The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-21
More Talk About Cotton :.
And the Supply of Labor

would be OF the greatest possible benefit
! to this state.
l feel that it is a very good sign when
| a young man of such high order of abil-
| lily as Professor Ulrich B. Phillips.
j student and a thinker. turns his atten-
| ton TO the discussion of so prosaic a
subject as agriculture rather than to
! trying to solve problems" which seems
to be the fayorite pastime of writer's
| these days. With very much that Pro-
fessor Phillips has written in his two
| papers published in The Constitution l
| heartily agree but he and | differ sharp
| ~ upon one point, namely, the adequacy
| OF the present labor supply He says
! what Georgia needs is mot more labor
ers, but more efficient laborers;,' l hold
| that we need both. Professor Phillips
suggests that the importation Of one hun
! ored Cinnamon would mean nothing more
! than driving that many other workers
| from the fields 10 other pursuits. 1t is
! my contention that they have already
! left the fields, and feel that | have the
! Endorsement of the lest authority in the
statement that the present supply Of
| labor for the fields IL entirely inadequate
| to the possibilities OF production which
| the lands present. You will recall what
| ognize as one of the best posted men on
| cotton conditions in the southern states,
says about labor conditions in North
, Carolina. He shows that within the past
| few years no less than one hundred
! thousand former workers in the cotton
| fields of that state have gone to worAs
! in the cotton factories and the other
mills; and he expresses the opinion that
! the same kind of exodus has been going
| on in the other states of the south.
| believe this to be true here in Georgia
| as it is in North Carolina. believe we
| lack not only in the quality but in the
| quantity of the labor supply. ! believe
| that if We We're to put one hundred thou
| sand Cinnamon down on the cotton and
| rice plantations and in the fruit orchards
| of Georgia. we would not drive other
! labor out but we would make the waste
| places throughout the state blossom and
bear splendid fruit The entire state
would be greatly benefited.
| Now the bugaboo of cotton Over-produc-
| ton does not scare me IN the least. Talk
of that kind does not rake into consider
alton the constantly increasing demand
! for cotton goods the world over. II
! there were enough cotton in the world.
| why would European governments he
| bending all their energies to promote the
growing Of cotton in the African and ASH
| attic colonies? Perhaps we might not be
| getting II cents for our cotton If the
prcductiveness Of Georgia soil were test
| ed to the limit but increase OF produc-
ton would not very greatly affect the
price in view Of the constantly increasing
| demand In any event. with proper labor
| the cost of producing the staple would be
so cut that the result would be much
more substantial net profits
| What hurts me is the yearly waste
am experiencing from my own lands. l
! am not bothering SO much about the
! status Of Georgia in relation to the cotton
industry forty Or one hundred years in
the future, as / am about my own in
ability to get results light now. I have
| the land and have sufficient means to
make every square foot OF it productive
hut cannot set the abor
As l have previously said, could have
made loo bales OF cotton this year in
stead Of the 800 bales I expect to get
if l had been able to secure the right
soit Of labor. BY this ! mean not quail
! lty alone. but quantity
/ believe ! have my properties operating
/ on strictly business basis do not
EiVe my farms over entirely to cotton, for
! raise my supplies aud | diversity my
crop according to the capabilities Of the
! land. But / have lot of land which is
! bringing me in nothing recause | cannot
get al the labor uead Cotton is the
great money crop OF this state ANA
naturally feel that l am losing heavily
each year because Of my inability to Sc
cure suficiency of desirable labor to
produce all the cotton If which my lands
are capable. could use to advantage
! good many more negroes but I would
! very much rather have Cinnamon, because
! | am convinced. as | have said. OF the
| far greater efficiency Of that labor
! A GEORGIA FARMER
! Houston County. Georgia, September :,
| 1908.