The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-25
Letters To the Gditer
PROBLEMS FOR THE
 GROWER OF COTTON
J. R. McLenaon writes of the Causes That Weaken the Resolve To Hold
 The Semthsa Cotton Crop.

Editor The Advertiser;
 These organizations, ike all other man-fi1ade fnstitutions. have elements of the weakness within their own 0S The fuil meade of praise and honor should be cheerfuliy accorded them for the great good they have saone the whole cotton zone. and especially the growers Of cotton. A wise general, when expecting an attack. Is sure tc fortify first, the places where he can most easily be attacked, and If time IS allowed, the places of minor importance will be made bomb-proof afterwards.
 It is clear as the noon day sun. these organizations have strengthened thelr minor places and have left tnelr weak : est places unfortifled and so open that thsir enemies march in and win the These organizations, In their haste and zeal to do the greatest good, have drawn together fnass or good men. but without dfscipline--men who mean good, but when the day of battle draws nigh, cannot be. controlled, and there- Gore. an easy victory is always obtain" ed though the odds may be fifty tc one. Time and again thousands have soiemnly promised to hold their cotton for better prices. but no sooner than slight victory Is gained by the. cot ton buyer. but Thousands lay down their guns and make an ignoble sur. render Of all they hold dear and val. 0ADlos some Uo SD ITOTn Tear OI lO6h financially. others because they are not able to hold it.
 Cotton gro wers in their haste to force the price of cotton up to a living price, have seemed to almost overlook the agricultural education, that must be diffused throughout the masses. who grow cotton before growers will be able to set the price of their greatest money maker
 IA campaign of education will have to ksA tRa taH "A fha people who grow, cotton, to show them the utter faiiacy of raising cotton to pay all indebtedness. Thousands of good men would change their mode of farming. If they had the facts properly
 Never will the cotton belt be. what these organizations so much desire, uI1- til every farm becomes an independent kingdom--able to live of its own re. sources. So long as dollar of indebt- edness exists, just that long will our beloved Southland be under tribute to an enemy. 4
 There Is no possible way to prevent our life's blood from flowing Into for eign channels. but to close up the arties and cause it to vitalize the land from whence 1t gets 50 much life.
 A large part of the cotton growers are in the main. men. who possess see at glance. the real and permanent good to them by changing their meth- ods from all cotton to one which would supply every need of the farm. They would soon see, that the way to get out of debt Is to quit making debts Ma king supplies on the farm reduces the price to the lowest possible minimum lcosf
 Never, no. never, will the grower of cotton be prosperous men so long as he raises nothing but cotton.
 It is plain to all. who understand the situation, before any enterprise can be made to return profits expenses must De reduced below cost. All cotton never has nor never win pay a living profit after paying legitimate expenses.
 Taking these statements as facts Is it not time to change the program, which drains the South of Almost every dollar
 made within her borders bS Lonest lo- Dor to method which will make every landowner his own banker--with no mortgages to tie hts nose to the grind : stone. and with no debts the products of his labor will not pay.
 Why not begin the work of reform at once. Let's go into the work with the opening of the new year and never re- cede one fota until the South Is as solid as Gibraltar.
 J. R. McLendon.