The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1900-01-03
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
AND TRUE ONES, TOO, THAT SHOULD
HELP THE FARMERS.
A Comparison Drawn Between Condi-
tons at Present and Those of
Twelve Months Ago.

The following, from the December
Cultivator, is so encouraging and so fully
meets our views that we regard it's re-
production as promising of good:
ut is well nigh impossible for us to
look back twelve months and recall the
actual gloom that then settled upon us.
1t was raining almost every day. Cotton
was sprouting and rottng in the field.
1t was worth from to At cents when
picked. Some of it was 50 damaged that
it sold for only II cents. But little grain
had been sown. The ground was too
wet for any sort Of blowing. There was
nothing to relieve tie situation or to
brighten the outlook for the coming
year.
every body was abusing the farmer
for growing too much cotton and caus-
ing financial distress in all business.
Very much of the corn was rotten or
badly damaged. Not even hay had es-
capped. This was muddy. The far
were inclined to join the general hue and
cry and blame himself or providence for
the low prices OF everything except
money and cows.
"How many Of us were to make anoth-
er crop we could not see. The farmer
was in the mud and everyone standing
on top of him trying to sink him deeper.
There was no ray of light across the sky /;
all was dark, dark. Such is very faint
and imperfect picture of November, 1898.
"If we could have seen anything else
to do we would have gladly quit farm
ing. Encouragement sat upon every
| brow.
"Today we see everything changed
The rain ceased to fall; the burning SUI
brought heat and drought, the soil being
poorly prepared and the seed injured
moor stands were obtained. Starting late
! and being we'll nigh out of heart very
| poor cultivation followed. Through all
sorts of difficulties and discouraging sur
roundings short crop, somewhere
about 9,250,000 bales of cotton, have
been produced. Providence has done for
us what we were 10th to do tor ourselves
The price has gone up. The short crop
of 1899 will bring nearly 800, 1000, 900
more than the full crop of 1898. A tar
WELD of food crops of all kinds has been
saved in good condition.
"Hope, encouragement, cheer, push,
energy one sees upon every face New
enterprises are being inaUgurated. Hid
| away millions are crawling out. Capital
is 20 lpnger frightened. Energy is able
to find backing. A general advance
along all lines has put new life into
every kind of enterprise and every
avenue of business.
"The farmer is getting his share of
credit for this change. He is emphatical
" in front. He is no longer in, the mud.
NO one wishes to stamp him in deeper.
On the CONTRARY, everyone is ready to ex-
tend TO him words OF cheer and the hand
of help.
Horticultural fairs have been success
fully held in various states and commu>
mites and the agricultural features have
been " ell to the front. They have not
been overshadowed by the amusement
features, as has so often been the case.
Farming is becoming honorable and de-
sirable.
1--WE do not mean to say that every
farmer has double the money, but he has
double the opportunity. Have we the
name and the brains to hold our vantage
ground? Are we not in danger OF letting
the improved price of cotton delude US
into planting too much cotton next Year,
"The lesson for the present ia very
clear and important one. We reduced