The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-10
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS
Crop Liberalization.
 c

Crop diversification.
 Is it a far cry, or is it our only hope to pull Alabama out of hole? Some claim it's a dream, while others say it's sure to come true.
 I'm siding with the diversification- ists. Mrs. Mathis has converted me- Less cotton. moro corn. Less buying abroad and more raising the things we need at home seems good to me. Now I've heard and read a lot on both sides. I've listened to the old timers and sat spell-bound under the new order I'm no longer neutral I'm going to walk in the furrows of the progressives.
 I've talked to bankers, to merchants, in Alabama these are the men who control things. What helps one helps the other and vice versa
 I'm going to give some extracts from letters written by prominent men to one of our leading bankers They are typical, and show the changing condi- | tions.
 One writes from east Alabama: q have been advised by Louisiana ex- perts in growing cotton under boil weevil conditions that our cotton acre. l age ought to be reduced to a minimum until we learned how to grow cotton Iox, 4 I.oII N we learn how, then our cotton acreage can be increased, but until we do learn l how we will always have too many acres planted in cotton and stay broke"
 l I believe that one thing is sure. A 1 great part of the land formerly plant | ed in cotton must now be planted iIi something else where the crop will be more certain. The cotton crop failure last year warns the producer not to put too much land in the fleecy staple Those who do will face bankruptcy for many who did it last year are now busted or hanging by. their eyebrows. l Another writes from middle Ala ! bama He gives the story of the Ala 1 bama Alfalfa Movement" which in six years changed the Demopolis section l into one of the rlcnest in the state.
 
 1 Listen: 'The best agricultural speak CTS and thinkers of the United States were brought. Tours were made throug ughout the country. The value of the land as live stock section was hammered into the people. The value of planting alfalfa and other legumes | and putting in permanent pastures was impressed on everyone" What was the result? They got busy, fenced and cross-fenced their lands, built barns, planted feedstuff and put in live stock. Cattle, hogs and sheep were improved in strain by bringing in the best sires
 
 That was six years ago. Today the Demopolis section is the greatest live stock and alfalfa district in the south. It brought good roads, good schools, good churches and good, intelligent white farmers. It built up a great colifhutiity ssplrlt.
 
 From a cotton section uncertain un profitable, it has grown to be one of the most prosperous farming communities in America. The exclusive farmer still re- news his mortgage and wonders why farming doesn't pay, while the man who lives on the farm and really farms has a smile and a bank account.
  sat next to W. S. Nichols of Livings- ton at the banquet given at the Country club to the visiting bankers. He was en- thusiastic about cattle. Said he: My bank has never lost one cent on any loan made on cattle" Now here is one from south Alabama: Since the depression of 1914 our farmers have gradually drifted away from cot ton Many began in 1916 preparing for the boil weevil by planting more corn, velvet beans, peanuts sugar cane and sweet po- tatoes''
 But they didn't stop there. The farmers organized Swine Breeders association with about one dozen members and with in year had increased to S0O They have improved the breed of hogs Mrs. Mathis variety. the kind she pokes fun at The azor-backs, built for speed to outrun cholera, is fast disappearing. In Ozark twice month during the win- ter they have Hog Day. Farmers bring | them in and have them weighed by a bonded weigher. At noon they are sold at auction to the highest bidded. I un- derstand they have buyers from Detroit, St. Louis and Chicago, | Dale county last year shipped nearly | 300 carloads of cattle and hogs, with the result that the banks in Ozark are over flowing with money.
 Now listen to this vail from the bank CT who was giving this information to brother banker.
 Half in jest he says: "The farmers are borrowing very little money, and they are paying cash. Practically all of them have plenty of food and forage. If such l improved conditions continue, bankers will be troubled to loan money in this section.''
 And why? Because of the changes in the much cotton.