The Grenada sentinel., 1908-02-29
Juara Norre,l Of R.nlr;n county Ia.

petitive crop growing contests being in
auguratcd by offering small amount
of money for prizes. The bill was re-
ferred and it is to be hoped that will
not be the last OF it. 1t ought to pass
and become law. President McRae
of the Rankin county board suggested
the plan and found an enthusiastic sup.
porter in the person of Judge NorreH.
While it may be that the legislative
bodies will look upon the proposed
measure favorably, 1t is safe to assume
that many will oppose it's passage.
This work has been tried in few
counties for one year with splendid re-
suits and the originnl number will be
more than trebled for the coming year.
If each board in the seventy-eight coun-
ties of Mississippi contributed the sum
of fifty dollars the aggregate would be
$1,000. IL by this means the average
production of corn was increased only
one-third of bushel per acre, the BEN
eft to Mississippi in actual dollars
would be more than one million. Pretty
good investment this. 1t is highly
probable that the result would be still
greater, but this figure will do for the
present. Is it not worth trying for?
| 1t would be well for the legislators to
consider the fact that Mississippi has
done BY far too little work of this char
acter IN the past and that the time to
begin to do better is right now. This
is one of the means to be employed in
keeping our young men at home and in
suring their services for the develop
ment of our resources. More than one
hundred thousand Mississippians have
gone to Texas and made their homes
when we needed them right here and
offered just as much or more for the
! expenditure of energy and the exercise
OF brains. Let's put a stop to this and
the bill offered by Judge Norrell is
step in that direction should it become
a law.
The house has passed the Afford bill
providing for county departments OF
agriculture and the senate committee
has favorably reported it. A bill by
the same author is being considered to
establish an agricultural high school in
each of the eight congressional dis
tricts. Bills for the protection OF cot
ton from the time it leaves the gin un-
til it is loaded on the ship for export
have been introduced and it looks as if
the present law-making body would do
something of substantial nature for
the agricultural masses of Mississippi.
1t is too frequently said that the pro-
fessional men are compelled to pass the
laws favorable to the farmer, but this
rule does not hold good with the pres
ent body. The farmers themselves are
taking an interest and looking after
their affairs. They fully appreciate
the necessity for such reforms and
large number in both houses are giving
the measures looking toward them all
assistance possible.
A friend in conversation with the
writer a few days since said that he had
a measure in mind to encourage fairs
and competitive exhibitions of agricul-
ture, horticulture and live stock, but
that he would not attempt to get it
through on account OF the rough road
he knew that it would encounter from
the very persons most to be benefited.
The present body is composed OF men
who apparently realize the fact that
,of hnr fIrf
greatness to come from the develop
ment of her agricultural resources and
have shown more liberal spirit toward
measures looking to that end. They
appreciate the fact that our State is be-
ing continually drained of good citi-
zens by States that are more liberal
in encouraging them in their chosen
vocations and are continually offering
inducements for good settlers to come
and live with them.
If Mississippi had been as wide-awake
as Texas, had established and main
tanned fairs a the principal centers,
lent the proper encouragement to agri-
cultural pursuits, stimulated the live
stock industry, helped to place the
poultry industry where it belongs and
other matters Of equal Importance,
Texas would not have taken from us
more than one hundred thousand of our
citizens, the best they have today. Again
let il be urged that we arrange to keep
our people in Mississippi. Our condi-
tions cannot be eXcelled and no State
can truthfully offer more for the man
who seeks home and the attendant
pleasant environments.
The campaign for hog and hominy
goes merrily along, gathering strength
day by day. The officials OF the farm.
ers' organizations are preaching the
doctrine from one end of the State to
the other and many privates in the rear
ranks are pushing the movement along.
1t is undoubtedly the proper fortifica-
tion for holding campaign, and when