The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1908-09-10
HermanviIle, Sept. 2, 1908.

IlGluletANAtAS3 ~ - - -
Mr.. Editor:
The appearance of the boil weev-
il and the law appropriating $1,000
a year to maintain an agricultural
high school in each county where
one is established, makes it neces-
sary for Claiborne to establish one
if she is to maintain her stand
among the counties of the state,
and act with any ordinary iudg-
ment in avoiding the disasters IN
cident to the boil weevil. That 1t
means diversihcation, those who
know anything of the damage they
entail know that it must come, and
that quick, if our county is to avoid
the tremendous shrinkage in values
which have followed it up to now.
In western Texas il took the peo-
pie five or six years to learn what
If tmeant. In western Louisiana two
years was sufficient. Can not we
of Mississippi profit by their expe-
rience Let us establish an agrl-
cultural high school in connection
with one of our schools, which will
cost all parties concerned not ex-
ceeding 10000. The expense OF
maintaining it will be almost moth
ing more than is now spent by the
county, as they will be allowed to
charge s. per month tuition. |
use the Hermanville school simply
as an illustration, which has prac-
tically one hundred scholars, and
it costs the county say $50
month. Add to it $1,000 annually
from the state and So a month
from say forty scholars-SI2o a
month-and it would be sufficient,
with the proceeds of the demon
STATION farm, to employ first
class man, and have a school and
agricultural station of which Clal-
borne would be proud. We need
also a commissioner of agricul-
ture, one-half of whose salary will
be paid by the national govern
ment.
With demonstration farms ali
over Claiborne county and prompt
action our county will not suffer
by the boil weevil. In my opinion
our board of supervisors should
AT ONCE look to securing the SER
vices of commissioner of agricul-
ture for next season. Those who
do not think they will be helped
by him in 1909 will run after him
for 1910. Then with the agricultu-
raj station demonstrating what can
be done on our soils, the county |
will be paid dollars for dimes spent
in establishing and maintaining
this school. Without such a course
is followed the words of Commits
sioner Evans of Louisiana, at Nat
chez, as he looked up into the gal
iery at Natchez and said to the ne
groes, "Boys, are you going to di-
versify, or are you going on in the
same old rut l will answer for
you; you will diversity, for when
you go next year to get your sup
plies you will not get them. And
to the whites below he said, "And
will you diversity? Yes, will an
swer, for no matter what you have,
unless you do you will soon have
nothing, and credit business and
cotton to:be made on land infested
with boil weevils is an impossi-
bility."
Men of Claiborne, he spoke the
truth. Let us see that our board
of supervisors act for US and do so
promptly. Two of them attended
the Natchez meeting and they
know something of what it means.
| saw the scenes Mr.. Evans pic
tured, all over southern Texas, and
he did not overdraw them.
Let the board of supervisors say
to the county board of education,
call for bids from the different To-
calities that would like to have the
agricultural high school and let
them come forward, showing you
what they can do to help and what
we can do 10 protect Claiborne
county's citizens from an empty
"diuner pail we will do.
Yours for full "dinner pail
S. E. DUDLEY.
Crops and Credit. Il