The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-09-10
CHEER UP.

About this date last year there was prac-
Lically no cotton market; no cotton exchangesi
operation to quote a price on cotton; the
exchanges in New York, London and
Paris were closed and the business world
was cropping IN the dark: indications Were
that little or no cotton could be exported
and there was every reasonable certainty of
a bumper crop; panic seized the public mind,
and dashed it into frenzied despair; the South
was destined to suffer greater financial loss
by reason of the war in Europe than any
other section of the United States, because
they had just produced one of the largest
cotton crops in history and at possibly the
greatest cost of any crop ever raised, and It
was expected before the war commenced
that it would sell for twelve to fifteen cents
per pound basis middling, and unfortunately
but little food crops were produced. Much
of this cotton was sold in Greenwood at
6 IL cents per pound, some at higher fig
iures, but little above eight cents; few OF
the cotton raisers had anything left, many
were in debt, there was no silver lining Wis
ible-there was not even a rind left to the
ringers" watermelon.
Everybody had a theory for the relief of
the South, the BUY a bale at 10 cents the
pound was the hobby that was rode the
hardest, every cotton exchange and COM
'mercial organization in the country APP
: UOllI0u a SOlllllllCCSS dllu WOlhOu ny q W.
of eagle screaming literature upon the sub
ject in their effort to induce the charitably
inclined to invest in ten cent cotton to help
the needy and thereby reduce the surplus
and prevent the throwing Of the entire crop
on the market as fast as ginned. None OF
the suggested plans succeeded in accom-
plishing the desired object, the cotton was
sacrificed and the farmer crucified. The
farmer, however, learned something,
whether the learning impressed itself IN
delibly or not, remains to be seen. What ne
!, learned and did this year was to raise this
crop Of cotton cheaper than any crop pro-
duced probably for several decades. 1t was
partially forced upon him because he was
: unable to borrow much money. Through
' various agencies and influences he was I'M
pressed with the absolute necessity OF oil
versifying, resulting in the production O
more food crops in Mississippi this year thar
a ever before. Therefore the occasion for u
to Cheer Up, for while the CROP, is shor
n there is every indication that 1t VIII BRING
good price, if everybody will only marke
d the crop as necessity demands, and not rus]
It it to market, creating an impression that tn
crop is larger than it really is, viz: abou
II, 0OO, 900 bales. On account of the goo
e crops Of corn, hay, oats and increased pro
duction of live stock it is believed that tn
= necessity does not exist for rushing the GRO
r to market, and for this and other reason
|. cotton should bring twelve cents basis mic
ding before the present season is over;
so, It will result in placing the producer l
a very much improved financial condition
and everybody will have good reason
Cheer Up.
If If the lesson of diversified farming an
the necessity Of raising sufficient food croE
!. shall have taken deep enough root in tn
c. minds of our people to prevent their retur
is to the one-crop (cotton) idea, and they WI
adopt the slogan ''Feed myself first" the
raise as much cotton as you can, our Poop
I'd will be blessed with the greatest era {
prosperity in our history.
MISsIsSIPPI OATS WHEAT HAY.