The Atlanta constitution., 1900-01-01
The Peoples Forum
The Farming Outlook.

Editor Constitution: / have been wanting
for some days to commend The Constitution
for the fight II is making for the farmers and
the cotton growing states but L have been so
busy that / have delayed until now. The
argument and advice relative to the market
Ing of the remaining 40 per cent OF the
cotton that Is still In the hands of the farm
ers is both logical and sound and IL followed
would add from IS to $40 more per bale to
the value of the cotton unsold. The wisdom
or the course suggested is patent In the light
OF the experience through which we have just
passed that 1t almost loss of time
to emphasize 1t or to insist upon its adoption
But at the sembance of doing useless
thing. 1 insist that the balance of the crop
be not hastily nor unwisey forced upon the
market, and on the contrary only sold on an
active. firm demand. The facilities at our
command for holding cotton and getting adj
vances upon II together with the sympathy OF
the bankers and moneyed men in the fight for
better prices makes the proposition both feasi-
BILE and practical. easy TO carry out.
My purpose in writing this letter was two
fold-namely to thank The Constitution for the
great fight 1t was making this line and
to urge you to press on, to keep up the
fight And to make another suggestion IL
seems to me that the time never so op-
perfume now to make a departure from our
old method of all cotton and not anything
ers, the press. all recognize the great neces-
sity for change and will be In sympathy
and cooperate with any sound common sense
effort in that direction.
The present system of acreage In the cotton
growing states, far as my experience ana
knowledge goes. is approximately from hfteen
to twenty-five acres in cotton TO every mule
or horse on the farm. The average mule or
horse cultvates about thirty acres more or
-q-y
mules that cultivate the maximum amounts
stated In cotton twenty-five acres) than those
that cultivate the lesser amount l feel very
sure that the average number of acres cul-
tivated In cotton TO the plow would Mt least
he twenty acres. you that leaves very
little land and time 20 be devoted to other
crops and besides cotton being the chief crop
and az above stated such a large per cent II
the farms planted In cotton that the general
habit Is to care for the cotton first and then
the other crop afterwards. Cotton gets hrst
attention; everything else gives way to cotton
IL anything IS neglected II Is the other crops
] am stating the rule. OF course there may
be and are exceptions. 1t IS the common 2rao-
tice. the rule. that produces the immense cot
ton crops.
Now. the suggestion IS this, that effort
be made TO persuade the farmers not To plant
more than ten acres In cotton to the piow. L
would take no prophet TO foretell the result.
Prosperity would just certainly follow such
a course as day follows night
II would make this article too long for me
to go into details, therefore | only sug-
gest some of the results that would follow the
adoption of such "A policy by the farmers
First, it would double the acreage in supply
crops. such as corn, peas, potatoes, oats. wheat
and every thing else consumed on the farm. II
would make the farmers of the cotton grow
ing states not only self-supportirg as to food
crops, but / verify believe that Georgia would
be self-sustaun. in that her farms could
supply her cities with all the corn, oats. wheat,
sheep. cattle. hogs, mules and horses that
they need. OF course l DO not mean 70 say
that could be done In year, but 90
mean to say that it would come in time under
the system suggested.
Second. our guano bills would be cut half;
what "A saving
Third. the reduced cotton crop would bring
rs much money the large cotton crops 40
Now, can the suggestion be put into practice?
| do not know; but | do know that IL f. worth
the effort. Imagine this fair God blessed
southland of ours raising its own supplies
raising and manufacturing It's own coal IRON,
and gold. \ condition to be hoped for. 10 be
worked for. Why not? No other part of the
would with so many and so great natural re-
sources.
Let il be the work Of Tho Constitution 10
arouse the people of all classes to positive
and definite action in the matter. Il is great
work, and believe II can be done. The
press is the mightiest single factor to n peo-
pi in work Ike this. If a majority OF the
newspapers both daily and weekly could
be aroused TO united effort on this question.
success would BE- assured and a glorious fu-
ture would certainly open up to MS; so again,
earnestly urge The Constitution to continue the
fight. the need is great. the cause is worthy.
Suppose The Constitution calls on tine farm
crs in every county In all the cotton growing
states 10 meet in county convention some time
in January. 900, and obligate themselves not
To plant over ten acres in cotton 10 the plow.
II thought wise, The Constitution might name
the day for the meeting far enough off TO
give time TO discuss II ana advertise It AMI
urge IT, c. II. ELLlNtFION.