWAYS do when man tries anythln
- new. but now that il has proved su
i cess all my neighbors are wild abo'
:" il. The negroes have made repeatc
~ threats 10 kill the monkeys, but as y
-, they have not done so, and L Apr
ho bend no very great danger in TIA
Al Direction"
a., In closing Mr.. Mangum said: '1t
W NAV say to the cotton planters OF II
-, South that il ia grand success, al
aS that next June shall make a large II
-. ~ porta,ion of monk eys from Africa. al
that would like TO have other pla
,ra tiers Join me- My address is Smedt
90 Miss. and would be pleased to col ]
% spond with any one Interested III IL
matter"
believe that Mr.. Mangum is
greater benefac;or to the cotton pia
Ter than Eli Whitney. | have u
given him an order to import me
NJ monkeys next summer, and feel su
49, that we will soon be independent
or, the negro so lar as cotton picking
sor concerned.
SUI TON G.. LANE