The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-10-04
ADVICE TO FARMERS
COMMISSIONERS o. b. STEVENS
SPEECH AT RALEIGH FUaL
or GOOD POINTS.
low TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS
Planter Must Be Good Business Man.
Improved Condition of the Southern
Farmer-Cotton MIL Industry.

IL Is q pleasant feature OF this, our
second annual gathering. that we meet
in this historic city, named in honor of
Raleigh, the gallant gentleman whose
attempts at colonization on Wokokon
and Roanoke islands blazed the way for
the first permanent English settlement
at Jamestown. His name, and those of
Cavendish, GreenviIle and Drake, are
closely interviewer with the early his
tory Of North Carolina, whose shores
were made romantic by the birth of
Virginia Dare. first child of English pa
rentage born on freedom s soil AT ALA
nance sons of the old North State
poured out the first blood that was shed
In resistance to unjust taxation, and
from Mecklenburg county went forth
that ringing defiance to tyranny-the
torerunner of the grand declaration
which proclaimed the birth of the great
republic. On every page of American
history the name of North Carolina
shines with undimned luster, and the
fame Of her hardy sons will never be
forgotten so long as men remember
Kings Mountain, Yorktown, Gettys-
burg and Appomattox. The spirit of
enterprise, too, is abroad in the old
North State, and she walks proudly in
the van of southern industrial progress,
which, in the last few years, has made
such rapid strides In such an illustri-
GUS state, and under such favorable aus
pices. we have come with 10y to share
the hospitality of your generous sons
and lovely daughters.
Our last annual meeting was held in
New Orleans, the greatest cotton port
and the fourth grain market in the world
the commercial metropolis of fair Lou
isiana, who leads her southern sisters in
the production of sugar cane and rice.
AT that meeting we spoke of the condi-
ton Of bankruptcy and Generalization
into which the farmers of the south have
been aimlessly drifting for years, and /
urged you, the commissioners of the cot
ton growing states, to call upon your
people to change their methods Of farm
ing. We stated also that the work of
reformation had begun, and that the
people of the cotton states were in better
condition than i'll former years; that
they had lived more ON home supplies;
had been to less expense in making their
crops, and had received much better
prices for their products, had reduced
their debts and were more hopeful for
the future 1t was stated, moreover
that the crop of 1899 and 1890 was going
to cost more to market it than did the
crop of 1895 1899, and it was urged that
we sound a note of warning by telling
our farmers to make small bills; buy for
cash. if possible; plant largely of food
crops, and reduce the acreage in cotton
even below that of last year. We also
said that, if we would again curtail the
use of fertilizers and the acreage in cot
ton, and produce only 100000 bales
next season. we might expect not less
than cents pound for our cotton.
With pleasure was noted the great re-
vival of manufacturing interests in the
south. The necessity was urged of
teaching our children in the schools the
elementary principles of agriculture
facts that have been ascertained by prac-
tical tests at efficiently conducted ex-
peTimental stations.
The improved condition of southern
farmers, reported at our last meeting.
continues with some additional better.
ment. This is especially true of the
farmers Of Georgia. who have harvested
more wheat this year than in any year
since 1865; more, it is claimed, than in
any other three years since the civil war.
More attention, too, has been paid to
raising supplies of meat, and many a
smokehouse, filed with ham, bacon and
sausage from hogs fed and slaughtered
at home proclaims the southern farmers
growing independence of the packing
houses of the west. The peach orchards
of Georgia have this year been very
helpful factor in that state. Although
the crop. as whole, did net prove as
remunerative as early indications prom.
Used, yet the money which it pnt into
circulation was of great benefit during
the dull season. 1t paid many thou
sands of dollars to laborers employed in
gathering. packing, canning and ship.
ping the fruit. The total number of
carloads shipped this season from Geor.
gia will not be far short of 800.
One thing that makes the outlook bet
ter still is the certainty Of another short
cotton crop, which promises even better
profits during the coming season. There
seems to be good reason for the hope
that the all-cotton craze of 1898 will not
again seize the farmers of the south,
who, from sad experience, should know
that the thing of greatest Importance is
To raise first of all food sunnlias and