New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1913-12-27
BENEFITS OF CANNERY.
Editor Enterprise:

w lJn SltlLCH
vour last issue in reference to
the cannery proposition, | thor
ouohly agree. 1t is self-evl-
dent fact that a community must
either rely on agriculture or
manufactures for sustenance,
and without one or both OF these,
"hard times" is in order.
1t seems our onward path Is
paved with tin cans: III every
back yard invariably can be seen
these containers by the whole
sale Now, where do they come
from? From almost everywhere
but home. Why? Is it because
fruit and vegetables can be canned
cheaper away or because we can
not do this work hereY 1t IS a
recognized fact this country can
produce almost anything in this
line that any other country can,
and in some instances even bet
ter II surely is a paying invest
ment to these other towns, or TO
those who own the cannerles,
otherwise they would not con
tinue in business. The amount
Of canned corn. tomatoes, beans,
peas, asparagus, etc., consumed
bv us is something enormous.
This money not only goes to
farmers away from here but, too,
to those who own the cannerles.
Is it not possible to keep tins
money at hOmeY
It may be claimed that we can
not produce what is necessary
here to make this going con
Germ. that our farmers will not
take the interest they should,
and that the investment would
probably prove an expensive eX-
pertinent. It has on more than
one occasion been demonstrated
that our soil can produce almost
anything, and all that is needed
is intelligent cultivation. Should
facilities materialize by which
something tangible could be
promised our farmers, | feel pos
tive that they would lend them
selves to the cause and that more
vegetables and fruit would be
planted. An annual crop is in
variably possibility only, and
should failure or part failure, be
the reward Of a years toll, dis
enlargement is necessary the Sc
quel, then its either "give up
or another year Of try. A
phase worthy of thought is that
one who would devote his time
and energy to the cultivation Of
| vegetables and fruit would not
require one hundred acres OF
| land, four Missouri mules and an
"advance" at eight per cent. to
ten per cent. The average veg
etable crop is about a three or
| four months proposition, and
should fate decree one failure,
two or three other trials are pos
sible before the twelve months
are through.
But Mr.. Farmer cannot make
this venture unless he can be
promised his efforts will be re-
warded; unless he can dispose OF
his products its going to be
another failure. The reason why
he has planted the annual crops
cane, corn, rice and cotton is be-
cause he knows these crops are
marketable. The reason why he
is dissatisfied after these crops
are planted, raised, and sold is
because his whole years effor;
has availed him nothing (his crop
is LOST or because the market
price did not justify the outlay
of money, time and energy. This
problem is constant menace to
"happy thoughts" and a depict
| ed pocket book.
With three to four opportun-
tiles to dispose annually Of that
which he can raise and will raise
(the weather permitting), he
naturally looks forward to bet
ter times, and so can our mer
chants and others who depend
on him.
So, now Mr.. Moneyman think
this over. You can do some
thing for your town by giving us
a cannery. We don't need a
large one-just large enough to
encourage the farmers to dc
something else besides planting
a crop or crops which have such
a big "May Be" mixed up with
their harvest and price. The
venture is not the price Of a re
finery, nor rice mill. A much
smaller amount, | am informed
authoritatively, will build Q
cannery that would be all We
would need, for the time being
anyway.
| Should one be built here within
the next few months We may ex
pect revival of business, other
wise what are we to depend
for a continuance Of our prosper
| ity? The boil weevil is with oul
cotton for good it seems; cane
cannot be raised profitably with
out q protective tariff, it i
claimed; and if it should rair
next year as it did this year, wha
1