The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-06-05
CONDITIONS in south
w, 4, THOMPSON VISITS SOUTH
MUCH DEVELOPMENT NOTED
CROP CONDITIONS.

That there are not quite SO many
soldiers in the south in proportion to
the population as there are in the
north. is the observation of w. |.
Thompson on his return from eastern
Arkansas, but the Liberty loan is
meeting with a more ready popular
absorption. Business conditions are
normal. he stated this morning. Cot
ton, the most important crop Is
somewhat below the average, and
railways are giving somewhat the
preference to transportation of lum-
Der, grains and motor driven machin-
cry.
Mr.. Thompson was gone from
Madison about twelve days, spending
eight days in Desha county, where he
has numbering interests, returning
home yesterday morning. He found
the weather warm, almost semitrop-
ical, he describes it. and expressed a
relief to return to a place where
there are breezes and stimulation of
cold fresh air. The season there is
complained of as being late, and
crops are retarded.
Cotton, the main crop of the east
ern part of the state is described as
being poor. Corn is later than
usual, and is never what industrious
.northerners would call a good yield.
running as high as 35 bushels to the
acre. The stalks grow in the warmth
and moisture, without the heat and
dry necessary to ripen or develop 1t,
and Just grows and grows. running
almost wholly to stalk. Alfalfa
Yields tremendous crops there, but
from the great rainfall of nearly 80
inches in a year, it is difficult to cure
or keep. or this crop they often har-
vest four and five cuttings a year.
Fruit yields well and the yearly crop
is very dependable. Strawberries are
about out of season now, and green
peas are becoming too hard for table
use.
The grain crops look well in Okla
homa. Mr.. Thompson says, poorer in
Kansas, and very disappointing in
Nebraska. Little snow and lack oil
moisture at the critical time OF
sprouting is given as the cause. His
route home was across the central
portion OF those states. and he had a
good opportunity to see their croT
resources. ~Coffeyville, Kan. always
in the way If there is anything stir
ring. he had left but six hours wher
the great cyclone swept that part o.
the country, killing and destroying
In speaking OF the timber lands II
which he has interests. Mr.. Thomp
son said that it Is on the Mississippi
bottom, and is of hardwood. Th'
mill operators buy the stumpage o
the n and cooperate with thu
railway companies in constructing
tramways to the logging camps. thu
railways furnishing the rails on
basis of rental or interest return 70
use. The land, once cleared of tn
standing timber, is cleaned of under
growth, and turned to farming. TIL
cotton is planted right among tn
stumps and when the stumps ar
, sufficiently rotted they are grubbeI
out. Land which a few years ag
was worth $40 an acre, in parts col
onized by northern planters, is no'
q worth $3.50 an acre.
One feature of field labor whie
Mr.. Thompson mentioned is tina
> much of the eolored labor Is movin
out for better wages, going to s
Louis, Kansas City and Omaha or o
construction work in various Othe
: places. In many counties In TIA
state, as in others of the south.
black man is not tolerated. The al
, pearance of the cotton fields beal
:, witness of the difference i'm the wa
= the. two races work. In fields EN-
ploying white labor the workmen al
!, scattered over the field, each in b
: own row, but advanced according
!, his strength and ability, men. wome
y and children. Where black labor
e employed they work best in gang
and all remain together. And whe
thus associated they are always sim
ing in chorus or quarreling vehen
emily.
d The south is developing rapid
and conditions are rapidly becomif
q better for the man who wants
n make the south his home, said OF
n informant. The population is almo
d wholly native born. though there a
Y Germans, Scandanavians and Fren'
u represented. The more active al
,f progressive come from the north
east, and 1t is they who are makii
the cities and farms better and mo
productive.