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


improved labor saving tools. AS soon as
1t begins fruiting care must be taken
against covering up the lower limbs with
the dirt thrown from the improved plows
and the hoe hand must exercise care
that he does not destroy fruit by knocking
1t off. Occupying, as 1t does, all the grow
ing season, no other crop can be grown
with taking time from 1t, consequently
the man who raises It must be prepared
to spend the whole year ct It. And, where
as IL may not require all of this time, it,
like a fellows wife, is not going to let
him feel at liberty to take up any time
with anything else, unless he wants to
court trouble. Consequently, cotton Is a
hard taskmaster, unwilling TO be sighted,
unwilling TO accept divided attentions.
What does It cost to raise cotton? 1t
costs Just what that labor and energy
and money devoted to some other pur-
suit would bring in. When the laborer
working on the cotton farm for 10 cents
n day can go to the railroad or the
| town and get $3.50 to $3.50 per day
! either he is paid too much at one job
F, or too little at the other.
Cost VIII Vary.
What does it cost to raise cotton?
| Some can raise 1t very much cheaper
than others. A man who lived in n
sparsely settled county where range and
mast are splendid and ample could kill
his supply of meat and lard out OF the
woods, could raise a few sheep, and a
few cattle for absolutely nothlng-then his
time would not be taken up with raising
food for and attending to such stock,
consequently he could make more cotton
than the man who had no such primitive
environments.
"The man of many acres whose ten
ants keep his place in repair, get their
supplies from him, and pay their debts
raises cotton at a minimum cost where
as II he had to pay them 81 per day, Keep
up all repairs etc, he would 1nd ~
cents an Improbable price-investment
considered. The man who owns his land
teams etc, makes money out of cotton,
and boasts of his achievement, 10 like
the man who claimed his pork cost him
only IA cents per pound and sought 10
prove 1t by counting the feed consumed
by his hogs at Its actual cost to him,
instead OF at the market value-at which
value he would have found his pork TO
cost him two or three times as much.
Most men who are making money out
of cotton, even at the prevailing prices
for the past several years, fall to realize
that II is not out of the cotton they are
riaking 1t. but out of the use of the
mules. tools. and land Whereas. the land
owner may have cleared some money,
tho tenant has worked at pauper wages
and If he has kept out Of debt, 1t is
because he has stinted and denied him
self and family all but the bare neces-
stiles of life
Where Are the Fortunes?
"If cotton can be prontably produced
at 10 cents per pound, where are the for
tunes that have been made at II In the
past few years Look over your sections
in your minds eye and note them. How
many can you call to mind? How rare is
IL that cotton producer is out Of debt
with a little surplus ahead-how quickly
he is marked in the community as man
of more than ordinary ability. IT cotton
can be prohtably produced at 10 cents
why is II that a disaster to the crop
one year will put the whole cotton belt
into a financial crisis?
Shall He Be Content?
"Is it enough that the cotton producer
should be able to feed and clothe his
family In return for their daily labor
in the fields? Must he be content that
his loved ones labor and toll beneath the
! burning suns rays, or in the chill OF
| autumn days, while their cousins In the
| towns and cities have the advantages of
/ schools and the conveniences Of modern
times? Shall he be content to see his
| family debarred from all social inter-
| course all amusement his children kept
| from school and growing up In ignor-
| ance and worst OF all. In adherence OF
| the farm and farm life? is ne 10 pc
! content like the beast OF the field. with
| the mere necessities OF life, food and shell
! t&? Mo- thousand times, MOI To my
mind the grsndest aim of this associa-
| ton Is TO breed In him loyal discon-
| tent: discomfort that shall rouse him
| TO a sense OF his rights. His rights as
! n free American citizen to demand and
| insist on a fair remuneration for his Ia
| Dor. Let him learn that his labor, repre-
J scented by so many pounds OF cotton. Is
! v.o~th en- much and teach him to strike
and stay struck till he gets II. To my
mind the greatest forward movement OF
| recent times: the greatest index to the
! intelligence and manhood of the working
man In his knowledge Of his rights, and
his decision to strike for them Just as
the labor unions throughout the country
have perfected their organizations. until
they have been able to say TO an employ
er. "You shall not employ or b or G.
| because he does not belong TO our union,
| so do ! long for the day to come when
| this association, through It's parish or
| county unions. shall be able to say TO
| the merchant, You shall extend credit
| 10 none who are not members of our as
| sociation"; to the cotton buyers. You
| shall huy no cotton NJ non-unon far
! uer'': TO the oil mill. BUY no seed from
/ those who are not OF our organization"
| I'VE will treat you fairly. we will put no
arbitrary price on our products: all we