New-York tribune., 1905-12-24
PROSPERITY IN SOUTH.
Comment on Nezo Feeling Regard
ing Planters Po1cer.

Baltimore, Dec. e (speciap.-In publishing this
week six pages Of letters from bankers and others
throughout the South indicating wonderful adj
vance in the value Of farm lands THE Manufa It
urers' Record" says:
While 1t is true that the Industrial DEVELOPMENT
ity it is nevertheless true that by virtue Of the
extent OF the agricultural interests Of the south nth
of that section. A change from poverty to pros,
without a selling value to land in demand at an
advance Of 50 to $50 per cent over the nominal price
OF one or two years ago, is the most far reaching
development in Southern advancement Of the last
It is far reaching in many ways. 1t means that
within the last year or two Southern ia Isr 5 EGoP p
TaGs Tg9s orobabT at east a9t Ta
than that. it means that under this improved fnan-
courage, new backbone: that he has learned how
to market his cotton crop; that he has fought 10
STAPLE HAVING won this fght. the entire handling
cotton from the field to the factory whether the
factory be in this country or IN Europe: has en-
1t also means that land will be moro thoroughly
cultivated. for the successful man whether he be
farmer, merchant or a manufacturer, is always
better able to work to good advantage than the
ast e six years The total Value Of the cotton crop
including seed, has been $36O0,O0o0o0. against
g gam odr IN the tba 1sI 81 4 GOO @ # is not boWever due
TO this great increase in cotton alone that the
Southern farmer is in better shape More and
has the dversifcation of agriculture gone on
more and more have fruit growing and truck rails
ing. hog and hominy.'' with the meathouse at
Hrta thro9ghout o6t't the sI South h. '''o co., H -
stgdy S & Of the letters d%eyeops de t m ~
an advance in the selling value OF farm lands
years very few report less than g per cent in
crease. and the average reports would indicate an
years and the larger part of it in the last twelve
months. One correspondent IN South Carolina says
In many instances lands are selling for three and
four times as much as they would have brought
the same State writes that iH his county there are
seven banks. with deposits aggregating 100000
most of it belonging to farmers. whereas ten years
$4,000 Another in the same State reports sales of
farms in his section at heavy advance, and gives
as & one = Ease 0 whsre @ 6 farm Increased in
$3.50 two years ago to $4,000 few months ago.
indicative of the general conditions.
8 80 to s. an acre is now reported as bringing a5
to $50 an acre and in one part OF the State there
has eee9 e 10 i 10 IS m aT esn an increase In the ast two
Throuehout the Central South II is very generally
stated this increase is due mainly the increasing
prosperity OF the farmers and very largely brought
to considerable extent on the basis Of the price
of cotton In some parts the increase is also In
q comparatively small factor, except in Arkansas.
Texas and other of the more southerly and south
nessee. where the growers have made with equal
success the same character Of fight for better prices
that the cotton growers have made, there is re-
ported realization on the part 9f the farmers I
against all possible combinations to beat down the
prices of their product and that with this has come
there has been very considerable advance. due
in part to improved cultivation increased dIversn-
the purchase of many farm properties by people
The reazation by the people of the entire South
bankers merchants and farmers, of the power Of
&c fbe two great staples cotton and tobacco has
brought about community Of interest which is
In dene6 BUSINESS sG exef interests Of the South and Of that
portion Of the business world which is IN any way
prosperity or the South.