The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-04-13
HARRIS TO UNION FARMERS.
Urges Diversifcation of Crops as the
Best Means Of Securing Better
Priced Cotton.

416llIS, VI Tile StdLe L tIL lu0io CAiAoH3
has issued a strong statement to the
members Of the Union and the
farmers generally over the State,
urging diversifcation Of crops as a
cure for low priced cotton, the reme-
dy which Congressman Lever, mem
Der of the agricultural committee of
the Federal House Of Representatives,
and the Federal agricultural experts
have been arguing for several years,
and which the press Of the State has
been pleading for during a quarter
Of century.
Mr.. Harris urges the planting Of
at least 35 per cent Of cotton lands
IN food crops. He shows in detail
how the farmer who has been buying
corn has been swapping 81 for 80
cents on a cash transaction and 81
for % cents on a lien basis. He says
he has met over fifty farmers recent
ly who had raised corn for 35 cents a
bushel and as many as fifteen who
had raised it for less than 20 cents
a bushel.
"Again I want to call your atten-
ton, farmers, that now is the time to
fix prices on the 1909 cotton crop.
Will you make it s or Is cents? It
is in YOUR power to make it either.
II want to if T can impress upon
you that diversifcation of your crops
is the keynote Of the situation. want
to urge every Southern farmer to
plant at least IS per cent of his cot
ton land in food crops so as to make
home self-sustaining. Now, let's see
if it will pay us as farmers to diver
sify our crops. To my knowledge the
farmer who has not been making
home self-supporting has been swap
ping 81 for 50 cents. Now let's see
if this assertion is true. The farmer
who bought corn last year paid $l.lO
cash for it. If he borrowed the money
to buy with it cost him $1.25, as he
paid interest on the money. IF he
hauled it home ten miles it cost him
10 cents. It is worth 10 cents per
bushel to haul corn ten miles, so his
corn cost him $1.35. Now, any good
progressive farmer can make all the
corn he will need on his farm for 35
cents per bushel. You see he gave
dollar for what he could have raised
for 35 cents per bushel.
care any Of the Southern farmers
guilty Of the above? If so, 60 and
sin no more. Did you ever buy any
bacon? 1t is selling now for II -
cents cash. Still swapping one dol
lar for so cents. Any good farmer
can raise enough for his family use
for three cents per pound. Did You
buy any hay? If you did you are
still at the same old way Of exchang
ing. If you bought horse or mule
you paid from 5000 to $3.50. You can
raise one just as good for less than
500. Now, brother farmers, do not
say that you cannot raise corn for 50
cents: Try to do it. I have met more
than fifty farmers this year that
raised it for less than IS cents per
bushel, and as many as fifteen who
raised it for less than 20 cents. The
farmer who is raising corn for 30
cents, bacon for 3 cents, raising his
own horses and making. home self
supporting, has qrlt swapping one
dollar for so cents The farmer who
is buying is still at his old job. While
the farmer who is buying on lien
and mortgage on his crop is just
swapping one dollar for 25 cents; for
the cash buyer is swapping 81 for
50 cents. He can raise it for halt
what he pays for it when he buys it.
Brother farmers, if you are guilty
Of the above sin, I say to YOU: Sin
no more. Now, what price Will YOU
have for. the 1909 crop? Will You
have 8 or Is cents? Remember, it Is
all in your hands, and you will get
whatever price you make it. To get
Is cents you will have to diversity
your crops and stop exchanging one
dollar for so cents, Or you will never
be able to get a remunerative price.
Now. what is the use of the farmers
of the South to raise 100000 bales
of cotton and not get any more than
they can for a 100000 or 8,OOO,OOO
bale crop. Think of the enormous
expense of -aising the extra 5,OOO,OOo
bales to bear the market down. And
who does this? 1t is the farmer.
Think and consider for a moment
what you are doing, and YOU will quit