The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-11-20
DOERS OF THE WORD.
FARMER NOLA WHITE REASONS WITH
FARMER SUMMERS.
Some Policies Pointed Out BY Which
Farmers Fall Short.

Farmers Fall Short.
Dear Leader Seeing Bro. Sum.
mers piece in The Leader on the
boil weevil and farmer, / read il
with 4 lot of interest. Bro.s Sum
mers says us farmers are not fools
about our own interests. That il
true to some extent. But please
tell Us why so per cent Of the farm.
ers are in debt? I'll tell you plain
| II, We have not farmed like II
telligent people and there is no use
dodging the issue. Every farmer
who has had no bad luck, should
be out of debt.
The average corn in Lincoln
county is about II bushels per acre
under the old system, which we
want to stick to like leach. The
corn club boys averaged last year
20 bushels per acre. Did it pay to
follow instructions or not? / leave
that for you to decide. The aver
age cotton in Lincoln county is
about 8 acres to the bale. Our
demonstrators averaged over one
bale per acre. Did it pay2 /
want to say right here in behalf Of
the government and business men
#of the county, they have never
tried to make the farmers do any
thing; they are only trying to get
us to do what we should have done
long ago. If we will do as the
Government recommends, we will
be independent of anyone in short
time.
Who was it that came to New
Orleans few years ago and
through their experts stamped the
yellow fever out Of the South by
the mosquito theory. while we
stood by like a lot Of fools and
said. We'll, If that amt the big-
gest fool thing ever heard OFF,
So it is now; the government
comes and tells US what to do and
we say. "Oh. you are trying to
MAKE US do something. !" Bro.
Summers says we have titled the
soil. | deny that. Only about 20
per cent of us cultivate our crops
as they should be; the other so per
cent scratch our fields and barely
make enough to keep the merchant
from selling US out. | tell you
plainly, many Of US buy CONNER
.eial fertilizer (that should be made
at home1. and put it out and the
grass gets 3-4 Of it and then we
will not save the grass. Then we
sci the weather and The merchants
for bad crops and it's our own ig-
norance and laziness. We have no
use tor the merchant and bankers
and stand on the corners and cuss
them, but as soon as we get in a
tight we run to them for help: and
what surprises me is they have al
ways helped us when we deserve it,
and many times when we do not
deserve it. The time has come for
people to talk plain. If. / was a
merchant or banker next year. 1
would not credit a man who did not
make all the feed for man and
beast on the farm, except some few
things we cannot raise
Please note, Bro Summers, the
merchants and bankers have never
said they would not help the man
who does his best. but they say
they will help us il we do our best.
But please tell us, how many are
doing their best
i am reminded right here Of a
man who agreed with me on the
stalk destruction and fall prepara-
tion and said he was going to do it
as soon as be got everything else
done. to-wit: plant his cane, bank
potatoes, make molasses, SOW oats.
fix fences, repair the barn and kill
hogs and many other things too
numerous to mention
This man is about like the major
sity of our farmers. Yes, we think
it a useless expenditure Of money
to have a man to go around and
teach US how to farm: in fact we
are too busy to 60 to hear them
speak: but we can spend $40. 900 to
30 to the show to see people act the
fool and we are the biggest fool in
the show
Yes, 1 agree with brother S.
about reading the bulletins: but we.
are so full Of prejudice we will not
act on one thing suggested by the
Government for fear they may
MAKE US do something. Bro.
Summers says any intelligent boy
or girl can write up all the meth
DDS Of fighting the bell weevil.
That is not what we want. We
want the work done; and let me.
say right here. If we don't fight
the boil weevil this fall we will
next. and don't you forget it. Il
an confident Bro. Summers does
not know really what the boil
Weevil means to this county; ln|
fact, | can hardly realize what it
means myself. and | have been
studying him for years. a man
~ - - i ~ -. L. = szss1 4