The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-03
IN THE DRAG NET
By THE OBSERVER.

It is against my nature to be pessmistie but I feel like knocking and justifying the act with the hope that some good will result. l propose to kick for just this once.
 Genuine reform seldom comes before people become alarmed at some existing or impending calamity. It is high time the people of Alabama become alarmed over the question of supply and demand.
 The note of alarm that is being sounded by the agricultural experts who are now making a tour of the Sixth district with Congressman Hobson is arousing the people to some realization of our short comings. These men are not alarmists. They merely give facts, but they are alarming facts. The figures they present show that the farmers of Alabama buy more than they sell.
 Think of it. How can any people pros- per under such conditions?
 We buy $12.0O0O00 worth of corn every year; $10,000,000 worth of cured and fresh meat, and probably $10,000000 of flour. We buy more butter and eggs than we sell; millions of dollars worth of horses and mules more than We produce There is no estimate of the millions that are sent away for almost everything else that we use We buy more cotton goods than we manufacture, more farming implements than We make
 What do we export? Cotton. Let's see. Alabama produces about 100000 bales of cotton annually. This is worth about $So,- 0O0 900 gross. Pay for the fertilizer and disregard the cost of labor. What is the net. It may pay for the meat and bread. l doubt it.
 Two million bales of cotton is about one bale per capita for the entire population of the state. Pay the fertilizer bill and how mucn is left for meat bread, cloth ing and 1000 other things required for human comfort and happiness?
 Get your pencil and figure little. How soon will Alabama become rich or even independent at this rate?
 We produce coal and iron, perhaps more than Is consumed in the state Throw it in the balance and figure some more. You will still find a large and disparaging de- f1cit. Our coal and iron bring not more than 50,000000, barely enough to clothe the people decently.
 We must produce more on the farm. We must stop the outflow of money that is so much larger than the income.
 I am afraid that with all the boundless natural resources of the state that an equita ble adjustment of the assets and lia- billties of the state would find us in bank ruptcy.
 Now I am sure that these deductions are not overdrawn. l have figured con- servatively on every item with the best information obtainable It figures bad for the state But the signs are hopeful for the future. The farmers are more intel ligent They are adopting the best meth ods of cultivation and rotation of crops that have been proven. They are be- ginning to realize the slow suicide they are inflicting upon themselves, and the last few years are showing great strides forward.
 l do not mean to throw all the responsi bility of the present condition on the farmer The business man, the profes- sional man and the public officials are as much responsible as the farmer. The planter must have the sympathy, encour- agement and support of the great mass of people in every line of business. He must be given fair treatment by the con- sumers and tradespeople. He must not be discriminated against by the dealers and must be dealt with honestly. The public officials must point the way to industrial reform and lead the way with their ad- vice and encouragement.
 There is need in Alabama for co-opera- ton among all the people. Alabama Is blessed above all the state in the union with vast natural resources, unexcelled climate good soil and good people, but we have not learned to utilize them as we should.
 Alabama should and must sell more than 1t buys.
 That is the simple proposition that con fronts us It involves the simplest prob- lems in mathematcs-addition and sub traction. we must reverse the positions of the minuend and the subtrahend and increase the result, but in favor Of the people at home.
 Until this is done Alabama may never hope to prosper as it should and might. This rule of business applies to states and counties as it does to individuals.