The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-11-14
COTTON SITUATION IN soIIrrj
European War Interferes Wiz.
and Shipment Of PRINCIPAL c,. 'ss
of Southern States

Our Southern friends hav.
pretty badly hit by the war in r., oeea
Their principal crop is cotton az oN
larger portion of it must no 'ae
abroad. The present war ir,o. 'O'cl
with sales of cotton to all tbo NJ
pean countries except Enp,ana NJ
GUM and France, and increases
nigh rates of freight and inspr,n,. ~
shipping to them.
The South has labored undo,
great difficulties II has here,O,a
been too much Of one-crop COUNT
and. Furthermore, the great ros-
OF the cotton growers have ~
Obliged TO contract their cotton NJ
II was grown. Had it not been %.
action OF the government the
tractors would not have been in
sition TO fill their contracts
Ten years ago or more. tho o,,.
OF this paper made an address :.
houston. Tex. when they were IN -
ror OF the boil weevil, says Wan...
Farmer. We told then-and II rs
very unWelcome truth-that the hon
weeyil was a blessing in disguise .sa
that 1t would force them IN ch..
their methods. to grow early vario,'.'
OF cotton. give the crop better c.,.
and cultivation. and thus so To sro,.
get II out of the way OF the boil waov,,
This was unwelcome truth then. ~.
we have since had many assurance.
from the South that they now realm.
that 1t was indeed a truth u -.
present difficulties in marketing ,h.,.
cotton lead farmers to place less A.
pendence upon cotton. and turn thsi,
attention to other things, this ton
Will be a blessing in disguise.
III Southern farmers will turn thai,
attention to growing the grasses tb,,
are adapted to that country, and IN
the growing of live stock. Thus All
versifying their industries, they wild
not only do very good thing for them
selves, but a good thing for the cours
try at large. There is no reason whv
at least north of the line Of the tick
Southern farmers should not grow liys
stock. either cattle or hogs, at a great
profit. AS the tick belt has been grad.
ually reduced through the efforts a,
the government, there Is no reason
why the South should not be one AZ
the greatest cattle countries Of the en-.
tire world.
We realize the difficulties peculiar
to all sections that have not grown
cattle: The farmers themselves need
to be educated to cattle growing. This
Is a slow process, as all educational
processes are. Our object now Is to
turn the attention of our Southern
friends in that direction. knowing tina,
with their usual energy and ability
they will solve the problem II they
once determine to do so.
There Is now a chance for Southern
manufacturers, whether natives or
from the North, to increase their man
ufactures of cotton. There is no req
son why we should be in such posi-
ton that foreign war should breai
up our business. We should MANI
facture three-fourtbs of our cotton i,
this country. 1t would be hard on o.
European manufacturers. but 1t is
Ter to bring European manufacture
into this country. with their skill az
ability. than it Is to transport cottol
to foreign countries under presen
conditions. The United States is com
PEELED by this war to put herself Il
such a position as to be entirely indie
pendent of foreign countries. This 4
manifest destiny; and the sooner vi
set our minds to working out thi
problem in all its phases the better l
will be for us and for the world q
large