Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-12-04

n
following remarks upon the wealth.
of the country in general ana the
wealth of The South ia particular.
We have done some little hgGring on
our own account and We produce
herewith figures aud statistics ia
support OF our statements relative
TO the producing power OF these Ne
! groes who now seem TO be the foot
balls Tor every public man, Democrat
OF Republican VINO Is DESTROYS OF at
tracing the attention OF the reading
public. Here is the extract:
OF the $S,20O,0O0.0OO that the
| farms of the United States have
| yleiued IA 1903 the South Share
| as S-,4UU.OOO.UUO. according 10 es-
/ Inmates tnat the Manufactures
accord gives ia This wees issue.
based ON uc latest avala9le re-
ports. or the SOuth's total between
/ 3UV,OOU,UOO anu 81 900 900. 200
| represents the crop of cotton. with
ils sceus. now COmius on tne mar
/ het. an increase OF between $IyO,.
100000 and $500. 100000 over
9UH. thoagh the number OF bales
TINS year probably Viii Doe more thau
-,VVu.UUO less tha,i last years crop.
tn Gaze value OF crops. cotton ranAs
second 90 corn, with wheat aud hay
following. Averaging annually be
tween 90 and 50 per cent OF tine
world crop. the cotton crop of TINS
country constituting the foundation
i0r manufacturing industry second
only 10 tlat OF iron ana steel. ap.
peaIs more strongly than amy other
( American crop % che imagination of
mankind. and, consequently tends
TO divert attention from the great
. Importance of the south as O. grover
OF other crops. Notwithstanding the
acreage ANA the enc. giles devoted 90
cotton
An inklins OIL IT'S standing iu this
particular is given Inn The following
comparison OF The South with che
rest 0t the United States as % GER
/ tain 1903 crops common to most
parts of the county,
Corn. bushels. United States.
2,757.3 5000. The south. 1885,
$4,000 bushels 72A76S.OOO. the
South 60.5S1.OO0 oats bushelsUnited
States. 9S5.61N.0OO. The south. CO.,
$4,000. Rye, bushels. United states
31,066.OO0. The South. 1.194.OOO,
Irish potatoes. bushels. United
States S67.f73,O0O. The South. 29.-
oSl.ooOs Tobacco pounds. United
States, S95.1S5.IOO. The south.
69S.01S.O00; HAY. tons. United
states. 64.l66,0o0, The south a.
6O4.OOO.
In comparing these crops
should bee borne Ina mind that the
comparatively small amount of hay
raised in the south. less than one.
fourteenth of total hay crop of
the country. is due largely TO the
TACT that in vast areas OF the South
laying by OF forage Tor the winter
Is unnecessary. Moreover. there
was falling OF In the hay crop
Tor the whole country this year. the
drousht in portions OF the South
especially Ga states beyond the Mis-
sissippi. making It's influence felt
IN this case, as iu the case OF corn.
wheat. and other grain crops. I'M
Texas alone there was a falling OF
OF Sf,1Oo,000 bushels I'm corn. and
OF 100000 bushels In wheat and
halVing OF the oat crop.
IN corn there were Increases Of
about 100000 bushels in Georria
5000 600 bushels In Kentucly
100000 bushels In Louisiana
100000 bushels in South Carolina
and 100000 bushels I'm West Vir
ginia, but these gains were not suf
hcient 10 overcome the decrease In
earas and slighter decreases Hn
other States.
So. too. the gains in wheat I'm
Ar kansas, Georgia. and South Caro-.
una were not sufficient TO overcome
the decreases In other States. which
made "A total
bushels. With leading 1909 crops
other than cotton. should be Included
about 20,00O.OOO bushels of rice
sugar cane. citrus fruits. applea'
peaches, sweet potatoes. and small
fruits and vegetables. that. 10 the
value OF more than 500. 600 OOo
an ually, are rushed 20 the Northero
and Western markets.
This report tells about the South
but says absolutely nothing abopt
the Negroes. who are the producing
power Of this section. While stats.
Tics as a rule are dry. it seems to us
that eoiored people, and white peo-
pie too for that matter would be in.
.erestec TO ponder over what these
'oloteu tolks are doing in adding 20 ,
he material wealth of the country. :
The United States census bulletin :
5, on Page SO gives the per cent Of /
he producing power Of the colored /
people OF the United States. Based ,
lpon those statistics, We have taken !
he time to figure out the approx. :
nate quantity Of the products. which a
re cited in the article referred to 1
nd show just how much of it is r
reduced by the colored people Of I
he United States.
We have also figured the total :
mount in dollars, so that any one b
nay realize to what extent colored d
eople are aiding in the rehabilitation p
nd in the prosperity and progress
I the Southland. According to this ;,
omputation, the colored people. now G
nown as Negroes produced in 1909 n
l02 ,390.692l one hundred an5 49,, N