The Tupelo journal., 1904-08-19
Crops, Commerce and Industry.

Mr.. Lee j. Langley, of the Manu-
facturers' Record, and one of the
best-known newspaper men OF the
South, who has just made a trip
through the State, gives an interest
ing and glowing account of crop and
commercial conditions throughout
Mississippi. Mr.. Langley says:
Crop prospects in Mississippi could
hardly be better. The State will
raise the largest corn crop this year
in it's history. A great deal has been
said and written about increased cot
ton acreage, but the percentage OF
corn acreage in the State of Missis-
sippi this year will be decidedly
greater thar that of cotton. DR.. Tur'
ner. of Leland, n of the largest
planters, bankers and merchants in
the delta, in discussing the subject
with me the other day, said that, as a
rule. cotton land owners did not want
their negro tenants to raise anything
had encouraged them to plant corn
in order to keep down the cotton
acreage, and that as a result, there
would probably be 100 per cent more
corn grown by colOred farmers in
Mississippi this year than usual. He
said it made no difference, however,
how much corn a negro raised that
he would manage to squander Z
some way before the mex planting
time, and would have to be furnished
orr to make his next crop on, and,
knowing this, the plantation owner
WAS planting his usual acreage just
the same. This has been an ideal corn
growing season, and Mississippi has
never had such promising corn crops.
The cotton crop is also looking
well. although there has been too
much rain and too much grass, but
the cotton fields were in usually good
condition when the rain commenced,
and there is plenty of time yet for
it to be cleaned out and fruit in the
principal rain centers. The crop as
IT is is certainly fine. | see that
the government report shows a 98.6
crop, which means nearly perfect. and,
il it was rot for a little too much
rain and grass, it would be perfect.
"A great deal is being said and
written about the increased cotton
acreage, every vacant spot, the fence
corners, etc. being planted in cotton;
that Is untrue and absurd. The gov
crnment report shows the increased
acreage in the whole South to be q
little more than II IL per cent, and
my own opinion is that the estimate
haps the largest cotton grow
ing county in the South has, if
anything, a decreased acreage. There
is an increase in some places, of
colrse, but nothing like what is re-
ported and generally believed.
From a commercial and industrial
standpoint, l have eve known the
State to be as prosperous before in
y presidential election year. Every
where l go I find bank deposits in,
creasing. trade volumes swelling, new
hrsinss and residence buildings going
Up. streets being paved. sewers. water
works and other public and private
improvements in course of construc-
ton.
'The only break in trade circles in
the State is the recent slump in lum-
her. A great many millmen put a
large part of their capital in stump
age, based on recent high prices, and
today they cannot saw it and sell it
al current prices and make cost out
OF it. This is not going to last long,
however, as lumber is boUcd to re-
cuperate with all the building going
up, and to be put up in this country,
and an increased demand from
abroad. The chief difficulty that the
State has to contend with at this
time is the scarcity of labor. 1t takes
two-thirds more labor to gather a cot
ton crop than it does to plant and
cultivate. and practically all the avail
able cotton field labor in the State is
now engaged in cultivating the pres
ent crop, and it will, therefore, be
necessary to find a great deal of add
tional help to pick it. Where this ad-
ditional help is coming from is a
problem. but it must be had.
Notwithstanding the fine crop
prospects at this time, I am a firm
believer in 10 and 12-cent cotton the
coming season, and that the State has
ever known such prosperity as it
will enjoy next year"