The courier-index., 1921-02-11
Keen Interest In
 Community Meetings

The community meetings nelu III the county last week were all a complete success. The attendance was good, the interest fine, and much good is coming therefrom. People have begun to hold their heads little higher and to look the world in the face with determina- tion that they will play safe" from now on and never be caught again with ''all of their eggs in one bask- et."
 People in general are tired of campaigns" and drives" and these meetings were held in quiet way, without lot of fusS-~and frills. Most of the talking was done by To- cal talent in the community centers where the meetings were held. Business men, bankers and farmers from other sections were in attend ance but the lead was taken by local men. We think this plan an admirable one. Other meetings will be held as the weather permits.
 That the cotton acreage will be materially reduced in Lee county is the chief opinion of all. There are a number of causes for this reduction, chief of which are the following: A realization by the farmers, bankers and merchants that there is already a carry over of cotton in the world large enough to last from one to two years, hence low market is possible the com ing year; the inability of the rais- CTS of cotton to get the necessary .O1 cfo. fn r,IQ Ot acreage, and last but not least, the desire of the farmers themselves to make cotton cash crop in the true sense of the word and not debt paying crop as it has often been in the past.
 It is the consensus of opinion that there is but one thing for the peo- ple of the south to do and that is to tighten up all around, get along on the minimum, do without those things that we can and make this coming crop at rock bottom cost. We have had hard times before, but as often as hard times have come just that often have the peo- ple of our section arisen to the occasion and come out on top Tn a year or two. This will not be an exception unless we throw up the sponge and quit. There is nothing new in the doctrine that the think ing people of the day are preaching, it is the same old story that Henry W. Grady was talking about 40 years ago when he wrote the fol- lowing words:
 "When every farmer in the south shall eat bread from his own fields and meat from his own pastures and disturbed by no creditor, and en- slaved by no debt, shall sit amid his teeming gardens, and orchards and vineyards and diaries, and barn yards. pitching his crops in his own wisdom and growing them m ln- dependence, making cotton his clean surplus, and selling it Tn his own time, and in his chosen market, and not at masters bidding-getting his pay in cash and not in a receipted mortgage that discharges his debt, but does not restore his freedom then shall be the breaking ot the fulIness of our day"
 Tn putting this program into prac- tice there is no time for talk. Gar dens should be planted, corn lands should be plowed, lespedeza and oats should be planted. Raise what we need at home this year for our selves and stock and then utilize what time there is left growing cotton along with surplus of other crops as a cash crop. We cannot get anywhere by bemoaning the mistakes of the past. We must look to the future and carry out "safe and sane" policy.
 E. B. WHITAKER,
 County Agent