Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1917-01-09
This Is Advice to Jefferson
Farmers Of Knapp, Ousley,
Beattie and Others.
COTTON rs HIGHER,
BUT so IS ALL ELSE
4. Simple Statistics. Bradford Knapp
Drives Home to Auditors Here That
Farmers Must Produce Own Needs
to Grow Wealthy.
A crowd of business men, planters

A crowd Of business men, planters
and farmers-and there were quite a
number Of ladies present-last night
/ beard exceptionally strong and strik-
| ing arguments IN behalf of safe
| Farming by some Of the best quail
fed men in the country to discuss
| that subject, at the assembly hall OF
the chamber Of commerce.
Every chair in the spacious apart
ment was occupied, and it was neces-
sary to bring in a number of folding
chairs, with still quite a few men re-
naming standing while the meeting
progressed, so large was the attend
ence And the interest was keen, and
was maintained until the meeting adj
| journed.
There was little applause, appar-
emily because the auditors recognize
ed the cold, calculated seriousness of
the proposition discussed by the
speakers, and saw no occasion to
show emotionalism. Never before, in
all probability, have so many leading
men Of the city and county attended
such a meeting and heard such an
important subject discussed in so serl-
Gus vein. as was the case last night.
Bradford Knapp, head of the farm
extension work in the Southern states
for the United States department OF
agriculture, was, the chief speaker,
because of his office, and his known
knowledge on The subject, which he
has studied for years Of equal i'm
portance was the talk of Clarence
Ousley, for years managing editor OF
the Fort Worth, Texas, Record, and
row head of the extension work OF
the agricultural department of the
University of Texas. State Agent e.
w. Watson, in charge Of farm extern
SIGN work in Arkansas, for the federal
department of agriculture, and wv. R.
Beattie, agricultural and industrial
commissioner for the Cotton Belt, al
so made talks, but they were brief,
though instructive and urgent in high
degree. Moorehead Wright, president
of the Arkansas Bankers association,
made the closing talk.
At the conclusion of the talks, a
motion YVES adopted. resulting in the
appointment by Chairman J. b.
| Eoyce of a committee of three, COM
posed of w. w. West of 'Wabbaseka,
County Farm Agent G. H. Thomas,
and James Ford of Sheriff., to ascer-
tain if a series of meetings shall be
held in Jefferson county in connec-
ton with the "safe farming cam
paign to be conducted during the next
| fortnight in this state.
Raise FOOdstuffs First.
All the speakers urged the one es-
sential-the raising at home OF the
| food and feedstuffs needed, and then
growing cotton, to as great an extent
as may be desired by each individual.
| Each of the talks was filled with
statements of fact, and there were ep-
igrams and Illustrations galore, all OF
which apparently made deep impress
sion upon the auditors. The after
math of the war, if peace comes, was
discussed, so far as concerns It's
bearing upon cotton, and upon food
stuffs. The condition which will pre-
vail if the war continues, also came
in for discussion. The possibility of
the United States becoming embroil-
ed was mentioned, and in each OF
these circumstances, the one conclu-
sion was drawn, that this country will
be safe anG in excellent condition ii
she raises her own foodstuffs, but
will be in a precarious position if she
does not.
1t was pointed out plainly that al
though cotton now is higher in price
than it was in 1914, everything else
has gone up in proportion, even if not
in greater ratio. Mr.. Knapp pointed
out in figures, the difference in the
purchasing power of pound of cot
ton in 1916 and a pound of cotton in
1914 and also of the difference in the
purchasing power Of bale of cotton
in those same two years, to the dis
| CONTINUED on page three.)