The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-11-08


/ he SAID, Governor Patterson, was
surprised to be asked to lead in
prayer, but since your jokes can see
the occasion therefor" Ny friend
MIR. Fitlhurh, made remarks on the
ladies being here congratulate you
on that, | am convinced that any
man who hasn't had the enobling in
I fueuce Of sister, wife or sweet.
heart, is the subject of commisera.
tion.
The development of the community
/ In my remarks | shall use the words
business man" instead of travelling
man. This audience is composed of
both, 1t is fact. believe, that the
source Of all wealth lies in the soil
/ Ii is up 10 you to conserve those prin-
ciples which have been found to make
the soil more productive. 1t is not
a new thought with us in Memphis
because in the early sixties Abraham
Lincoln said that any nation who has
learned to take care Of herself at
home, that they could fight with tri-
bulation abroad. George Washington
was a farmer. The book of Genesis,
first chapter, twenty-eight verse, asks,
How shall we replenish the earth ?"
So that with the Bible, George Wash
ington and Abraham Lincoln, | be-
ieye there is justification for any man
to give this matter his attention,
/ Whether you are for or against
/ Germany, you must give them credit
for not having a gun fired on the Ger
man soil In the early sixties the
government told these farmers that
they would have to farm their lands
so as to protect the country, They
could do that, but in this country we
must convince the people Of the fact.
In our investigation, we found that
no country is permanently prosper
I Gus unless the farmers are prosper
Gus. We found, for instance, that
bank deposits are eight times those
Of Mississippi in Iowa, and more than
twice those Of Mississippi and Tennes-
see combined Those people have
put these principles of diversified
ton practical use, which is something
we must do and are doing in certain
| places. The last report of the gov
ernment showed an average yield of
one hundred and fifty-three pounds
of cotton per acre. That is the gov
ernment official production If cotton
this year. We found the Federal
| government is doing wonderful
work, and the state is doing a work
in cooperation Herewith.
In this state we found the Agricul-
tural College and DR.. Lloyd doing a
wonderful work along this line. At
StoueviIle they invite the people to
come there, it is their station, to find
what can be done in this Delta section.
My suggestion is that each Of you
travelling men familiarize yourself
! with what is being done at Stoneville,
and encourage the farmers and bust
ness men, your customers, to go to
the station to see what has been done.
Get up excursions. In Tennessee in
1914 we had farmers and bankers
conference A Mr., Hall said, "What
can | do to help this movement
along?" lie was told to get up an ex-
cursion to go to A. and M. College,
He said they did not want to go; but
he went with them and two hundred
went on the excursion, in automobiles.
They went to Starkville, these people
who had just voted against tick eradi-
cation, and they said 1--WE are going
home to vote for good roads and tick
eradication" You travelling men can
get these men to go to A. and M. and
see how they can raise as much cot
ton as before they had the boil weevil.
/ use the word diversified, whereas It
has been used too generally, and we
use safe and profitable" to mean the
same thing. The banker, and / am
glad to see in most counties there is
one banker to take the initiative; and
4 that is where the personal equation
comes in. | found over here in central
! Mississippi that certain bankers pre-
pared certain seeds, clovers, ETC., and
they are selling to the farmers on long
time And they have baby beef clubs.
And the merchant has got to learn
to buy from his customers those
things they have got to sell. / have
in mind farmer in Alcorn County
who has a contract with hotel con-
cern in Memphis to buy their produce
eggs, etc; and this hotel man tells me
that they mail them every week a
check for at least three hundred dol,
lars And they have learned how to
prepare these things for market, and
to candle eggs. All this money is
spent right in the store. If the farm.
er finds in the country that he cannot
/ get a square deal from his merchant
and he will hear about these mail or,
der houses he will go to them. That