The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1913-08-02
FARMER BETTER OFF THIS YEAR.
A Lesson Taught That Turns Thought
Iessness From Dependence
Into Independence.

Until three or four years ago,
the average small farmer, taking
advantage, of the ease with which
ne could secure money at the banks
and in advances from other sources,
raised his cotton crop, sold it, and
with the proceeds took up.- with
interest, the paper he had given
bankers, warehousemen and supply
houses. For many years the aver
age farmer has been farming most
ly on paper-for the other fellow.
He has fallen into the habit Of
working the borrowing game to
the limit: 5000 to $500 to the plow.
The money he borrowed he spent
before his fields whitened-for
farmers are human and, like other
folks, spend more freely when they
have the ready cash in fat pocket
books-and along about October 1st
a bunch Of cancelled notes and re-
lieved mortgages was about all his
cotton crop had netted him.
This year, even should cotton
bring no more than 10 cents, there
will not be SO many notes to take
up and fewer mortgages and liens
to satisfy. For the farmer, in
common with other folks-.though
he is generally prone to consider
himself alone in these little dis
comforting things in life-is this
summer experiencing more or less
difficulty in securing advances.
Ready money. for reasons that are
obvious to any man who takes the
trouble to do little thinking for
himself, is not so easy just now
that we can step into a bank, and,
with mere scratch of the pen,
fill his purse with crisp, new bills
of pleasing denomination. This
year the farmer is farming for
himself and for his family. and on
the land rather than on paper for
the other fellow; and while to
some of them the new arrangement
is working temporary annoyance
tor it is annoying. the lack of am
pie funds-when the cotton fields
grow white and the negroes begin
to sing as they pluck the fleecy
staple from the bursting bolls, the
melody will bring more satisfaction
to the man who has perhaps put
up with little hardship. for his
bright, new bales will belong to
him; the price they bring will fill
his pockets with his own money,
and he will have the laugh on the
banker and some other folks.
The condition which at present
is forced upon many small farm
er, and not few extensive plant
ers. is condition which the more
progressive of them have been try
ing for years to persuade the cotton
grower to enforce upon himself.
In short, to economize, to do with
out many unnecessary things, to
borrow just as little as possible on
the unmade crop, and. if necessary,
to do a little crampinp to pull
through one crop year in order to
get even with the world. 1t is a
great deal easier to stay even after
the farmer has an even start than
it is to catch up once he gets be-
hind.
Blessings which come in disguise
sometimes cause those upon whom
they are visited a great deal of
needless worry. for the simple rea.
son that, instead of trying to pene-
trate the disguise to find the bless
ing. they accept the visitation at
its face value and oftentimes rebel.
But the farmer will begin to
smile along about October. if not
sooner; and somehow when a mans
pockets are full of his own money
his smile has a real significance.
Ex.