New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1914-01-24
SOME SOUTHWESTERN REFLEC-
TIONS.

Last week these reflections were de-
voted mainly to the interests that need
to be developed by cooperation efforts
among all loyal Southwest Louisianians.
Some one interjected the query: What
about the business man"
Several answers might be given but
probably it is sufficient to say that the
business man in an agricultural State
who dose'nt understand thoroughly that
his success depends upon the prosperity
of the farmer, isn't going to be busi-
ness man so as to hurt anybody-excepr
his creditors-very long.
"But" says the merchant, II don't see
where l shall reap any benefit from mem
bership in the Southwest Louisiana De-
velopment Bureau. 1t looks like throw
ing money away" That's because you
haven't taken the time to think serious
ly over the question. So many people
are roaming over the country trying to
separate the man from his money that
you have probably conceived the notion
that this also is scheme of some Come
On" man.
You're wrong, brother. We are here
to help you, Mr.. Merchant you Mr..
Now? Give US your attention for a mo-
ment. Only about twenty-five per cent
of Southwest Louisiana lands are under
cultivation. There are less than twenty
thousands farms in the entire district.
Whose is the money that buys what you
have TO sell? The Farmers. From
whence comes the money that supplies
the deposits that spell prosperity for
your bank1 From the Farmers.
Are you getting any deposits from or
selling any goods to, the seventy-fv
per cent of Southwest Louisiana lands
that lie idle Not dollar. Wouldn't
it be a paying investment to put this
seventy-five per cent of land to work
producing money making crops? Wouldn't
il pay you to spend some money to in
crease the annual cash receipts of this
section by just three times what they
are today2
How will this be done? Only today
replying to inquiries about Louisiana
lands, coming from home seekers and
land buyers from Canada to the Canal
Zone. Does that fact have any bearing
upon increasing the money production
OF southwest Louisiana.
But that is not the most important
thing. Twenty-Five per cent of your
lands are in active cultivation. That
twenty-five per cent Of your lands are in
active cultivation. That twenty-five per
cent is producing less than one-half
what it ought to produce. Young Ward
law, of Red River Parish, produced over |
one hundred and twenty bushels of corn
on one acre of land last year. What
did your farmer customers produce per
acre? "Of course Wardlaw's produc-
tion was exceptional" you say. So it
was, but number of members of the Boys
corn Clubs produced fifty, seventyfv
and one hundred bushels per acre. Did
the farmers who buy bacon and canned
goods out Of your store, borrowing mon
ey ut of your banks to do it with,
realize any such fields? Wouldn't it be
money in your pockets if they should
do so3
Then join the Bureau and let's all put
our brains, energy and money behind
these farmers and help them to double
the quantity and improve the quantity
of their production. This is being done
in all the progressive section of the world
today.
You have faced this problem twenty,
thirty, perhaps fifty years and you
haven't accomplished any improvement
vet. Indeed your lands produce now
less than they did twenty years ago. Arc
you willin to continue thus? The South
west Louisiana Development Bureau can
help you if you will cooperate with it.
How? Well that imust be the subject
of another story In the mean time,
take out membership in the great or
ganization which, if properly supported,
is going to make this country what it
ought to become.