The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-05-27
FARMERS AND RESTRICTIVE
LAWS.

There is an erroneous impression
abroad to the effect that it is only
| the real estate boosters" and COM
mercial interests that would be bene-
! flied by the adoption of the doctrine
of Fewer Laws, Better Laws" this
charge having been made more than
once. But the truth is that. of all
| classes the farmers are most vitality
affected by the general conditions
prevailing. Hard times hit the farm
er first and worst With the first
| tumble in securities last year the
price of cotton slumped, and it has
not yet reached the price that condi~
tons justify. More than this: If the
financial outlook does not improve
the prices of farm products will con-
tinue to decline.
A Charlotte newspaper recently
stated the relations between pros
perity on the farm and in the factory
in the following clear and succinct
manner:
The price of cotton has increased
with the growth of cotton mills and
spindles. Every family drawn from
the cotton farm into the cotton mills
has decreased the competition in cot
ton products and thereby helped to
increase the price of cotton. Every
family so drawn from the farm to the
factory has increased the markets
for perishable farm products, and
those who produce and furnish these
make another element who cease to
compete or diminish their competi-
ton in cotton production. The in
crease of cotton consumption which
the new mills make all go to make
cotton higher in price
ANY idea that the interest of the
farm and factory are in the slightest
way at variance is a gross error. The
prosperity of the mills add to the
prosperity of the farmer When the
mill business is in a depressed con-
bitiOh CbC PliNS VI SolioH Is UOuHu
to sag. Neither the mill or farm may
separately prosper The prosperous
farmer buys more cotton goods, and
this adds to the prosperity of the fac
tory. The farm and factory prosper
together, or not at ALL"
Any law that tends to drive cheap
money from the state deprives the
farmer of a part of his just profits.
Factories cannot be operated with
out cheap money. Cheap money will
not stay in any state that places
onerous taxes and restrictions upon
it. Texas is in a formative condition
Its people are borrowers and not
lenders, as a class There are a few
men in Texas who can loan money,
| but it requires all they have to keep
! the wheels of commerce going, and
! there is none to loan to the factory
means to develop his idle land, nor
for the extension of our railroad
lines We must have outside capital
or we must creep when the natural
| conditions justify us in running.
| Ten thousand miles of new railway
lines should be built during the next
six years, and it would be done if
some of the restrictive laws that
| now cucumber our statute books
were repealed. or even modified.
| This is a time when broad states
| manship should take the helm. Our
rich natural resources lie dormant
for lack of capital to develop them.
! Every new industry means better
price for the products of the farm.
| Every factory employe, every rail-
| road section or train man will in
| crease the demand for and add to the
| marketable value of the farm pro-
ducts.
| Truly ii can be said that the farm
| er is he who will derive the first
and most constant benefit from all
/ new industries and enterprises that
employ labor, and therefore he,
above all others, should demand a
liberal attitude of the legislature to-
| ward every interest that promises to
| push forward the development of
| the grandest state in the nation.