The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-21
COUNCIL OF WAR
 ID FIGHT WEEv|L Marion Citizens Will Hold
 Meeting Today OUTLINE A CAMPAIGN Coming of Boil Weevil to Alabama Has Made Great Difference
 in the Attitude of the
 Land Owners
OUTLINE A CAMPAIGN
By WALTER HARPER

A public meeting or citizens or Marion will be held today to consider the inn pending boil weevil situation. It will not be an indignation meeting, but it will be rather in the nature of a council of war.
 The boil weevil will arrive during this and next year and the land owners of Perry county are trying to devise ways and means to exist after the old tenant system becomes impracticable by reason of the visitation of the boil weevil.
 It must be understood that the citizens of the town of Marion are farmers. They are the kind of farmers that live in town, drive fine horses and ride out to the plan tation once year to collect the rents from their wasting lands.
 This system has existed since the war and has been the source of great wealth, ease and power over a large part of the agricultural section of Alabama. When the agitation for diversication of crops, rotation and the development of small farms by white farmers was started few years ago these same large landowners smiled to themselves and continued to hold on to their lands, collecting an easy living from year to year.
 "Why should care to sell my land to small farmers?" asked one of the largest landowners in the black belt few years ago. T have something over 30,00O acres as fine land as there is in the black belt. It brings me in an annual rental without any effort on my part that gives me and c., ,~ke k1ok desire. The land Is practically inexpen- sive and 1t is steadily enhancing in value. When I am compelled to sell for any req son I will be able to get a good advance over the cost price. As long as hold it 1t yields a handsome return for the amount invested. I am satisfed.'
 But this same man Is troubled now.
 Judgment came earlier than he ex- pected.
 When the boil weevil appeared in Texas he had so much confidence in the govern ment that he believed that remedy would be found and that the pest would be destroyed before he reached Alabama.
 It is as if providence had hand in the matter. Men and principalities seem to have no power to stay the progress of the destroyer.
 The boil weevil is working a revolution. It is bringing to pass the very results that agricultural economists have been preach ing for years. It is establishing the sys- tenn of diversincation It Is forcing bet ter cultivation and the result is larger yields and more general prosperity. But 1t takes time and costs a large sacrifice on the large tenant plantations. The negro tenant cannot measure up to the requirements of the new conditions. Tn the first place. the landowner does not and cannot back him up with the oppor- tunity. White. individual farmers with intelligent methods Is the only means by which the new transformation can be se- cured. These can only be secured through systematic methods and through the lapse of some years
 The landowners of Alabama have waited too long. They have milked the COW until she is dry. They have been content to collect their annual rents without regard to the future and at the expense of land fertility.
 Here is the condition over large part of the cotton belt of Alabama: The lands have been planted to cotton by unintelli- gent growers who had no care for the