Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-03-24
GROW MORE FEED
AND F0OD,' SAYS
c. s. BARRETT
President of Farmers Un-
ion Warns Against
One Crop Policy.
COTTON PRICES
SURE TO DECLINE
Rene nber the Lesson OF 1911, When
There Was Plenty Of L0w.Priced
Cotton, but Scant Rations
Oh the Farm.

GAS long as we keep on raising
nothing but cotton and paying out
cotton money for food and forage and
c]othipg. instead OF making the farm
furnish a living, the farmer never is
Going to get anywhere, and the most
If the time he'll be in debt" declares
Charles S. Barrett of Union City, Ga,
president of the Farmers union in
an appeal to the farmers of the South
to avoid disaster this year by cur
failing the cotton acreage and increas-
ing the average devoted to food and
feed. MI Barrett, practical farmer
that he is. points -Out some Things
that haven't been emphasized spe-
officially by other speakers and writ
ers. He says:
Why Farmer Fails.
"The other day l read report that
there are $4,000 farms in Texas which
have no cows, $4,000 which haze no
pigs, $4,000 without poultry, 306 farms
that do not grow a pound of hay and
$4,000 that raise no sweet potatoes,
This statement is more than surpris-
ing; it is appalling. If these are con-
ditons in Texas, one of the greatest
of farming states, they exist to as
great or greater degree in the other
cotton growing states of the South"
There is the seat of our trouble
here in the South" says Mr. Barrett
TOO many of us are continuing to
concentrate on one product alone
cotton. AS long as we keep on rails
ing nothing but cotton and paying out
cotton money for forage and food and
clothing, instead of making the farm
furnish living, the farmer never is
going to get anywhere and the most
of the time. he'll be in debtv
Right at this time especially" says
Mr. Barrett, Il want to caution you
and warn you against an all-cotton
crop this year. AS sure as you con-
tinue to devote your attention wholly
to cotton this year, you are going to
come out at the little end of the horn
There is no lodging it. You all re-
member what happened in 1914 when
the European war began. You re-
member how it frightened you, how it
distressed you, how it left you with
scant rations because you failed to
make your food at home and had moth
ing but low-priced cotton-not enough
to pay your debts.
If you don't look out the same sort
of thing is going to happen again. A
big cotton crop this year is going to
spell the same sort of a disaster for
you that you experienced in 1914, if |
not worse. The price is down now,
and it is staying down. Just you plant
big crop and you'll see it tumble
lower still. Some millions of bales |
of last years crop are still being held |
because Of present prices. Suppose
you should add another big crop toll
this stock on hand; you know very
we'll what would happen, and if you
don't look out it will happen.
Success Out of Failure.
After the disaster of 1914 farmers
OF the South planted more forage and
1000 crops than ever before, and they
began to raise more COWS and pigs.
Those who were fortunate enough to
90 that know how we'll they profited
by it; know that even with the bet
ter price for cotton they would have
had hard time if they hadn't done it.
The European war is not over;
there is no telling when it will end
1t may go on for several years. Ger
talnly it will not end this year, and
PROBABLY not next. The German, AUS
ifian and Russian markets are closed
''Sht against your cotton; the worlds
consumption is reduced by several mil
non bales. How can you hops for
higher prices if you make big crop?t
1t is out of the question.
But if you will go ahead and make
your own living at home, make some
1000 products to sell-for the world
mas got to eat-you will come out all
iisht, no matter what happens to cot
TON. Not only that, but with the
shorter crop you will get your own
price for it, or at least come nearer
10 1t than you have ever done before.
Every one, OF those $4,000 farms,
nose 124,00G farms, those $4,000
arms, in Texas, should not only have
oWs and pigs and poultry, but they
mould grow their own grain and for
lse and garden truck, instead of pay
ng two prices for it in cheap cotton,
MS applies equally to conditions IN
very cotton state In the South, to
very farmer who grows cotton at all.
This is absolutely the only road to
arm independence, to your independ- +,
nee You had better take it now. If 8
'ou disregard this injunction and
,iant cotton, cotton, cotton, until !
mere is nothing else on your place, !.
ct 1t down right now that when har- !.
est time comes you are going to be
wearing the same long face you wore
J the fall of 1914. 1t will be as bad, 8
not worse q
IF I knew how to make the picture q
ny slo0mier, / would do it, and then q
lot depart IN smallest degree from the I
ruth. You can avoid it by cutting
own Your cotton acreage and making n
our own living on the farm. II you
ont do it, you are going to suffer
hcra is no escape from it, t
Two thousand panes OF glass were
'sattered and serious damage result n