The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1912-12-05
MISSISSIPPI
Is a Great State. but It's
People Don't Know 1t.

raise cotton to the exclusion o.
every other crop, with stock
thrown in, many farmers have los'
faith IN both the state and them
selves. They think they can dc
better elsewhere, bur will learn tc
their sorrow that there is no betteI
place on earth TO farm than here.
Prof. Massey, in the Progressive
Farmer, well says:
"Men plant cotton year after
year on the same land, not because
they have to, but because they
will not make the effort to get out
of the old ruts. One farmer, or
rather one cotton grower, in Scot
land County, said to me at an in
stitute, when / was urging more
attention to the feeding of stock:
4 do not want to be pestered with
cattle That is the secret with
many. They do not want to be
pestered with cattle in winter, but
simply want to wait all winter to
start Gotten crop again, and go
in debt for the fertilizer, and then
hope against hope that the cotton
will buy them everything else they
need, and that they can keep on
making cotton on the same land
every summer, and kicking their
heels all winter. No man is
'obliged' to farm badly. He farms
badly because be does not try to
farm WELL"
But there are notable excep.
tions, even in Claiborne county,
and we are glad to say that these
exceptions are increasing in num-
bers. Not many years hence they
will be our leaders.
Mississippians. returning from
the north and west, tell US that
Mississippi is one of the most
talked-about states in the union.
We are looked upon as the mecca
for homeseekers, because of our
warm climate, productive and
cheap lands, and other advantages.
Are we going to throw away our
opportunities and sulk like spoiled
children because we can't raise
just enough cotton to exc out an
existence and pay taxes and inter
est while our lands are growing
poorer each year7 We hope not.
Read what Joseph E. Wing
one of the best known agricultural
writer's of America, says of his re
cent visit to the-I. |. and c. al
Columbus. After enumeratine
many derogatory things that used
to be said of this state, be says:
"That at least used to be the
conception of Mississippi. If one
cares to know the truth though,
there are infinitely fewer mosque
toes in this part of Mississippi
than there are In California OF
Montana, and if there are Chris
tian gentlemen yet existing in tht
woodland I think there are
would look for them just as conf
dently about Columbus or il
Lowndes Co.., Miss, as anywhere
else in the world. There is much
which we think we know abou
the South which is notable only
for its misconceptions, its false
hoods.
- =
81 enjoyed speaking to thos
300 girls. / have never seen
finer lot. It gave one inspiratiO
to think what source OF diftusio
of all sorts of goodness and 10
this hive of girls is, how they e
out into all sorts of remote district
lin Mississippi and other states an
Icarry with them ideals and know
ledge. One Of the things that
emphasized here is the care Of th
body. The girls nearly all gal
lin weight after they come her
They have good medical supervi'
ion and good gymnasium teacher
Perhaps a similar school would
less successful with US. but / CO
lfaee / dn. nrf see whv. This l.