The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-03-03
THE SOUTH IS
PROGRESSING
PRES. ROOSEVELT ANNOUNCES
IT'S COMPLETION.
ONE NOTE OF WARNING
President Intends That the Members
OF tho Commission Shall Be Well
Paid for Their Services. Panama
Treaty Signed.

Baltimore The value Of the past
seasons cotton crop, about $3.50, 000,-
600 as compared with the value, $780,
100000, Of the crop of the season of
l89S-99, added to the large grain crop
in the south, has placed that section
IN better financial shape than ever be-
fore. 1t now has agricultural pros
perity in connection with fourishing
industrial interests. This is reflect
ed In mass of letters from Southern
bankers published in the Manufacture
ers Record in reply to inquiries made
of them for their views. The responses
were prompt and gratifying. Their
general tenor is of a decidedly posi-
tive character. There is agreement Of
opinion that finances in the South are
upon most healthy and substantial
basis. Increased banking capital is
recorded, larger deposits than ever be-
fore are shown in national, state and
savings banks and, at the same time,
much local money is going into new
industrial enterprises or into the en-
largement Of existing ones. Many mu-
inequalities have been infused with the
spirit Of progressiveness able to find
expression in the general financial
prosperity and on many sides are def
mite plans for the betterment of city
properties and the improvement Of
streets, schools and roadways
Prosperity in the South is no long
er matter of prophecy, writes one
banker. 1t is an existing condition
which one may see and feel on every
side, and it is attributed immediate
ly to the high price for cotton receiv-
ed by the producers and to the i'm
mense gains made by the actual hold
ers Of spot cotton. Back Of it all,
though, is the wisdom gained by the
farmers in the situation five or six
years ago when much cotton was rails
ed at loss. Then the farmers were
compelled to practice economy of the
strictest sort In all their methods and
to turn their attention to diversified
crops. Compulsion in many instances
had become choice and, consequently,
the opening Of the season found many
farmers ready to take the best ad-
vantage Of the high prices of cotton.
Now they are paying cash for their
supplies instead Of subjecting them
selves to lien merchants, they have
relieved themselves from their indebt-
edness or have reduced it to mark
ed degree, they are swelling the bank
deposits and in some communities the
dependence upon crop liens and mort
cages to make the coming crop will be
confined almost entirely to the negroes
and to the less thrifty class Of small
white farmers.
A note of caution, however, is sound
ed here and there in reference to the
tendency to spend the surplus earn
ings Of the year in greater quantities
OF fertilizers and a larger number of
mules, indicating the planting Of a
more extensive acreage, in spite Of the
hard lessons Of adversely. But the
general situation seems to be we'll
summed up in letter from a banker
Of the middle South, who writes:
Municipal improvement in the way
of electric lights, waterworks and
schools are increasing in all directions
and planters and others who were
willing few years ago to live in
houses without any comforts, now re-
quire all modern conveniences, such
as water, gas, electric lights, musical
instruments and in fact everything
that money and culture will demand.
This applies to people in all walks
Of life, of course; however, it is in
proportion to their means that these
comforts are INDUCED in. Comparing
ing the price Of cotton in 1S98-$2O
to $25 per bale-with the average
price received by the planter this year
not less than 500 per bale on an
average cotton seed bringing 81 to
Sc per ton more than it did year
ago. I think you can set it down that
the South will realize for her cotton
crop and by-products, not counting
the large number Of bales manufac-
tured into cloth and yarns, at least
$700,000,000. It is not only cotton
that we realize upon now, but every
manufacturing interest that can be
thought Of is at present in the South
and the number is being increased al
most daily, giving employment to all
kinds Of labor. Many Of these indus
tries are carried on by families. The
South has been very free from strikes
and this fact commends it to those
seeking new homes. Our schools are
A Seamens' Row.