Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-12-24
SOUTH'S HOPE LIES
in PACKING HOUSES
-
INDEPENDENT CONCERNS OPEN
I'M
Opportunities OUTSIDE OF
COTTON.
BUILDING UP COUNTRY
Prosperity stu Exists in the South
in Spite Of the Boil Wee4iI-
Diversified Crops Cause

cotton this year, and consequent low
prices, have again called attention to
the South's need for other sources
Of, income, and the fact that these
sources are ready at hand, lying in
more diversification! of crops and
raising of more live stock One out
is called attention to in statement
to the Manufacturers Record by O..
J. Morris, of Dallas. Texas. Mr..
Morris says.
knowing that you have for many
years past taken a great interest i'll
the development of the South. ven-
tare to write you calling attention to
what ! consider one of the greatest
possibilities of this favored section
For the past twenty years the writer
has travelled through the. Southern
statss. from Virginia to Texas. and
has noted the wonderful growtl and
t1e many natural advantages of the
South The cotton boil weevil has
made it Imperative that the planters,
in some sections OF the South at
least, turn their attention to Divers
fication, as many fine cotton l,nta-
tons have been rendered almost
worthless, so far as cotton is con-
cerned. Now, what are the cotton
planters in such sections to do? |
can give you one OF two illustrations
that believe will prove beneficial.
Some years ago the writer in-
duced some friends in Houston, Tex.
10 build a small packing plant, and
this institution has been a money
maker from the start, and has grown
to be one of the biggest concerns
ef the kind in the South, giving en-
ployment to hundreds OF men and
cnsating a market for thousands of
hogs and sheep. causing diversifica-
ton that has been vastly profitable
to the country adjacent to Houston,
and has made land that would have
otherwise been almost useless, great
ly profitable.
Success at NatcheX.
Some years ago We talked OF a
packing house to be established at
Shreveport, La, but owing to the
panic the parties that had promised
to finance the institution backed out.
But not so with Natchez, Miss. About
the same time that we agitated for a
hacking house plant TO be established
at Shreveport the same thing was
talked of at Natehez, Monroe, Elcks-
burg and other southern towns.
Natchez, however, went ahead, and,
not waiting for outside capital, form
ed local company and built a pack
ing plant costing about Sl50,ooe, and
this plant has proved eminently sue
cessful. A market has been afford
: ed for the beef cattle and hogs rails
ed in the country surrounding Match
ez. The farmers, instead Of depend
ing upon cotton. has divers fed
their crops, have gone to raising cat
tie and hogs, and while the boil Wee
VII has PLAYED havoc, with the cotton
fields, the farmers have cut off the
cotton crop to great extent, and
have engaged, in the more profitable
business of raising cattle and hogs
: for which they have found ready
aud lucrative market at their very
door. This has given to the country
adjacent to ,Natchaz the beginning OF
al era of prosperity such as TINS
country has never known before
and the packing house has made
money TO the extent that 1t has With
in twelve months after starting UP
doubled its apacity.
1t is Time for Action.
Some of the Southern cities have
called meetings Of the leading plant
ers, and they have willingly pledged
IL raise cattle and. hogs for the pack
hg houses, but instead OF going
ahead and building such plants, they
are waiting for outside capital to
come and build, with the result, that
their community has not experienced
the prosperity which has come tc
Natchez and the surrounding coun-
try. The time has come when some
action should be taken by such cities
and they, too, will reap the great
benefits that have come to Natchez
to Houston. and to Fort Worta
Texas, If they will but go ahead and
help themselves. The old saying
that God helps those who help
themselves" has certainly proved
trtia wharever III has been put into