The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-10-16


reach them. They knew when TO ex-
pecb 1t. Yet they made very little
preparation In comparison with what
they should and could have made.
But when the boil weevil had entered
the State and starvation stared mon
In the face, the resuonse was immed-
late. Dairy and beef farms sprang
up rapidly. Large areas are being
planted in alfalfa. DiversiEcatiou has
come to have q real meaning for the
Mississippi farmer. 49,.
iis Eneei on Our Economic System.
Changes in the economic system of
e people are wrought with great slow
ness and, under ord nary conditions.
this is as IL should l.e- There Is one
exception. When a hlge crisis aris-
es, situation that threatens the very
economic life OF a great mass, the
barriers fall, men cast aside in one
day the Inherited practices of a CEN
Jury, the conservatives of yesterday
become more radical than those whom
they considered ultraradical, and re-
form which were little more than
ideals are Incorporated lin the normal
lives OF. the people with astonishing
ease and rapidity.
SO 1t is that some of the agricuItu-
raj leaders in South Carolina feel that
the present situation can be worked
into death blow to the absolute DOM
fnation of cotton II they strike while
tne, iron fs hot; And they are plan
ming accordingly. Nor is there any
doubt that men in other Southern
States will recognize the same oppor-
tunity. .,,
The demonstration forces of South
Carolina had already been planning
great campaign of preparation for
the boil weevil, a campaign which
they had determined was to make the
State better prepared for the advance
Oh the destructive pest than has been
any other Southern State. With
more than four years In which to
WORK, they had time for their opera
aons. Just as the campaign was to
be launched In earnest, with the bank
ers and commercial bodice of the
state thoroughly prepared to give nc
i've support and cooperation, the ma
lions OF Europe, sent their millions in
70 the field. commerce was paralyzed
! and the market for cotton tlropped
out OF sight.
Ine work of first Importance is. OF
course, to help the cotton farmer I'm
every way. possible to weather the
storm that Is now brewing. But along
with the relief measures will go fhe
doctrine of diversification, preached
how under conditions which are ideal !,
All Europe is. or will soon be. cry
ing for food. Wheat and oats and
rye and corn, hay, horses, and mules.
and animal products will be in .s,,ch
uemand. according TO experts, that
famine prices will prevail Yet South
carolina, like nearly all of the South.
aas not busbel OF grain. nor bale
=, =. hay' aeF POUND O. meat i:r.:iucts
that IL can sell to the people of Eu-
rope. The Southern farmer does NOT
live at home. The South has not rais-a
ed enough of these things to suppIy
Its own people. aAil that the cotfon
Iarmer has TO sell Is cotton. IL this
SITUATION does not result in revolution
agaloat' q single crop system, there
werid SEEM to be little hone. :.
2; The fanltt OF the South's subjection
70 eetsoa does net lie wholly with lila
farmer, Tho Sdath's entire loan sys-.
tenn has. up to the present, been bas.
ed on this crop. Small farmers had NO
alternative. But now there 90 .
change in. the attitude of bankers and
They 'ftsiize the ruinuus
sheet Of a. policy that forces farmers
70 depend on one crop and they are
seekingAa way to arrange their sysI
tenn so that advances may be made on
rrops other than cotton. This change
was, Wrought about among South Car
olina bankers by the realization or
the nearness OF the cotton boil yyeeyiiJ
and the present situation Is certain to
make them eyeni more earnest In their
Efforts TO doaeperything In reason TO
Dring about "a system OF diversification
II mas been demonstrated that South
carolina can make as much hay to
Inc acre. as any Northern State, that
sne can produce more corn to the acre
tran any state In the Corn Belt, that
ne Bermldas grass pastures are bet;
| ter than the bluegrass and that she
has horticultural possibilities of won
derfpl magnitude. ssass..l 3, & 81.
The farm demonstration forces have
Iaiready begun to. urge farmers to grow
oats and wheat, to establish hog
plnnts, to devote more. attention TO
poultry and to plant vegetable gar
dens' large enough to supply the tahIe
lthrosgli the winter. -.
There Will befnoS let mp In the
IpreachiHg OF diyersification and the
! lesson that Is now being taught tina
-lsingle crop farmer viii be driven.
home with all the emphasis posaibIe.
II Hence'Fft is possible ana probable.
that out, OF the situation which at ff1is
writing appears very dark there must
come a new order OF things whicb'
VIII compensate the farmer many
times over for any loss he may sufFer
now. no matter how great the loss
4 may be.
These clouds. too. have their silver
Innings The crisis furnishes ar, on;
i lportupity which Is glorious and won
defful in its magnitude. Out os the
adarkness OF this night of depression