Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1905-04-29

! SlSSlpUl DIVISION, SoNlnefn COTTON R5z
sociatiOn is in receipt of the follow.
ing letter from one of the largest mef'
camille houses in South Mississippi :
april 18th 1905.
"As the period disposing of the acre
age qeustion appears TO have passed,
or, rather we are passing through it
now. and II viii be n matter of statis-
tics before long, may we trust there
| has been a material reduction? We
deem The next important, yea, vital,
| question before us is the matter of
the cost of producing the cotton crop.
This subject Is Of such manifest inter
est 10 all Of MS that II should com
mand the strict attention and constant
| thought of every man who has the
best interests of his country at heart.
be he capitalist banker, professional
man, merchant farmer or Iaborer be
cause, as we all know. that cotton Is
the basic commodity of this, our coun-
try. and ever will be, When cotton
brings n fair or a good price prosper
| ity at once dawns upon us When the
| price. rs II Oftentimes does. declines
| 10 a starvation point. say below the
cost of production. darkness and dis
aster threatens our South, Just as II
did this past winter Therefore, we
say, keep this vital and important
question constantly and uppermost in
your mind, think Of II in every bust
ness transaction YOU make or promise
to make, Don't forget that the cost
Of producing your crop. together with
the price II will bring is one Of the
most important business propositions
in your career. II decides your com
morcial standing, financial rating,
your mode Of living. and last but not
least, your peace Of mind. Remem-
Der well, II is scarcely within our
province to fix the price, but we do
claim hat we can and must to a great
| extent. fix the cost Of production It
has been accomplished before, when
| necessity demanded We know that
present conditions exact from us now
the same resolutions, care and deter
mnatiOn Hold the stiffest rein you
ever held on everything and every
body within your hight power or iuris-
| diction You can do it if you try
! Curtlilment of unnecessary expenses
on every hand, consistent WIN reason
and Judgment, stoppage of wasteful
methods. which are iniquitous aud
dangerous. See to it yourself or by
competent oVerseer, that your lapor-
er or hirelng puts in full day IS
work for his pay Buy only what is
absolutely necessary to make crop
Buy luXurles only when the proht mas
been tully realized. Practice strlct
economy on every hand and then, and
only then, are we prepared to meet
the curse of low priced cotton. some
say It is a blessing IN disguise, but
we fix it as a curse because IT is an
indisputabe TACT ihat scent cotton
| plnChes nightly when 1t comes, And
We have had this just once again too
often. Make your resolution rlght
now to produce cotton cheap Don't
loosen your thoughts Adhere to 1t in
all seriousness. The old saying that
''in times of peace prepare for war
is well applicable to our situation and
might well he paraphrased to read, lin
times of prosperity prepare for adver-
sity." If The latter comes, you are in
a measure prepared TO meet it, If it
dccs not, you have simply acted wise
| ly and are in luck.
81 Of nothing cause YOU TO depart
from vour resolution of economy. from
your logged determination to quit
ANYTHING that tenGs towards waste