The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-11-17
That .RIessin6 ii Disguise. :

through our beautiful State, / be.
gan to hear people say that the boil
weevil would prove a blessing in
1 disguise. At first / could not see
where the blessing would come in.
Il had seen the overfioWs and the
army worm destroy crops at differ
ent times. and nobody called that a
blessing in disguise. had seen
storm and pestilence sweep over
the country: had seen TOO much
4 droufh and / had seen too much
ram, but nobody called these bless
! ings in disguise, or blessings at all.
But since | have studied the situa-
tions, it is easy to see a difference
between these misfortunes, that
/ visit different sections at different
times. and this larger calamity
(which come as common enemy to
lall. These other troubles affect
individuals and communities, while
the boil weevil plague reaches us as
la whole. The one is indeed an
affliction for the time.. but is soon
gone and forgotten; the other seems
to be here to stay. In the magni-
tude Of the calamity lies the bless
ling.
Ever since this empire took its
way westward, King Cotton had
HELD an undisputed reign. While.
he has seemed to reward his sub
ljects with bountiful hand. the
truth is, he has kept them in slav-
lery. The history Of his reign has
been the history of mortgages and
misery. The small farmer has ever
paid homage to a tyrant and knew
| it not. 1t is well that an enemy
has come who is powerful enough
to shake the throne of this sovereign
to its foundations. and threaten his
overthrow.
The cotton raising habit has
| grown on our farmers through the
Hong years. until they are 'sot in
their ways. It has been impossi-
Bile to shout anything loud enough
into their ears. or to flash anything
vivid enough into their eyes to
turn them from this one pursuit.
But the time has come when the
farmer can no longer make cotton
the basis of his crop and make a
living. A new condition has arisen
which must be met. and in meet
ing it, the farmer will come into
his own.
1t has ever been true that no
class Of people is SO willing to let
well enough alone as the farmer.
In a sense his life is peaceful and
happy. He is free from the rival
Try and strife that obtain in all
other yocations. This is why he is
loath TO make any change from the
old order. As rule. he keeps his
Town counsel in matters pertaining
to his business on the farm. Here
tofore. any advice offered from the
outside has been looked upon as an
unwarranted intrusion.
Different organizations have
sprung up from time to time. hav-
ing for their aim the promotion of
the interests Of the farmer, but in
every case they have passed away
without accomplishing much for
the individual farmer These or
ganizations have all died from the
same causes. First. for lack of
personal support on the part Of the.
farmer himself. who felt that his
needs did not require them. Sec
ond, because the demagogue would
invariably seek to reap harvest
through the support and power Of
the organization. They would ac-
compIish this by pandering to class
feeling. They would undertake,
and with a large measure OF sue
cess, to make the farmers believe
the merchants and the bankers were
all against them The poison dis
seminated in the minds of the
farmers in the past is the greatest
obstacle in the way now when it
comes to getting the cooperation
!of the farmers in a systematic and
united effort to combat the boil
weevil.
But there is wonderful moving
| in the thought Of the farmer now,
which is going to result in bring
ing about a closer relation between
him and his merchant and banker.
That unreasonable prejudice is
going to pass away; the country is
going to cease to be arrayed against
the town; and we will all unite in
an intelligent and harmonious
effort to develop the wonderful re-
sources of our South and. The call
comes from the country and from
the town, Come, let US reason to-
gether: and when we come to-
Igether. we are willing to let the
farmer. the government expert,
the college professor, the merchant,
| the banker, all have say.
The matter Of self-preservation
lis put up to the farmer as never
before. He is now willing to lis
ten to the very same advice that
Ionly provoked derisioh from him a
while ago. This is d very hopeful
indication. It indicates that the
/ time has come when scientific prln-
lciples can be put into operation on
the farms. The properties Of the
soil and their relation to various
plant life; the effect Of climate;
the manner Of cultivation; all these
things the farmer is now ready and
anxious to learn. This revolution
iii the thought Of the farmer is
,svaoirifafad bv fhe hnl1 weevil-