The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-05-28
GOOD SHORT talk
To the Farmers by ]. E. Mont
gomery of Tennessee, on
Subjects of Much
INTEREST TO UNION MEMBERS

The following is a part OF a
speech by J. E. Montgomery OF
Gleason, Tenn, written especial
ly for the Atlanta Constitution:
Diversifcation of Crops.
One auxiliary to the success OF
the farmer, especially the southern
farmer, is crop Investigation. y
BY thus doing he has something
for the markets every month of the
year. When cotton is low he is
free to hold off of the market till
the price is paid which is set by
the producer, and, furthermore, he
can ledge i'm on other commodi-
ties raised on the farm.
Instead of planting so much cot
ton, plant more hogs, cattle, poul-
try, sheep and mules as a
money crop, also filling in with
potatoes, fruits and vegetables for
markets and home use. Instead
of selling hogs in the winter season
below the cost of production, as
was done this year, slaughter them
at home and in that way move the
packing houses from the great GEN.
tiers of organized wealth in the
North to the backyards of the
farmers in the form of ANTE bellum
smoke houses. On account OF
organization of the packing houses,
the smokehouses are rapidly disap-
pearing, especially in the South.
Stop living out of paper bags and
live more off of the farm, where all
the rest of the world get their liv-
ing. A diversified farmer is an
ever busy farmer, thinking farm
er, a planning farmer and one who
will make more than a mere living.
A diversified farmer is one who is
stimulated with price making for
twelve months in the year. By the
old process of one money crop, this
peculiar elixir came but one month
in the year-rent-paying and debt
paying. A single money crop
brings want and despair, while
diversified crop brings hope and
power. One money crop encour-
ages idleness and a diversified crop
means thrift. The one has forced
upon its people ignorance and the
other is blessed with educational
facilities.
Another duty of the southern
farmer is to discourage as much
as possible the present credit and
mortgage system. By this we
do not mean to discourage the leg
itimate trade collaterals in invest
ments as in real estate, for we be-
believe that every household should
be provided with home. We
mean to discourage this doleful
habit in the spring time, when the
sap rises in vegetation, of taking a
fever to go in debt, then hunt up
some money king, fall down at his
feet and ask him to make blanket
mortgage for the purchase OF the
very things that should be pro-
duced on the farm. If it is a GER
tain supply house this poor farmer
is no longer free to Unto the open
markets. Hope for success is
blighted forever in many instances.
When gathering time comes he is
forced to put his crop upon the
market regardless of the prices
and take the consequences. He
very likely made his obligation fall
due on rent paying day-usually
about November IS. No one
knows that better than the specula-
tors. Organization on the one
hand with money, and market and
no organization on the other hand
without money.
Old System is Weakening.
| am glad to note that wherever
the principles of the Farmers I'm
ion are carried out the old mort
gage and credit system is rapidly