The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-11-13
COTTON and CORN.
Two Of the Greatest Crops Rails
ed in the World.

\ Royal Rivalry Between Them AS
to Which Is King in the CONNER
ciaI Marts OF the World.
During the last month the recog-
nized rulers Of the agricultural world
set up their courts in a friendly con-
test for supremacy, says the Amerl-
can Farmer. King Cotton sat in high
estate in Atlanta; King Corn pitched
his tents in Chicago. Each sought
the center of their respective do
mains, one in the fleecy belt that
stretches from the Carolina to west
ern Texas, the other near the heart
of that vast region celebrated as the
home of the prince Of cereals. The
respective eXpositions were attend
ed by the best and greatest Of those
devoted 70 their respective culture.
Those who raise cotton, those who
manufacture it and those who deal
with it in the marts Of trade appear
ed in the Georgia capital to sing it's
praises, to point out its economic val
ue to the nation ond lay plans for
further extension Of its usefulness
throughout the civilized world.
King Corn had even more impos-
ing display. Never before was he
honored by so many. Never before
did he receive such distinguished
consideration; never before were his
manifold merits so abundantly dis
played or so universally recognized.
Able orators set forth the magnitude
and value of the crop. Experts were
present to demonstrate its value as
food and by practical tests to show
the scores Of ways in which it could
be cooked to satisfy the appetite OF
man. The old paganfest in honor OF
Ceres was revived and professions OF
maidens sang songs of triumph as
they marched around the throne Of
"the great white Gar" of our ma
tional agriculture. Prizes amount
! ing to many thousands Of dollars were
awarded competitors for excellence
in the production Of this imperial
grain,
It is curious to reflect on the in
dispensability to man Of these Ia
nous products. 1t is difficult to as
sign supremacy between the fiber
and the food. One clothes the world;
the other feeds it. Were there no
other articles out Of which to make
raiment or nourishment, the human
race could get along quite we'll on
cotton and corn alone. AS it is, Tar
the largest proportion of human be-
ing depend on the Aeecy staple OF the
South for their covering. An equal
number rely upon corn as a direct or
indirect means Of LIVELIHOOD Not
only isit the staple bread Of millions,
but as feed for stock it also becomes
their meat.
Strike corn out of the world and a
gulf of awful proportions will ap,
pear. The wheels of commerce would
stop, gaunt poverty would lit his
horrid head and national excheQ uers
would suffer bankruptcy. Take cot
ton away and there will be weeping
and wailing and enashing of teeth
among countless millions. The South
would be utterly ruined and in its
calamity would carry down practi-
cally every other nation of the world.
For this lordly crop adds every year
to the wealth Of the gulf States more
thaa s2,0OO,000,000 Withhold the
supply of raw cotton and thousands
of mills in the South, in the East, in
England, France. Germany and Asia
would be paralyzed. To dethrone
King Cotton, therefore, would near
a revolution more disastrous thar
ever arose from the unseatlng OF 9
merely human king.
None can estimate what corn Is
worth to the United States. Even IL
the raw it would bring every year 9
billion dollars, but this represents
a part Of it's value. It appears daily
on every table between the oceans.
1t is fed in every trough where there
is a horse, a hog. a COW, a pig OF
other domestic animal. It is substan.
tally universal human food as well
as universal animal food. 1t was
shown in Chicago that it could be
prepared in two hundred different
ways for the table. rs nourishe1
tits umeQualed; as a fattener it is un,
surpassed. Railroads get rich haul
ing it and the stock which it is the
principal agent in preparing for the
market.
Corn and cotton combined consti-
tute an overwhelming proportion Of
our agricultural exports, But for
them Uncle Sans poocketbook would
be much Simmer and our "unex'
ampled prosperity" would go glim-
mering. And the United States,
happy country, practically monopol-
ICES one of these crops and furnish
es two thirds of the worlds supply
of the other. They nave made the
United States rich, and are destined
to make it richer beyond the dreams
of avarice. To monopolize one staple
crop of universal necessity is enough
to make a country prosperous. 10
monopolize two such crops will give
pre-eminence, a hegemony among
nations that cannot be conferred by
armies or navies.
No wonder, therefore, that they
received at their recent national ex-
positions royal honors, almost resem-
bling reverential worship. Friendly
no+on+atos in rivalry not Of a hos.