The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-01-08

Texas. 1t rs so pertinent to the
problem today confronting the
South that we reprint it in full
with no comment except that in
our opinion there's a lot of sound
"hol Sc sense" III it:
THE LETTER.
We are not in the cotton bust
ness, but we know enough to say
that an article or a commodity, is
only worth what it will bring
when it is offered for sale. If 8.
cents per pound, or even I cents
per pound, is all that a flrmer
can pet for cotton, then that is all
cotton is worth. regardless OF
what it costs to raise it.
1t is said that a farmer cannot
raise cotton at less than 10 cents
per pound, yet a great many thou
sand farmers got rich or, at least
independent, raising it at Z cents
per round, and that WIS when
everything else that he raised was
sod at a very much lower figure
than is ruling to-day. Besides
thi, he didn't get 800 per bale
for Sc d as he gets tod ~.
We give the following compar-
iso"s:
He buys a hoe for 50 cents that
used to cost IS cents.
II? buys a file at IS cents that
used to cost 35 cents.
He buys a single tree at 35
cents that used TO cost 80 cents.
He buys a sweep at s cents that
used to cost Is cent per pound.
He buys a plIer at IS cents that
used TO cost $500.
He buys nails at 4 cents that
Il ed 10 cost 5 cents per pound.
He buys wire at 3l-2 cents that
used to cost 10 cents per pound.
He buys names at so cents that
USED to cost Is cents.
He buys traces at as cents that
used to cost Is cents.
He pays 60 cents for picking
where he used to pay 500.
He borrows money at 8 per
cent. to 10 per cent. where he
used to pay Il per cent. and Is
per cent.
He sells wheat at $l.00 that
used to bring 60 cents.
He sells oats at SO cents that
used to bring IS cents.
He sells corn at Is cents that
used to bring Is cents.
He sells hay at $l4.OO that used
to bring $500.
He sells turkeys at 1925 and
sometimes $500 that used to
bring 60 cents to Is cents.
He sells chickens at $3.50 that
used to Sell at $l.25 to $3.50 per
dozen.
He sells a horse at $4,000 to
$225.00 that used to sell from
5000 to $4,000.
When he was confronted with
the above conditions he bought
land on time, cleared it, fenced it,
and soon paid for it, raising cot
ton at 7 cents per pound. But If,
indeed, he is making less profit
this year than formerly, the same
condition is true with you, and
with US, and with the business
world at large. He ought not to
put himself in the attitude of a
mendicant or, as the Indian, a
a ward of the Government. He
ought to be a good sport. He
ought to take his losses just as
manfully and as gracefully as the
rest of US are doing.
While the above figures are not
absolutely correct, nevertheless,
they are accurate enough to DEM
onstrate that the farmer is get
ting the best Of the situation and
is enjoying life while the balance
of US are sweating blood. The
retail merchant owes it to him
self, to his Jobber and to his bank
to insist on the farmers selling, at
least, a part of their cotton. A
m n has an unquestioned right to
speculate on his own money, but
he has no right to speculate on
the other fellows money. The
farmer has a right to hold his cot
ton till doomsday if he does not
owe anything; but he has no right