The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1905-12-21
DIVERSTrIcATIoE VS.. OVER
PRODUCTION.

The Southern Cotton Association
Will not ~. iile farmers ut tIse South
To reduce tie cnt.nn .creage fur Iaub
Less Than thai planted - l9nl. The
AssoeIai son dus.~ ask anal snri>f with
all the fnTr@ .at IL ruinmaEd that the
average planted III cotton throughout
the belt In t9C., be- not Increased dur
ing the planting seas"n of 1901. Let
the wateiIword of every Southern lar
mer De Diysr~ihcaiion. and through
that agency produce All abundance oi
food supplies 10 maintain each farm
Permanent Independence. thrift and
prosperity can only be enjoyed by
Southern cotton growers through the
adoption and maintenance ii Sys-
ten which will make each farm self
sustaining 1t iS the oaly nfed,ufn
through which the present luiquitiouS
credit system which has >o long held
our people III bondage. can be effcc-
lively broken up and reIo4ated to the
past 1t is the only medium through
which the great masses Of cotton pro-
ducers can ever hope To control the
of the country and force cunsuEcr,
and buyers to pay them iaIr and just
prices for the staple. Any system
which forces the producer Ia market
his crops rapidly il order 10 meet ma
turing obligations 10 pay for supplies
that could be more cheaply raised At
home will ever tend 10 make Il slave
Of The grower. minimizing the rlgnts
D; manhood which every Southern cot
ton raiser should en1oN 10 the fullest
extent. az
Over Production a Serious Menace.
IN spring. 1908. crisis serious and
9Otentia! faced the cotton growers ot
ton OF cotton In 1904. The Southern
Cotton Association IT that time wa@ed
IN active and effective campaign
FOR Il reduction III the cotton area of
be planted in l901. The advice Of
the Association was loyalty supported
~ c0ttan growers throughout the en-
tire cotton belt and a reduction Of
fully five million acres was stricken
from tie cotton area for 1893 and
planted in other crops. Tie result of
his display OF good Judgment on the
part OF the farmers Is today seen III
bringing the production Of cotton with
in the legitimate demands for con-
sumption, good prices for the staple
md well-flled corn cribs ana smoke
houses from North Carolina to the Rio
C'rande River. The agricultural. com
mercial. industrial and financial inter
sts of the South are today enjoying
II era Of prosperity far III excess OF
any period experienced within the
past half century. To maintain our
present position, and forge ahead III
he achievement Of greater success. II
IS imperative that no serious mistake
)e made by the planters who are now
making tl.eir arrangements for the
spring planting of 1906. Let every
man pause and calmly consider his
future even while enjoying the flush
of victory which has been the most
marvelous ever won in modern times.
Present Acreage Sufficient.
Tie present estimated twenty-seyen
million acres planted III cotton is sutli-
cient under normal climatic conditions
to raise enough cotton 10 meet the de-
mands Of spinners for the American
staple. ANY material increase III The
cotton acreage for 1866 will tend to
stagnate the cotton market and de
press prices below their legitimate
value. The legitimate laws Of supply
and demand is the oulv true medium
cf regulating fair and legitimate
prices for our great staple product
The Southern Cotton Association thrO
all its sources Of strength and cooper
ative mediums of disseminating infor-
nation to lis loyal and patriotic sup
porters with an eye single to the fu-
ture prosperity Of all cotton growers
and business interests of the South.
earnestly makes this appeal for broad
enin% the splendid advantages that
are to be gained by diversified agri-
culture on Southern farms Plant an
abundance Of smal. grain. corn and
side crops. Raise more hay. cattle