The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-06
THE REMEDY.
(Moorc County Journal.

There has been much writing and
resoluting here and there by many
and diverse people and organizations
about the cutting down Of the cotton
acreage for the 1912 crop. We be-
lieVe the so-caIlod Rock Hill Plan,'
to accomplish this end. has gone 50
far as to make a housc-tO-house can
NaSs and require each and every
farmer to give a bond or swear by
all that's good and holv h a ne will
plant less cotton this year than ever
before. Now, we have read these
things with more or less interest III
some respects, but, at the same time,
with a feeling Of mingled emotions.
! This was for many reasons.
In the first ace, when the farm
erS curtail production to raise -~iCcS
they are doing exactly what they de-
nounce the trusts FOR doing. If il is
wrong for the manufacturers to smut
down their mills ;. order to keep
prices up, it is equally wrong for
the farmer to shut down to keep
prices up. We say nothing as to
either producing at a loss for that is
out OF the question as either would
quit work at once when that hap
pens
In the next place. we do not think
the plan is feasible, as SUGGESTED. The
81 itIS - WHO are III a POSITION IT,
raise 200 bales Of cotton and cut
this down to 100 must necessarily
OF this force into other channels Of
production will, in a short time, pro-
duce the same congestion there that
is now felt in the cotton market, Then
raise something else. The diversion
there would be another house-to-
house canvass to cut out that. Thus
the second end would be as bad as
the first. Therefore, if feasible in The
execution. its result would be a boom
e1ang just as destructive as the evil
1t was intended to remedy.
Again, there is not the same mar
ket for the foodstufrs as there is foI
the cotton product. The world is liv.
ing today. SO far as fOOdStuffS are
concerned. But there are million:
and millions of people who are no,
clothed as they might be. Now, we
advise the farmers, who read these
columns. to raise all the cotton 20,
can during 1912 as a money crop
What we mean by this IS: First, set
TO it that Q grow enough corr
wheat and meat and FORAGE for home
consumption. and then go in for cot
ton. Plant just as much as YOU die
TINS year and a little more IL YOU can
manure it all a little bit better ant
cultivate 1T earlier and oftener thar
ever before. Get all YOU can 70 grow
me more there grows the better i
VIII ne Tor the re"' edv for low price
does no. lie in nOn-prOductiOn.
The remedy is to get 2 better mar
ket. The world can use all the cot
ton this country can grow for wear
to come. 1t will need it until 9th q
places. now experimenting with cot
4 get to growing enough 10 sunni
their local demands and then pc
into competition with us. When tina
time comes and We begin to fg,,r
on how much we need for our ow
use and how much we can sell in tn
competitive markets, then it will b
time to cut down the acreare. Ri
that time is not yet. 1t will be man
years before it will be. SO don
you worry about the price of cotto
being kept w bv cutting down YOU
acreage. Plant all YOU did last Yea
and a little bit more. Read again tt
article in our asst issue by the 90,
eminent expert. Mr.. Odell. That
the way to keep VI the price. Ell
lar~e the market.
OF course. keep your expenses
low as possible. Curtail all you "a