The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-02
Southern Farmers Opportunity.
(From the Macon, Ca, Telegraph,
Feb. 10, 1900

is gain of $79O,OOO, 900, or approxi-
| mately 80 per cent.
Authoritative statistics show that
the 1909 wheat crop was S3 bushels
| per capita, against $50 bushels per
capita ten years ago; the corn crop
dropped from 349 to 800 bushels per
capita; the oats crop from 12.4 to Ill
| bushels per capita; the hay crop from
l ton to "a of g. ton per capita; and
the number Of food animals, swine,
| cattle and sheep. fell from 2.5 to 1.9
per capita.
In the matter Of meats the govern
ment returns issued on the 25th Of
! January show. under the head Of
swine (hogs) that the total supplies
in 1900. Of 54,000.0O0 fell to 47,OOO.-
600 in 1910, a decrease Of nearly Is
per cent. Other cattle, in 1903, 49,
100000, fell to 47,OOO, 900 in 1910.
The number of cattle killed under
the inspection law in the United
States in 1907 was 7.621,717, in 1909
IL had fallen to 7,32J337; during the
same period there was an increase in
the number of calves killed from l.
16S,574 to 2,046.713. The receipts of
hogs at the markets fell 1873 per cent.
from 19oS to 1909. When the panic
OF 1907 came on many Of the farmers
IN the West sold their hogs because
food was too high to feed them and
these brooding herds have not been
replaced.
In the matter of the production of
fruits, the leader and standard (be-
cause it keeps longer) apples, in the
United States, have fallen from 6S,-
100000 barrels in 1866 to 100000
barrels in 1909!
Here is money, per dollar decreas-
ing in its purchasing power because Of
so per cent. Increase in volume.
Here is an increasing deficit in the
field food crops per capita. Here is q
marked decrease In the leader among
all the fruits (apples) Of approximate
~ 20 per cent
On the top of all this is an average
tariff of 60 per cent. on all foreign
Good stuffs.
AS result of all these things-,.re
increased supply of money, the de-
creased supply of all food stuffs, and
he tariff-the prices Of beef, pork
and its by-products, mutton, chickens,
eggs, butter and milk. and all other
food products-taken on All average
have never been as high as now, barr
ing Of course the War prices of the
COS. Is not this the Southern farm
er's golden opportunity?
The telegraph has shown In pre-
vious articles that In 1860, when the
population in Georgia was 1.o57.2s6.
there Were in this state 2.osS.116
logs. In 1907, with population of
100000, there are only 100000
hogs. With the population more than
doubled. the number of hogs has been
reduced nearly one-half!
The Telegraph has shown that, in
1860, there were 2s9,6Ss milch cows.
In 1907, 30S.000-an increase only Of
S,312. That in 1860, there were oxen
and other cattle, 706,194. In 1907,
S0,0O0-decrease Of 26,194! That In
1850. there were 512,61S sheep. In
1907, 269,000-a decrease of 243,61S!
These figures are surprising, and yet
they are based on actual statistical re-
turns.
The Telegraph has shown that in
1880, when Georgias population was
i,S37353, Georgia farmers owned T.
627,OCS swine. In 1907, when the
population had increased to 100000
the swine owned by Georgia farmers
decreased TO 1899, ,000-a loss Of 2S,-
cOS. That in 1890, the sheep owned
hy Georgia farmers numbered Al
$40. In 1907 they had decreased to
-j9.OO0-a loss of approximately one
nalf! That in 1890. Georgia owned
354,6lS milch cows. In 1907 the num-
Der fell to $4,000 a loss of 4G,61S.
OIL of these figures are amazing
but they are collected from the most
reliable sources. They call to the
farmer with irresistible clOquence and
force. They cry aloud to them to plant
less cotton and more grain; to raise
more cattle and hogs-not as a pa
uiouc thing, but as q pront-making
business. II is the farmers opportu-
Hi'y. His day has come if he is wise
enough to read the signs Of the times
end cake advantage of IL.
Food is the first and the last Of the
natural man. al men must eat. Ev-
cry.hinS else IS sccoada.y. We can