The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1921-08-03
RELATION OF BANK
AND DAIRY FARMER
Prof. Higgins on "Stabilizing a
Southern State Against
Crisis"


ident here, now extension dairy hus-
bandman of A. & M. College, and an
occasional visitor here both by reason
of our dairy interests and his being
son-in-law of Mr.. and Mrs. S. F.
Magee, of this city, has prepared a
circular which is printed by the col
lege for farmers and bankers, tho
its interest is not by any means re-
stricted to them. The subject of the
circular is "Stabilizing a Southern
State Against Crisis" Says the we'll
known Jackson writer, E. E. Frantz:-
Professor Higgins proceeds to
compare the financial condition of
dairy communities with cotton farm
ers and cotton communities. Atten-
tion is called to the fact that the A.
nancial crisis, such as has enveloped
the country during the past year or
two, is more severe on country
where one-crop system is practiced
than where a diversified system Of
agriculture rules, including one or
more types of live stock farming.
That has come to be self-evident
proposition to thousands of Southern
farmers who have always worn the
all-cotton yoke, and they are getting
their heads out of that yoke as rap
idly as possible.
Naturally the banks are being call
ed on for assistance. They have re-
sponded with hearty good will that
has enabled great many debt-bur-
dened men to embark in an enterprise
that promises almost instant returns.
Banks in Mississippi have found such
loans safe and good.
Professor Higgins says that he has
talked with number of bankers ov-
er the state. How about the dairy
farmers notes; are they paid?" these
bankers were asked, and the reply
in most instances was 1--WE do not
hold note against dairy farmer" !"
In the event they did hold such notes
they we're not at all uneasy. The
merchants in dairy farming, towns
reported business good-remarkably
good, and travelling men found their
business normal in such dairy COM
munities, as the farmers were receiv-
ing weekly checks and paying cash
for all they purchased at the stores.
The lawyers, doctors, insurance men,
the preacher and the school teachers
in dairy farming communities are
fiourishing, as are all other kinds of
business.
Dairy farming has brought about
satisfactory conditions in many Of
the Northern states, and that is es-
pecially true of Minnesota, Wisconsin
and Iowa. There are some sections
in most of the Southern states which
give strong proof of what the faith
full, well-fed dairy COW will do. Brook
haven, Wesson, Macon and Starkville,
Miss, furnish striking examples.
Those communities have been
brought UP by the dairy farmers, and
are now enjoying an era of prosper
ity unknown to towns surrounded
entirely by cotton plantations.
''In the early spring of 1915"
says Professor Higgins, "the business
people of a Western Pennsylvania
town became interested in promoting
dairying and improving agriculture
generally in the country surrounding
their town. The town had about
reached the limit of it's growth. The
young men and women raised on the
farms had left. The old folks were
not able to keep their plows running.
A creamery was therefore organized,
and one of the two banks of the town
became very active in promoting dali
rying, going the limit in financing
the industry. They took the initia
tive in bringing in cows to sell to the
farmers at cost, and did everything
possible to help the farmers get
start at dairying. In five years end
ing June 80, 1920, the creamery had
paid out $41O,125.15 to its patrons.
The farmers deposits in the two
banks when the creamery was start
ed were $4,000, in five years they
had increased to $1,500,000 and the
total deposits of the banks had more
than doubled. The bank that had in
augurated the movement and did
most to help the farmers into the dali
ry business, outstripped its neighbor
bank and took the lead in the COM
munity. 1t paid that Pennsylvania
bank just as 1t has paid few of the
banks here in Mississippi"