Pocahontas star herald., 1915-02-26

NNs w NaH lalHt alihhrA ANN Nhlhl
that they can in the north, an'
many things that they cannot, an,
we can raise from two to three
crops in one year, even tins IA
north. Then, We are blest wItl
the advantage of raising cotton
which the rest of the world cannot
do, but, alas. il has at last proven
a curse, rather than blessing, and
today we are confronted with the
stern fact that the great South IN
facing the most dire calamity that
she has ever had to face since the
civil war. And who is TO blame?
On one in particular, but all in
part. But principally the oondi-
tion Of circumstances. IL is some
times amusing, aud at otner times
redicously provoking to listen to
yentured opinions as to the cause Of
the great stringenoy in the South
caused by the lack Of a normal mar.
ket for the fleecy staple. One can
often see great animals that weigh
about l5O to 200 pounds stalking
around over terra hrma, declaring
that its the present administration
that has caused all this trouble in
south. What could any adminlstra.
tlon or party have TO do with the
wars in Europe? Which has stop
ped the export Of ten million bale
cotton crop IN the South, that she
has no market for, aud substitute
therefor an abundance of all the
foodstuffs and feedstuiTs and stock
Of all kinds that she so much stands
in need of just now.
Il any party or administration
could have had the ability to do
these things or change the condi
tions as they exist, then there
would he some reason to make such
accusations. But il would be Just
$ reason able to demand that one
man would take TIN pail and emp
ty the Atlantic ocean. We had,
left over from last year, 4 or
million bales Of cotton, and will
have about 10 million bales this
crop: American spinners will
possibly use Z or 8 million bales
and other countries will use 3 to
million bales; so it now looks as
though we will have 10 million
bales TO carry over to next year,
possibly enough for next years
consumption, provided the war con-
tinues and the U. ). does not
greatly increase her spindles, which
she ought to do. Ibis is about the
situation today. Now, what Is the
remedy? It's this: Reduce the
cotton acreage so per cent at least,
and Le sure to raise all your sup.
plies at home and save the money
that you have been spending tor
supplies, and then you will have
what money you may get out OF
your cotton and other crops, 10
liquidate debts already contracted,
and buy such groceries as you con.
not produce at home. / put my.
self TO some trouble several wears
ago, when | was discussing the
problem of diversifcation, to get
up the statistics as to the amount OF
money spent annually by the people
of the cotton states, for the pro-
ducts that they should and can
raise at home, and the investigation
revealed the. startling fact that it
took from one half to a million dol
lars TO each county in the cotton
belt, TO buy the food, feed, stock
etc. that they can and should pro-
duce at home.
Now lets figure little; we have
about ten cotton states with approIi-
mately s25 counties, at an average
of three-forths of a million dollars
per county, we have the enormous
sum of S67s, $50, 900. With this
great amount of produce raised at
home and the money that goes out
Of the cotton states, to buy these
supplies, saved to the people, they
could live in luxury and add great
| =, IN thar hopL onr,,.t ....,lI..