Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-10-13
MERAN PLANTER.
THE FARMER.
The Future Prosperity of the south
eFn Agriculturfst Depends o.
sefentiAc Farming.

OF the many occupations q pro
LESSONS pursued in this prosperous
land of Dixie to-day. there is none
with a more promising future than
that of agriculture.
The southern farmer stands to-day
with the bare soil as his capital, an
invincible power confronting the enor-
nous wealth and shewd schemes OF the
merchant and s~peculator.
With his knowledge of agriculture
as a science and the opportunity OF
gaining the choicest advice from the
many agricultural institutions and
publishing firms throughout the land.
with the invaluable help OF b many
l~abor-saying machines continually on
the market, and other great advan-
tages which he possesses. he is
aL;ed TO stand firm and face great OBJ
| stacles. The foundations Of his pow
err are impregnable, ever though they
NAV sustain the most impetuous as
| saults from the hands OF his great op-
ponents.
I do lot say enemy, for who could
be an enemy to the element that sus-
tains their very life, that gives them
health and vigor. that supplies the very
| energy with which they make their
jealous opposition? But do they
| really oppose agriculture? All no! their
Jealous efforts to check the prosperity
| of this great pursuit, is but the blind
| desire to advance their own selfish in
terests and expand their great fortunes
accumulated at the loss of the farmer.
These men know that were they to
oppose agriculture successfully, and
dissolve that great institution. before
many years had elapsed, grass would
carpet" the streets of III largest cities.
The great tide Of traffic would retreat
to it's lowest ebb and finally cease en-
tirely. The whole land would soon be
rendered a desert of waste, or may
more properly say, an endless AND I'M
broken forest.
But we need not fear such a calamity
Detailing the human race, for were II
even threatened every hand would be
extended to avert 1t and agriculture
would rise to a higher plane, than 1t
had ever attained before. Thus 1t Is
proved that those who are apparently
the greatest opponents OF agricultural
prosperity, are its strongest advo-
Gates. Although the cotton buyer may
decrease the price of cotton for a Pc
riod, still he must sooner or later al
low it to rise to serve his W inter
ests. and when the price is thus made
the buyer, the shrewd agriculturists
will rush their cotton to market and
then to use a common phrase, will be
caught in his own trap" But 1t Is i'm
possible for cotton to remain at a low
value for any lengthy period, for the
| world must be clothed and the popula-
ton is every day increasing, and this
increases the demand. AS the demand
increases, the agriculturist is urged to
greater efforts, and he calls for high
er prices. which must be given.
In this way by the rules of traffic,
the farmers prosperity becomes great
er with each revolution OF the great
wheel OF time. The clouds may gather
upon the horizon. but fear not, for
every cloud has its silver lining" and
his is especially true with the farmer.
| Opinions differ as to the price of cot
ton in the coming season. The estt-
nations OF some are very high, while
the estimations Of others are very low.
The authors opinion is that the latter
Is more probable for, excepting a few
farms, the whole south will be plant
ed In cotton this season and the mar
ket will be glutted, decreasing the val
ue very greatly. But as has been said
above, cotton can not fall to a very low
price, for the demand is TOO great.
If all the cotton is rushed to mar
ket in a bulk the price will fall to a
parallel with the cost of culture; but
IL the supply is equal from beginning
to end OF season the demand will be
continuous and cotton will hold a
price that will realize the planter very
fair profits. Even if the profits be but
average, the great quantity planted
will be u to bear enough to yield
the planter a sum that will lay the
foundation of a fortune.
This will induce more of u south
ern youths to follow this choice pur-
suit. And what better occupation can
the southern youth desire than agri-
culture?
Has he not every opportunity which
one could desire Of preparing himself?
The youth of this generation who ex-
poets to pursue agriculture as a life
work does not prepare himself as did
the youth Of the last generation. : Now
they take their course OF Study like the
lawyer or physician, they study their
pursuit as a science; then. they simply
acquainted themselves with the rules
of manual labor, applied more energy
of body than of mind. But the great
barrier to the youthful farmer to-day
is the fact of the inferior circum-
stances of his predecessors. Farming
and poverty are thought by some to
walk hand in hand. But this is false.
Many great fortunes have been found
ed on agricultural profits.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, "the Commo-
dore." one of the wealthiest men of
the nineteenth century, obtained his
first hundrd dollors from this source
William H. Vanderbilt, the Commo-
dore,s son, cast adrift upon the world
by his Indifferent father, began the
pursuit of horticulture and in q short
time ne accumulated q fortune to him
self. Taken later into his fathers
favor, he inherited his fathers enor-
NOUS wealth and this combined with
his W fortune. formed one OF the
greatest OF modern times. Many other
men before and since have gained great
wealth from this source.
As time speeds its ~ceaseless course
to infinity the farmer becomes more
prosperous. Agricultural advantages
are every day increasing. As we wit
ness the steady and sure rise OF this
foundational element upon the ebbing
tide of trafic, we are astounded to see
~. -a,v ,Dpnrfuu;tioS wifhin IT the