The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-23
MRS. MATHIS POINTS NEXT GREAT DUTY OF. ALABAMA FARMER Has Increased Crop Values From Sl52,OOO,OO to $5OO,-
 OO0,000 for Year OWNING OF HOMES
 STATES SALVATION Says Now While hte People Are Making Money Is the Best Time
 to Invest in a Home
 for the Future

| AOA tAN 0tu1N
 Mrs. c. II. Mathis yesterday pointed out Alabama's next great duty in in creasing the crops.
 | She showed that for 1917 Alabama has increased the value of her agricultural products from $152 000 900 to $500, ,0o0 900, and
 added that the government now wants l the latter figure doubled for next year. 1 She said:
 1 ''The first great problem in Alabama for ] solution since 1914 has been the food prob
 lem, and the way the people have worked
 at that certainly should gratify every 1 citizen.
 Many people in the state were alrea dy l doing a great constructive work along
 that line, but as the crop subject was SC
 largely credit subject, the solution had
 to come along the line of credit in addi- 1 tion to advice
 l "The bankers of the state had to be re- | lied upon to furnish the new and differ- ent class of credit. Very naturally they | hesitated to venture into an unknown | risk, and a closing down on uncertain
 credit was to them necessity. However
 much we may disguise the subject, the 1 fact remains that the farmer is not al I ways a good credit risk, and his judg-
 ment on untried ventures is as liable to l go wrong as any other mans. But when it goes wrong what is the l bank to do? There was a necessary 1 slowing down of credit in the transi- tional stage, but happily the try-out has | been made and great success attained. T .sA. Il. ,,s,I i of the effort.
 ITO the credit extended by the banks, backed by private advice, and the con tinuous public lecture work that they have made possible for me to do, and the unceasing heip of every newspaper. added to the great and good work of the state department of agriculture, and the United States demonstration work, and city and town effort we have raised Alabama crops this year from $152 00o,0o0 to $500, 100000. Let us all rejoice together. Like one big family, we have all none our part, and demonstrated the fact that a great state can change It's agricultural system quickly and successfully, and everybody be benefited. There is glory enough for everybody.
 NEXT GREAT PROBLEM Our next great problem is to double
 the $500, 0C0 crop. That is what the united states wants us to QO In lJlo. Can we come it?
 '"The first thing that looms up is now will we do it? We will have more money with which to help ourselves, and we must plan right now to spread out more and cultivate more land. Labor is going to be scarce, so we must use more ma chinery. Farmers better get together now and plan for better methods and the use of more tractors and other labor saw ipo i,,,p1 tG Wa on in heavy
 on peanuts and soy beans where boil weevils are bad. Better get seed now. Oil mills are paying good prices for cot
 ton seed peanuts, and soy beans, and they will take all we can grow. Let's drive heavy on those things next year and not quite so heavy on potatoes and
 sorghum.
 "Wheat should be planted now, and everybody get some in. The banks must help us with credit in broad way next year, and help us to come up to our full
 measure of duty. Money and advice they must give every farmer who IS worthy and needs their help. The public lecture work that I have done has ac- complshed abundantly that which the banks and I had designed, and it's edu- cational and cooperative benefits havd become a reality in the stabilizing Of confidence and credit; therefore it can be considered as finished work, at least for the present. It has been an effort to meet an emergency.
 HELP SMALL LAND OWNER
 One of our next great problems is the small land owner problem. Too many people don't care to own homes of their own, but are satisfied to rent and roam from year to year, gathering no homa attachments and less patriotism. Home
 is the great bullwark of civilization. War, pestilence, famine and tenantry are the four great destructive forces that have wrecked nations in the past, and we can not hope to escape if we neglect so great a self evident fact of history.
 ''The masses of the laboring classes of people are receiving better wages now than ever before, and are better paid ln the United States than in any nation on earth, and there Is an abundance or land, why should not every man own little home? People have an Idea II takes large farms to make living, but that is mistake A good living can be made on seven acres of land for con siderable family. The reason farmeri fail is because they don't make the land work but half the year. and they don't work but half. In this climate land and man can both work every day in the year. Every laboring man should be buying a home against the day of old age, or misfortune
 If the laboring people could be ln- duced to spend their money in way to give permanent comfort to them and their families they would be better sat- isfied and the county be benefited. Many iaboring men in plants and mines are receiving from $100 to s400 per month now that formerly received less than half that amount. Now is the time to buy homes "A home and welcome in Ala bama awaits you should be our state slogan to all loyal deserving people.
 "We are glad to have the right sort oi people come to live among us. but We are not very favorable to disloyalists. Small land owners must be encouraged and assisted if necessary to make suc- cess"