The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-28
THE COTTON CROP.
The Southern Farmer Should Reverse
His Methods.

Editor Press and Banner,
Dear sir: The cotton question is vital
question for the farmer OF the South. Ihe
newspapers are full Of counsels ioI the, the SOU ,Sc
humblest farmer to the highest leaders OF the
country. These counsels can be summed up
In TWO words:
This is profound error. The disease OF the
southern farmer is not the raising OF too
much cotton; consequently the LESS COi.
TON is not the proper remedy to be applied
to his situation. The interest OF the south is
TO raise. ..-
Unquestionably the south is today the
leading country Of the world for toe produc-
ton OF cotton No less unquestionably the
product OF the cotton crop Is actually the
, main source of wealth for the south: And 1t
Is easy to understand that dearer the cotton Is
sold, 80 much more money comes In tne
hands OF the southern farmer.
Now, large crop is more than apt to bring
low price, and short crop is likely TO bring
o high return. In such case 1t seems that
the conclusion to be drawn is necessarily.
LESS COTTON.
Bnt It is not so. II the south decreases the
production OF the cotton IT will make the
price OF the cotton increase; temporarily, al
The foreign countries which strive 10 better
their conditions, aud whose climate and land
may be adapted for the cultivation OF cotton.
induced by its ren1unerative culture Will
start 10 raise 1t and come In competition with
the SOUTH
Then the Increase of the cotton will come
again and With 1t the dreadful decrease OF the
price. True this evil will not have come
from the hands OF the Southern farmer, Out IL
will have come Just the same. SO, In de-
creasing its cotton crop the south not only
will gain nothing but 1t will suffer an IRE
parable damage by loss OF Its monopoly. Ihe
Interest Of the south is therefore 10 raise az
msaqh cotton as 1t can, enough TO supply the
world, II possible. and at least enough 70 pre-
vent the possibility offs serious and ruin0us
competition from foreign countries. Ine
movement Is now for the coming to the south
OF all the industries which have for object the
cotton and It's by-products; this movement
prognostics and means immense wealth for
the south, wealth in which the farmer OF lhe
sovth, wealth in which the farmer OF the
south is called to take his share. With such
prospect this is not the time to discourage
this movement by the threating OF decrease
!. in the production Of the cotton, on the con.
trary, and the motto Of the southern farmer
should be:
|. y .. MORE COTTON.
Therefore the only problem which the
southern farmer has 10 solve 1s this: Whicn
Is the proportion or quantity OF cotton ne mas
10 raise individually. The answer 10 lhis
problem can be made only by each farmer
lor himself, according 10 bis own situation.
The main warning or counsel to be advanta'
geously given TO the southern farmer IS 10 re-
member him that: his family and STOCK sup.
ply must be his leading crop, instead OF bis
surplus crop; and the cotton crop bis surplus
crop, instead OF his leading crop. In another
words the southern farmer must reverse DIS
method Of rm!ng BY 50 dopE ne WI wr bG he
q new era OF prosperity.
Yours very truly, ~