The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-04-29

-SoCjatiOn, is in receipt of the follow
&ng letter from one of the largest mer-
camille houses in South Mississippi:
April 18th, 1905.
A the period dispOsing of the acre
a&c QeustiOn appears to have passed,
or, rather, We are passing through it
now, and il will be a matter of Stats
sic 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
zhc cost of producing the cotton crop.
this subject is Of such manifest inter
est to all Of us that it should com
7nand the strict attention and constant
Thought Of every man who has the
best interests of his country at heart,
81" he capitalist, banker. professional
man. merchant. farmer or IabOrCT, be
cause. as We all know. that cotton is
81. basic commodity of this, our Dun
Try. ana ever viii be. When cotton
BRINGS 4 fair or a good price. prosper
[rr at 0nCo GaWns upon us. When the
E>-.cC. as it OItcntimes does, declines
30 n starvation point, say, below the
cost of production, darkness and dis
a&rrr threatens our South. just as it
did this past winter. Therefore, We
say, keep this vital and important
E{ttf~iINfii 'bl-0l tt!liE anu upper must III
NDur mind; tlink of it III every bust
ness transaction you make or promise
40 make. Don't forget that the cost
Of producing your crop, together with
thp price il will bring, is one Of the
most important business propositions
II your career. 1t decides yOur COM
morcial standing, financial rating,
sou mode Of living. and last, but not
5NaSt. our peace of mind. Remem-
Der we'll. It is scarcely within our
province to fix the price. but We do
claim that we can and must, to a great
extent. fix the cost of production. 1t
mas been accomplished before, when
necessity demanded. We know that
present conditions exact from us now
She same resolutions, care and deter
animation. Hold the ~stiffest rein you
ever held on everything and every
body within your right, power or juris-
fictiOn. You can do it if you try.
Curtailmont Of unnecessary expenses
on every hand, consistent with reason
and Judgment. stOppage of Wasteful
methods. which are iniQuitOuS and
dangerous. See TO it yourself, or by
Il competent OVersCer. that our labor
- or hirCling puts in a full days
work for his pay. Buy only what is
absolutely necessary to make a crop.
BUY Iuyurjcs only when the profit has
boon fully realized. Practice strict
economy on every hand and then. and
only then, are we prepared to meet
tie curse of low priced cotton Some
say il Is 4 blessing in disguise. bat
We fix it as a curse, because it is an
S"ndisputah'e fact that scent cotton
DinChCs miGhtiIy when it comes. And
We have had this just ono again too
rfs,,, NT.I-n y-,I+,. T4SnIrf;nn ~ CI 7
uow to produce cotton cheap. Don't
loosen your thoughts. Adhere TO it in
all seriousness. The old saying that
IN times OF peace prepare for war
II WGIl applicable to our situation, and
might We'll be ~paraphrascd to read, in
times OF prosperity prepare for adVer
Sity.' If III" latter comes, YOU are il
y measure prepared to meet it; if il
does not. YOU have simply acted wise
~ and arc IN luck.
Let nothing cause you to depart
from YOUR resolution of economy, from
your dogged determination to Qui
ANYTHING that tends towards waste
EUlncss and extravaganza. Don't lie
any temporary rise in the price dur
ing the SIMMER or early fall change
Nour ideas. Don't let a brilliant pros
pevt for a yield change you one iota
GltilltIllbtl, II oil al ihOllSC bSill Ii
a, week. yea. almost in a day.
The year 1904, indeed. was fraugh
with severe changes, cotton rangin:
IN value during that short period from
16 cents to s cents per pound, and tn
people totally unfit and unused t
meet suCh a serious n dangerOu
condition Of affairs, it was eXtremel
severe IN its teaching and far-reachin
IN effect, thereby all the more a les
son never to be forgotten, We hope
Success is a pain, simple word, Blu
10 achieve it in the true sense mean
Il strict adherence to the many advice
we have sought to offer and a hundre
more besides. Eternal vigilance
hard labor, close economy, frugal, III
right living. a firm and determine
stand for the right, ever guardin
your own rights. n ever mindful c
the privileges and rights of other:
will III the end place you in the lin
OF strict business rules. and in ninet,
nine cases Il of one hundred lead t
successful and happy results.
In addressing you thus, don't thin
for a om that we misjudge tn
situation or over-picture it. We we
know he hardships through whic
our country has just passed, and tn
great majority We're misled by tempo
Eary high prices; It'll all the more In
-sOrtant to be watChful and not b
2ooled or misled again We have bee
with you in days OF brilliant prospe
@tv, when our section was all aglo
with achievements and e~raoiument
sf high priced cotton. and can Their
fore fully and deeply appreciate tn
conditions under present existing tr.
ing circumstances, and for that reaso
we deem Il q duty and a priv
Iege to address you on a subject s
sital to our mutual interests. "
we're with you tbs we are with yG
-aow. in all that lends to the bette
,-nent. to the uplifting, to the endeayt
70 bring about n maintain prospe
tty. contentment and living values II
our products and our lands.