The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1918-02-07
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR
Merchant F armers.

an army OF merchants we keep Slt-
ting housed up in stores all over
the county from one years end to
the other, just to sell us six bits
worth of groceries or dry goods once
or twice a week? Now, nearly ev-
eryone of these merchants have a
farm or piece of land within easy
reach of their place of business
which they have been longing to get
a chance to get out and improve
and bring it up more in shape to be
called farm; and now il we would
give them a chance to get out and
fix up these places. I'm most sure
they would gladly take the oppor-
tunity. Who knows but what they
would make master farmers any
way? A lot of them have dreamed
of the day when they would reach
the happy hunting ground period of
being able to retire from business
and go out and make a model farm,
whereby applying the most modern
methods, mother earth wolld be
made to produce in abundance all
the things necessary to sustain life
as Godintended it should DO. They
have dreamed of what pleasure it
would be to see thoroughbred stock
of all kinds grazing over the mead
ows and to be awakened by the song
birds in the beautiful spring morn
ings.
And, now inasmuch as we al
ready have meatless, wheatless and
heatless days, and right straight on
down the line, if we will only look
we can almost see eatless day com
ing for this section, it we don't do
something to produce more food
products, and that mighty quick.
So with all our boys gone to help
our Uncle Sam out in the scrap
across the pond, let's give our mer-
chants chance to get out and help
produce something on the farm this
year, by confining our little sixbit
trading to, say two days in The week
Tuesdays and Saturdays-during
crop time, (or before wouldn't hurt.)
Just think how much more crops
can be produced over the county if
we let loose this army of merchants
with their great am bitions and ideas
that they have laid up for years,
thinking just what they would do
when they got chance to apply
them, and the farmers will get
enough sport from seeing the mer-
chants out in the sunshine once
more to overpay them for the extra
effort on their part of confning their
trading to the two days in the week.
This, too, will give 1.-THE merchants
that do not own farm a chance to
get out and get better acquainted
with his farmer customer right in
the cornfeld and plow a few rounds
for him, just to see how the farmer
feels about it while he is producing
the corn, cotton and other crops he
buys from him from year to year.
That's half what is the matter with
our county anyway, the farmer and
the merchant each think the other
is working against him, when in
reality they are working for each
other. Let's connect this great
space this year that has always in
tervened between the merchant and
the farmer by getting better ac-
quainted right out in the cornfield
or melon patch, whichever is most
convenient, cut a large melon and
while it is being consumed and the
horse rests, talk over all these mat
ters and you will find that there is
not so much difference after all, and
that by close cooperation both can
be greatly benefited! ;!and before the
year is out let's have a general get
together and get-acquainted meet
ing OF the farmers and merchants,
right out in the rural districts some
where and bury the hatchet and be-
gin anew.
With the heavy SHOWS this winter
that scientists claim adds consider
able nitrogen to the soil, and the
boil weevil killed or badly crippled,
we have every reason to believe
that conditions are favorable for a
, banner crop this year if everybody
, will pull together. We can accom-
plish great things right here in