The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-10-10
THE EDIToRS's LEISURE hours,
Points and Paragraphs Of Things
Present, Past and Future,

Farmers in the neighborhood of
Hickory, n. c., are clearing from $5C
to $3.50 an acre on sweet potatoes -
The aboye is taken from the Octo-
Der number of the Southern Farm
Magazine published at Baltimore.
Somehow there has been a prevailing
idea that sweet potatoes do not pay
like Irish, or "white" potatoes; but if
farmers would fertilize as heavily for
sweet potatoes as they do for Irish pota-
t t,es and make the work as intensive,
we doubt not that they would find one
crop about as profitable as the other.
It's a guess with us that the farmer
who first makes the experiment in
this region will find it profitable and
will he doing a good service to his
community. II farmers around other
markets can do so we'll with sweet
potatoes, why not here also?
Much has been spoken and written
of late about anarchy, which ia about
to be defined by most people as "envy
against prominent men as rulers"
This would be fair definition as it is
viewed by the general public.
II this is fair definition of anarchy,
there is another kind of anarchy which
is source of much evil and dlscontent.
It does not incite to murder and assas-
sination perhaps, but 1t does poison
the minds of many. It is the envy
that the thriitless and unsuccessful in
many communities bear towards the
thrifty and successful. Some people
think that the man who has accumu-
lated more than they has been false of
life and purpose in some way and they
would be glad in their souls to see him
reduced. Such envy is as hurtful, so
far as it goes, as is the rankest anarchy.
forr
cerning the cotton seed situation, ard
we'll they may be for the power of the
trust is great. Once In its clutches
they will have hard time shaking it
loose. Their action, therefore, in COM
bining their efforts and influence
against the trust that would take their
cotton seed at half price, is correct and
just. 1t has not been many years since
the Farmers Alliance laid hands
against the bagging trust. The work
was effective and saved the farmers
money; and by way Of psrenthesis We
may say that if the Alliance had re-
mained cut of politics until now it
could haye wrought many reforms that
would have saved the farmers much
moro than they ever made by launch
Ing their noble order into politics.
Let the farmers keep up their work
against the cotton seed trust and they
will eventually bring something to
pass that will be helpful. They will
get the full value of their cotton seed.
When farmers prosper other people
prosper, and when the farmer fails
other people fail. The farner is the
bedrock on which all prosperity rests,
for he must feed all and we believe
that whatever tends to the farmers in
terest ought to be encouraged and pro-
The Smithfeld Herald in
sists on farmers sowing small grain,
and shows clearly why it is vice for
them to do so. It costs less than other
crops and comes in good time. The
following paragraph is the conclusion
of the article referred to-:
"If you SOW grain you have good
summer pasture for hogs, cattle, horses
and mules after the grain Is cut. This
pas.ure comes in at time when there
Is nothing much in the woods for stock.
II YOU follow your grain with peas you
can greatly improve your lana and
raise from the pea vines much iced 1or
the winter. II you do not plant peas
after your grain or pasture on the lana
ro,, con generally get a good crop OF