Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-10-08

cotton belt e sweeps tho oognSo4
toll from the masses into ~ g.
Of the few. Some ysars go ~ G.
missioner Of agricultpfo Of a.
after careful inquiry Of several u
dred. found that the avsraoo -
charged the farmers for sxteaGooo
credit from April and Nay 70 0ooo
and November was 81 PER cenA
annum over and above the cash r
Wives and children we're compoo0o
work in the heat and cold fro0
uary until December 70 pay the ~
cent. credit profits. Divsrsi0eaeooU
crops will abolish the credit systooA
We are sending millions Of -
to other sections Of the country ~
year to pay for pork products. -
horses and other farm produote.
versincation Of crops will keep
money at homo. our banks will -
be full to overflowing and the raeo {
interest lowered to say 8 pr oeot. y
cause Of the abundance of - n
Then We viii havs the neeeooo(
money to pay good teachers bottse e.
aries to teach longer terms. - -!
comfortable homes and good soooD
and properly equip our farine.
liberalization 10 the only ro0oo
for low.pricsd cotton. Theso = -
sane man who does net know ~ -
will get more money for 13eo0eOU
than We will for $1,000 900 bo1oo. -
history Of the past - ysass = pgoce
positive Of this statemsaG We q
know that large crops Of e0e1oo 80
. low price and that low Deloo -
cotton means poverty and wrseo1oo
ness all over the cotton belt. Thlo ~
ing true. why will our farmers -
their wives and children toll u ~
heat and cold In large cotton 0eo1n -
grow large CROPS Of cheap ootteo -
pay for high price corn. oats, booo0
lard. mules and other farm peo1oeoD
with the profits Of several middle nons
supply merchants and railroads oo1o4t
The growing Of every farm pro0ooo
necessary for homo use will curtal1 ~
production Of cotton. raise the pgeoo
to at least IL cents per pound go
enable 10 to use the money obtolno0
for cotton to build good roads. 0aOs
nihcent homes. churches and oehooo'
houses and MI our banks to ovee0ows
.ng. Life on the farm will thea -
free. unfettered by the bands Of pronn-
issory obligations and our positiea n
the world made conspicuoua by thaE
independence which the farmer alooo
can enjoy In the fullest signi0eaneo
Of the term.
Every farmer should raise hie oWD
farm.work stock. II 10 true that MI.
lions are sent out Of the cotton booe
each year for mules and horses, bu1
this is not the main reason why youP
attention 10 called to this subjeM -
this time. Probably one 0f tho two
chief causes Of poverty In The eottoo
belt 10 the one-horse plow. The sDan
mule and turning plow 10 guarontoo
Of shallow soil devoid Of vegetaooA
matter. A shallow soil devoid Of voG.
etable matter means small cropo an0
poor farmers.
Farmers who buy their work ttoeb
never have enough for the ecooomr
ical production Of crops. We have
about one.fourth the horse power
and earn about one-fourth ~ much
money as farmers In some other 49,
tions Of the country.
Farmers who buy feed stuifs 70 fesd
plow teams never raise suflicient farm
work stock to supply their needs. We
buy feed stun and this 10 the main
reason why we have about ons-tourtb
as many horses and mules - farm
ers In other sections Of the country.
We can save the millions Of dollars
paid out for mules and horses each
year and bring In millions from The
sale Of mules and horses. but great,
er profit will come from securing IN
this way suficient work stock fos
economical crop production.