The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-30

WtI6 dJldCu6u. Inc Dduu, play
ing a number of lively airs, came next
and was followed by the experiment
station float on which was shown a
bale of cotton and select cotton seed
produced on the institute experiment
plat. The process of ginning and
grading cotton was exhibited while
the parade moved; and, at the same
time, quantities of homemade ferti
lizer composed of leaves, swamp
muck, pine straw, barnyard manure,
ETC., were mixed in the presence of
the beholders.
On the orchard float were shown
tree planter, and young men pruning
and spraying fruit trees; while the
truck garden showed a variety of veg
etables indicated how they are pre-
pared for market and exhibited the
method of selling them from a wagon.
Other floats showed a dairy and
creamery, a poultry, piggery and
meat house; from the canning fac.
tory; horses and mules; cotton and
corn; individual floats; the new and
the old-rural church, ETC.; the rural
school; hospital aid-children' S
house.
Slowly the long line passed from
the starting point to Carnegie Ii
brary, where a monster reviewing
stand had been erected for the spec
ial guests. The spectacle was impos-
ing, but eloquent in its showings of
what can be done on the farm
through intelligent efforts.
At last the long procession reached
the chapel where, at II o'clock, the
session began.
Cause of Hard Times.
The chapel was packed. Prominent
educators, white and colored, had
seats on the platform. Around the
walls were number of charts show
ing some of the causes of the present
hard times, the main one being that
too much cotton and too little corn
are produced. For instance, it was
sown that Negroes grow $4,000, 900
wnrth of cotton and only $161 900, 900
WONT of all other farm products COM
bined, a ratio of one dollars wrth
of cotton for every forty-five cents
firth of all other farm products.
The charts showed in detail the
value of all farm products grown in
varionus states y Negro farmers for
every dollars worth of cotton. To
give but few examples-The Ar
Kansas colored farmer grows 80
cents worth of all other crops for
every dollars worth of cotton he pro-
duces; in Georgia, the colored man
produces 40 cents worth of other
crops for his dollars worth of cotton ;
Louisiana, So cents worth; and in Ala
anna, 62 cents worth.
The meeting was opened by a song
and prayer, after which Dr. Booker
T. Washington, delivered his annual
address. He said in part:
!. Notwithstanding the strenuous fl
nancial experiences through which
most farmers of this section are pass
ing, am glad to note many evidences
of continued progress on your part.
First of all, the farmers parade in
which you took part this morning is
evidence of a higher character that
the Negro farmers are not discour-
ages that the are learning to produce
that on their farms which is making
them Independent and more useful.
One of the weights that our people
should throw off is the habit of car.
rying pistols, of keeping pistols on
the body and in the home. know
many colored people who spend more
on a pistol every year than they dc
on the education of their children
The pisotl, In nine cases out of ten
not only does not protect the individ
ual, but it leads him to trouble. One
of the weights, then, that we can
throw off first is the expense of buy
ing and keeping the use of a pistol
will lead us into.
Another weight which our race
is getting altogether too fast, espe
cially this year, of stealing-pilfer
ing. Perhaps there has never been g
: season when there have been 81
: many cases reported in town ant
country districts of people attempt
ing to steal or pilfer. am aware o
the fact that this, y no means, is con
fined to the Negro race. The same
charges are eing brought agains
white people, but the doing of wronl
$ on the part of white people does no
{ help our people, an dI am talking jus
+ now especially to the Negro.
Don't Go in Blind Tigers.
Still another thing that we cal
throw off is that of supporting ant
D. patronizing blind tigers" There ar,
L not few petty officers of the Law
> who make their living by arrestini
/ colored people who are changed will
:, patronizing the 'tblind tiger" Let u
throw off that weight ana whereve
+ the law prohibits the selling or buy
9 ing of whiskey, let us comply witt
the law at any cost.
Still another weight that we CA
l. throw off is the habit, in too many o
l. our country and farming districts, o
8 gambling. Gambling leads to los
'f of time, to loss of money, to a los
II Of character and in many cases,
3 leads to murder and finally to tn
A. prison and often to the gallows
IS Gambling, then, is a weight whicl
It we should get rid of in every farm
t1aar fofr iak