The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-01
Che Southern Planters Opportunity


The Southern Planters Opportunity
tiorull of optimism from southern
boint of view and pregnant with in
spiration for the southern planter
comes the declaration of George NJ.
Rommel, chief of the animal husban-
dry division of the United States de-
Z partment of agriculture, that cattle
nxy be raised and are being raised
ploirre: in Alabama than in any 9th n
to aidy of the entire union.
Z isgs4s assertion was made in report
homitted to the Hor-e "---,~oittee on
4 agriculture quite recently by Mr..
Rommel, and as it pertained exclusive
| ly to questions Of domestic economy it
can by no means be construed as
"sop to Cerberus" or play to gal
leries filled with partisan occupants.
Most emphatically the division chief
west can beef be raised at less than
cents a pound, but in Alabama it is
actually being raised at lower cost.
AS corolary he adds if a northern
feeder is raising beef on the farm he
must get more than cents pound.
If he is fattening it, it is an open gu S.
ton as to how much it is going to
cost. The report concludes with the
deduction that for long period TO
eosne .he south is to be the nations
principal source of cheap beef.
The gift of seeing ourselves as
0thers see us is most precious dona-
fiEe and it is most singular pnenoni-
e1Ion of human nature that our plant
are so tardy in awakening to the
realization of a fact which 'e alwe )
apparent to outside eyes. Again and
again in the last decade has the pres
of the south conveyed to the farmer
the predictions Of students of agricu-
ture and economic problems as to the
0pportunity which was soon to knock
at 9his door, but up to the present hour
q deaf ear has been accorded the press
and the predictions.
The fact that beef cattle are being
Araised in this state at less cost than
elsewhere of course argues that the
Alabama farmer is fully alive to his
possibilities, but that he has not hast
ened to augment those ~~--'' $
and convert his opportunities into a
dominant mercantile proposition pro-
claims his negligence in grasping the
situation.
Beef raising is the chief industry oe
tie most progressive of the South
American republics and out of that in
Il stry Arge tina is building a colossal
.;4iessi fortune.
What is being done in the Argentine
republic may be not only duplicated
but surpassed in Alabama. The eli
mates are similar and the topography J
& the two localities is practically the
Eanfs. In both areas the resources of
eoii and climate combine to render
Them ideal territory for the economic
production of all manner of live stoc.
and especially cattle. Not only is our
state unhampered by the severe, pro-
'onged winters that augment the cost
of rearing and feeding cattl that
must be housed from the rigors of the
eAson in ATTITUDES north of US, but ma
tureSRas been prodigal in endowing III,
comm0pwealth with hundreds of thou
sands of acres Of soil peculiarly adapt
ed to the growing of nutritious grasses
and other forage crops upon which
attle fatten.
These natural circumstances are tn,
It's which have confirmed the opin-
and substantiated the testimony Of
nomic experts as to the profitable
ing of cattle in Alabama particu.
ly and throughout the south gen.
ily-
Ne have been accustomed to accredit
neighbors across the equator with
etlessness and lack of keen acume ],
business sagacity, and yet the Ar
atines have set US a pace which we
ould do well to follow and which it
I require us many years to out
;ance.
vCptton may be king, but every mon
rch must have his courtiers or his
Arone will rest upon unstable foot