The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-18

and then demand enough for his cotton 10
remunerate him. / would not have him
dissatisfied with his calling. | would have
him dissatisfied with his condition and
realize that he was largely responsible
for that condition, in that he had failed
TO stand up and assert his rights. l would
have him understand that by being con
tent to sell his cotton for Just enough
to come out of debt, he was belittlins
his calling, belittling himself, and his
family to a level little better than slaves
l would have him understand that. by as
sorting his rights. by demanding fair pay
for his labor, he was dignifying his call
ing, and making it in practice, what N
theory ii has always been. the freest,
the most independent, the happiest life
on earth.
Answers to Argument.
IT know this argument will be met by
many, In their minds. at least. with the
reply that the farmer has his home, his
fuel, his water free: and that he can
raise his own living on the farm. If he
will That is a stock argument that de-
serves only passing notice. These critics
seem to forget that the farm, the home,
ETC., If belonging to the farmer. did NOT
fall to him ready made, but were the re-
suit of years of hard work and brave SELF
denial. and that the same struggle an |
self-denial by any other class of laborefs
would result in their having homes just
as good. | would repeat that but one
half the crop can be counted as remun-
Grafton for the producers labor, the other
half going to the landowner, or II the
farmer own his farm, the other half goes
to keep 1t in repair and to reimburse
him for its value just as If it were
money put out at interest.
/ would further answer these critics
that during the eight years under dis
ct1asfoD the COTTON farms did NOT DrO-
duce the farmers living. attested by
the millions upon millions sent out of the
cotton belt for meat and meal and other
articles used on the farm. and which
should have been produced on the cotton
farm / would remind these critics that.
during the eight years under discussions
the cotton farms did not produce the
mules necessary to cultivate those farms
nor even the feed for them, as attesteC
by the millions upon millions of money
sent out of the south for them.
Need Not Take Whole Time.
81 am willing to admit that to cult.
vate the land to produce the average farm
producedtion of seven or eight bales need
not occupy all of the farmers time: that
during the year he has much spare time
from the cotton crop. What is he to do
with that spare time? Increase his cot
ton crop. and run the risk of losing IT,
If the working season should prove un-
propitious: or, II he does get it worked
not able to pick it, or be forced to sell
II at ruinousy low prices on account OF
reproduction? Shall he put in this spare
time on food crops for himself and his
stock? That to my mind, is the sensible
plan, but even there. he must be cafe
fuI not to overerop. or disaster may
speedily overtake him. Except in rarely
favorable localities he can raise no other
money crops than cotton. and the sum of
his other cropping ventures must be to
supply food for his family and his stock.
Growing as II does. through so long a
season. cotton prevents the raising of
any other crop on the same land during
the same year, and 1t seriously inter-