The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-12-13
A WORD TO FARMERS.

These are long winter nights, and as
THE COMMONWEALTH visits many far
mers' homes, we are anxious to be
helpful to them. We haye seen nothe
ing and can think nothing which is
more timely for farmers than the fol-
lowing from the Wilmington Messen
ger OF 7th, which will furnish good
reading for our farmer frieIds one O.
these long evenings. Here is what tht
Messenger says:
One of the important things for tbs
south is to make all the meat it need
and to cease to be so dependent upon
the northwest. Our Great Vance once
rldiculed the idea Of keeping our corn
cries elsewhere than in North Carolina
and our smoke-houses in the distant
west. He was wise in all that concern
ed the welfare and prosperity of the
people OF North Carolina. The Mes
senger has many times essayed to stir
the people in the matter OF re's'rg
their own horses, hogs, COWS and sheep.
1t will be indeed most useful and wise
act when this is done. Any agricul-
tural people are very lnconsiderate
and simple who tail to produce their
own butter and milk, bread and meat.
The road to independence and general
prosperity for this state and the south,
does not lie along manufacturing hall
60 much as in judicious, common-sense
farming. The south Is capable OF pro-
ducing immensely in bread-stuffs and
pork and beef. 1t is sheer neglect
when it fails to grow ali it needs. 1t
has a climate in which you can work
eleven months in the year. The soil
is we'll adapted to a considerable variety
of products. Toll, judgment, Inter-
prise, determination to accomplish
great things and depend on no other
state or people for bread and meat,
butter and lard, hog and homlny will
in the end mkae North Carolina all it
should be, wholly dependent upon it.
self and not upon Others.
Housekeepers in Wilmington, all
about the state and all through the
south are forced to pay some 3 or 4
cents q pound more for white meat,
hams, and lard than they were paying
a year or two ago. Why so? Because of
a failure to produce the meat necces-
sary for home consumption and the
giant trusts that in their greed put up
the prices to pluck and aff1lct the con-
sumers, the tollers, the hungry. If
every farmer produced extra meat for
market, and every smoke house was
we'll filled with hams, sides, shoulders,
backbones, spareribs, sausage. then the
people would rejoice and contentment
and live and let live prices would pre-
vail.
The Jacksonville Times Union has
this and 1t is applicable here:
"Now shall the south always buy its
meat from the west? Is there any
good reason why we should not sell
meat to the west instead of buying
from it?
Scientists havs conclusiyely proved
that in q cold climate large proper.
tion OF the food furnished goes to the
farmers in the west are beginning
to warm their stables with stoves, be.
cause it is cheaper to furnish heat with
out taxing the stomach for digestion
and coal or wood is cheaper than forage
What is the lesson for ps7 That ou1
climate should enable us to sell cheap
er meat than the west, as soon as Other
conditions are equal-here little OF the
food need go for heat, and nearly all
can be changed into flesh"
Wise farming, well directed energy
determination to be Independent on
the part OF all producers will have 8
great influence over the future of ou1
great state. The fisheries of North Car
DINA are extensive ana car be greatly
developed. Why not? Nature does ite
part, let man hold up his end of the
log. Let all North Carolina unite in
the resolution that all necessary food
shall be produced within in its borders
There can be no real independence
short OF that.