The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1921-11-24
Means to independence For
Cotton Farmer Pointed Out

Writing under date of the 10th, Mr..
w. H. Hodges, Of Elm Grove, in let
ter to this Office, says:
:" Dear Sirs: Am enclosing a letter
from Hon. W. B. Thompson, Chairman,
Louisiana Division, American Cotton
Association. .."A-
" This letter so clearly sets forth the
facts in the matter Of cotton produc-
ton that believe every one should be
given chance to read 1t.
Col. Thompson has made a splen-
did fight in the interests Of the cotton
producers. He has not only given Of
his time, which is very valuable, but
has spent large sums Of his private
fortune in promoting the American
Cotton Association. He Is one Of the
clearest thinkers In the cotton trade.
His utterances with regard to cotton
carry weight everywhere.
4 1t is to be hoped that every one
interested in establishing permanent
prosperity in the South will rally to
the support Of the American Cotton
Association, It is doing splendid work
for the South. It should be continued
In its usefulness"
We are pleased to give space to Col.
Thompson's letter, and find, as Mr..
Hodges states, that the letter sets forth
facts in relation to cotton production
that every cotton farmer should know,
and which should furnish him food
for thought. Col. Thompson says:
Gentlemen: II the South had pro-
duced q normal cotton crop this year,
bankruptcy would have spread its
blight over every cotton state, and the
first to suffer would have been the
banks and the country merchants. We
have passed through an agonizing pc
ri0d, and emerged somewhat shaken,
but economically sound and determined
to profit By the experience we have
undergone. We 90 not want ever again
to be plunged into the vortex Of such
agony. We must insure against 1t by
every means at our command.
Looking back, we know what saved
us from disaster. Organization as rep
resented by the American Cotton
Association, the Memphis Acreage
Committee and the state bankers
associations over the South did 1t BY
turning the distressing credit situation
TO practical effect, By stressing me one
third, two-thfrds rule Of farming not
more than one-third Of each farmers
cultivable land to cotton, the rest In
food and feed stuffs. That simple rule
curtailed acreage 28.4 per cent and
made thousands Of farmers independ-
ent by forcing them to live at home.
It put them on the path Of economic
independence.
Looking forward, we want to con-
tinue this program. We do not want
to revert to the conditions or the past.
We want to progress to the point where
every cotton farmer can 60 to his mer-
chant and pay cash for what he buys.
from one years end to the other. and
he can only do this by raising his neces-
stiles at home, and making cotton his
money crop. To make this a per-
manent policy, the American Cotton
Association at its recent meeting In
Birmingham, which comprised repre-
sentatives Of all groups, including
Texas, and the Memphis Committee,
readOpted the plan Of 1921 for 1922,
and has placed the burden OF the ed
ucational campaign upon the several
state divisions.
The natural tendency after a good
year Is to increase acreage.
Unless the cotton producers are made
to see that their welfare lies Ii keep
| ing the acreage to the 1921 figures
26,OO0, 600 acres-the advantage gained
| by the experiences this year will be
lost, and we will revert to the old
periods Of distress and uncertainty.
/ The National Association and the
Louisiana Division are In need Of funds
to carry on this work. What funds
were collected in the past in Louisiana
We're spent in a futile effort to enlist
the rank and file Of the farmers in the
movement, and to pay L0uisiana's
share Of the maintenance Of National
Headquarters. The cost OF reaching thu
small farmer is prohibitive, and the
only hope is to appeal to those whose
interests are so closely allied to his
that they will make it possible to carry