Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-22
Cotton Duty Not Wanted.

zSpedhis ol tic tdrIlI, COTTON men down
here tell me that they don't want a duty
on cotton They do not need 1t. There
Is no competition from any out side coun-
try excepting Mexico, and we are sending
ten times as much over than they send
over here. We import large quantities
from Egypt. but that is Of an entirely
different quality from anything produced
In the United States, and American man
ufacturers have got TO have it to make
fine fabrics.
The boil weevil, from one point Of view.
Is likely to turn out a blessing I'm dis
Suise, because it is already causing a
diversificatfon OF crops. For twelve years
Secretary Wilson has been trying to con-
vince the planters of the south that they
vegetables and less cotton: that they
ought to produce their own food supplies
instead OF importing them from the north
and DR.. 8. A. Knapp. the experiment
agent Of the Agricultural Department,
who has done more 10 educate the farm
ers Of the south than any other man, has
been prea ching that doctrine with good
effect. Not long ago | heard Secretary
Wilson discuss the effect of the boil weevil
upon the Investigation Of southern agri-
culture. and he spoke with great earnest
ness.
THE folly of the one-crop system is
not characteristic of the south alone
he said. because the same habit has pre-
vailed in other parts of the country, not
ably In the wheat-grOwing regions, where
the farmers have raised nothing else but
wheat year after year until they have
exhausted the soil just as 1t has been ex-
hausted by cotton in the south. and have
wasted a large share Of their profits buy
ing supplies outside that they might
have realized themselves. In the cam
paign against the boil weevil the benefits
ways been earnestly advocated by DIR.
Knapp and his agents to the end that the
farmers might raise their home supplies
as far as possible and have the cotton for
a cash crop. Whenever this is done, a
long step has been taken away from the
pernicious credit system upon which
farming has always been conducted In the
south, and further progress toward bet
ter living becomes possible"
Lack of Labor.
We hear the same complaint about the
lack of labor down here as everywhere
else, for the negroes still continue to de-
sert the farms and go to the cities and
towns. This is especially true of those
who acquire little education, and is one
of the reasons why SO many southern
people object to the education Of the
blacks. They say that whenever a negro
learns to read or write he thinks it is
necessary for him to move to town in or
der that he may enjoy the benefit of his
accomplishments.
The immigration experiments which
were being attempted the last time l was
in this section. five six years ago,
have not been entirely satisfactory, and
for curious reasons. 4 large number of
Italians and Poles We're induced to come
out here AS plantation laborers. They are
here still. but very few of them remain
on the plantations. They have either
drifted to the cities and are keeping
fruit stores or restaurants or peddling
vegetables. or they have bought little
| farms of their own. and have set up for
themselves and are hiring away the negro
help from the adjoining plantations.
Another extraordinary complaint is
made against them. 1t is the same that
is made against the Japanese and CHI
nese on the Pacific coast. and 1t Is that
actual examples of intelligence industry,
| integrity, economy and thrift. They save
| their money instead OF spending 1t at
the plantation store. A planter always
expects that his hands will spend their
wages buying what they want and some
times what they don't want at the
| ''store." He can usually depend upon get
| ting back in that way very nearly all
the money he pays in wages to his ne
groes. but the Italians are not good spend
ers. They save their money to buy land
and soon become competitors.
New Orleans has a large Italian colony
and the Italian population is increasing
more rapidly than the negro population.
many of the newcomers having been at
tracted from the plantations because OF
the better opportunities for advancement
and the higher wages.
"Witchproof Candles"
The Standard Oil Company has gone in