The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1920-12-23

in different lines il endeavOr. it would
Seem that the tenant probably has the
best and safest end of 1t. His share of
the crop Is three bales Of cotton. whicl,
represents the gross results Of his and
his fanily's Year of work. Out. of this I
must be paid his supply account. or as
much thereof as 1t will.
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL.
Much has been said of late about
costs especially about the high cost
of living. More has heen said about
defiatiou and about getting the country
back to normal basis, and then
great deal is yet being said about en-
couraging agriculture / take it that
the cotton industry would normally be
classed as an agricultural pursuit, so
suppose we draw this division Of agri-
culture out to II final analysis.
At the peak prices paid for cotton
year ago mamely. ~ cents l,er pountll,
a hale of cotton brought x21O The
three bales which belonged to the ac-
t,lal producer came to $500, which was
his entire gross income for the year.
Now. under the deflation scllelnA and
during the process of bringing the
country back to normal, this same cot
ton is quoted at II cents a pound. $40
a hale, ora total of $21O. for tile aver
age tenants gross income for his years
work. And it is years work. IA real
years work for all of the family.
,fsryyTYrA ~ cpop
In this section of the cotton belt the
land Is prepared in January and Feb
ruary. planting legun in March and
finished in April. Cultivation Of the
plant begins the later part of April
and continues until about the middle
of August. Every member Of the fam
lily assists In the cultivation and also
In the picking of the crop. which latter
process usually begins about Septenl-
| ber LIST, and is continued as weather
conditions permit: until the last boil is
gathered. December 1st is considered
ali early date to finish gathering a
crop and more often the work is ex-
tended fur into January by the women
and children. while the man OF the
family begins his plowillg in the land
the crop has been gathered from.
Now. what does all this mean to the
j thinking people of this country. Car
it he that the actual necessities Of life
are begrudged these toilers in the cot
ron fields by the people of the world.
10 you, fair-minded American citi
zen, believe that $500 Il year is tot
much income for i fanlily OF four peo
pie. all working and producing !, neces
sity Of lifey And vet it takes 42-cen
cotton to yield to the actual producer
Ii gross income Of $500 a year.
/ The defiation process now under wa,
has reduced this $500 gross income t,
a $40 one. Is this getting the c0untr,
back to normal: If so. does norma
mean beggary and starvation?
DEFI.ArIoN IN PRICES.
The best thought Of the country i,
being directed towards dafiation, nor
NAL conditions and to the encourage
nlent Of production by the farmers
Can you reconcile the three PROPOSE
tions: And might it not he well fo
this same hest thought to rest occa
sionally OH the Debated?
What do YOU army OF other worker
think of the $40 income for famil
of four. all working from twelve t
forteen hours a day. twelve months i
the year?
You carpenters and bricklayers
painters and paperhangers. nmchinist
, and coal miners !; you butchers an
J bakers and candlestick-makers, wha
!, would you do under. the circumstances
! Strike: | think 70. But the farmer
: will he strike? No. He does not kno,
! how. And even IL lie was familiar wit
: that very popular method Of rightin
] wrongs, he would not use 1t for a nIllr
t her of reasons. In the first place
! has no organization; secondly, he
. eternally in debt, and last 6f NIL. h
! las been r;lised to believe that it
i his duty to feed and clothe the work
Il While he produces the stuff in tn
rtw and when his cotton comes hac
l To him into finished cloth SO high tl,a
!, his $40 income doesn't allow hi,
i to buy a :. kaliker Z dress for de o
oman he accepts tile inevitable an
lets her go without, solacing himse
!. with the thought that lie don raise
!. nuf cotton dis yere to cloze near &c
: niggers. | spect.
: TENANTS MOSTLY NEGRoES.
Il The tenants on the cotton plalltatio
/ throughout the south are mostly III
/ / groes They are the same ignoral
!. people that our friends In the Mort
r Il;ec;tnle 50 exercised about In the co
!. They are living under conditions to-tl,l
4 that are int0lerable Il, fair-thinkil
i people. They knew how to raise cotto
i aud know nothing else. The price |
j, their share of the product will n,
!. feed and clothe them. The white Ie
pie of tile south love them and fe
: their care. yet can do hut little to T
4 Heye them. They are anxious to {
the only thing they knew how to d
1 raise cotton. and they do not re,ili;
s the lesperateness Of their situation.
Il True. they are stoics. and are cap
$ blt. of standing ,nnch deprivation. Il,
a ise If s.iul,f that they Should hp ma,