The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-01-18
ADDRESS BY STEVENS
BEFORE SOUTHERN COMMITS
sIoNERs or AGRi, ULTUE IN
NEW ORLEANS.
SOUNDS A WARNING NOTE
Farmers Urged TO Plant bat Little
Cotton This Yra,-Manufacfur
ing Interests Revived.

Cotton This Yra.-Nanufacfur.
ing Interests Revived.
This day, which has been set apart
for the first annual meeting of the AS.
ISOLATION of Commissioners, looking as
it does to the upbuilding OF our COM
mon country and to the improve
ment of the condition of the cotton
states, is to ma an suspicious one lam
glad of this opportunity to meet with
you and join in so laudable an under
taking, remembering that it is for the
good of the present as we'll as future
generations. Permit me, therefore. to
offer few suggestions in the begin
ming of our meeting for your considera-
non.
For years the farmers of the south
nave been drifting aimlessly into con-
dition of bankruptcy and .demoraliza-
ton, greatly to their own hurt and to
the detriment of the common welfare.
Thisis not due to sterility of soil, nor
to unfavorable climatic condi ions Ma
ture has not done more for any section
than for the cotton states; nor is ;s
altogether fair to lay the fault of fail
ure to our farmers; for, as class,
they have worked industriously in and
out of season. but they have not worked
with any fixed purpose Of permanent
benefit in the end. have for years
been urging the farmers of Georgia to
reverse their methods, if they would es-
cape the conditions which have resulted
from lack of diversification in plant
ing their crops. The salvation of the
people depends upon rural independ-
ence-by living at home and raising
home supplies; by cutting of imports
and increasing exports; and / urge
upon you, the commissioners of the
cotton. growing states. to call upon your
people to change their methods of farm.
ing It's true that for 80 years the balance
of trade has been somewhat in our favor,
but much can yet be done along this line.
The farming interest has been the sub.
ject of much discussion by the press and
people of the south for the past IL
months; so much so that the people of
the rural districts are seeking informa-
ton by reading the daily and weekly
papers and agricultural journals. This
is one of the most important mediums
upon which this association must rely
In reaching the farming class, by
writing monthly letters upon agri
cultural subjects and questions. to
be published once q month in your
newspapers The work OF reformation
has begun, and it should be the object
of this association to reach every home
and cabin within its territory.
The last crop was a profitable one to
the farmers Of the south. Every thing
bought with which to make 1t was
Oheap-mules. labor. fertilizers, plough
tools. farming machinery. cotton cloth,
meat corn and forage; in fact. farm sup
pl!ss of every description were exceed.
ingly cheap. and consequently the crop
of 1899 came into the market at very
low cost Our people made light bills.
The fall being favorable for gathering,
and the crop small as compared with for.
mer years. it brought much better
prices, and consequently the people of
the cotton states are in better condition
than in former years. Our farming ex-
penses, with few exceptions in certain
unfavored localities. have been paid
and our debts reduced, and we have
more home. raised supplies than we
had one year ago. A change has taken
place; different state of affairs
exists. think there is no doubt that
the south is more prosperous today than
at any time within the last 80 years.
Prices have advanced, and Our PEG.
pie are more hopeful Mules and fer
tilizers have advanced So per cent;
corn, forage and meat are Is per cent
higher; plow tools and farming ma.
chinery are 70 per cent higher; cotton
goods are 90 per cent higher; so the crop
of 1899. 1900 will cost fully 80 per cent
more to market it than did the crop
of 1898 90. urge you to sound q note
OF warning right now. Tell your farm
ers to make small bills; to buy for cash,
ifpossible; to plant largely Of food crops,
and reduce the acreage in cotton even
below that OF last year. The cotton
crop for 1895. 1900 will barely reach g..
600, 900 bales, and the average price
paid thus far has been 2 cents, SO that
If we again curtail the use of fertilizers
and the acreage in cotton, and produce
only 100000 bales next season, we
may expect not less than cents per
pound for our crop. But, if our farm.
ers go wild again. as they did in 1895
buy everything on time, plant the
whole earth in cotton and make a crop
~ 1 ho1