The Neshoba Democrat., 1921-02-24
COTTON ACREAGE SHOULD BEL
REDUCED At LEAST ONE-HALF|

A drastic curtailmento OF the South's
cotton acreage Is indicated by an ar
ticle which we print from an Atlanta
correspondent this week. This is as
1t should be. The necessity for cur
tailment of cotton production to the
limit ia every day becoming more
and more apparent. Far-seeing En-
glish cotton manufacturers realize
that q decrease is certain, and they
look forward to very much higher
prices in the future as the inevitable
outcome. The South Is justified from
every business standpoint in cutting
down it's acreage OF cotton by at
least 30 per cent, and Increasing to
as large an extent as possible It's
acreage In foodstuffs ond feedstuffs.
In times past when the South
threatened to reduce its cotton acre
age it turned out that some farmers,
expecting that other people would
decrease, increased theirs In that
way there was an increase last year,
which was most unwise. A very
large proportion OF the South are
not in a position to put in another
cotton crop without aid from the
bankers. The safety OF the banking
interests and of general business In
terests through the South demands
that the bankers shall rigidly curtail
credit for cotton acreage.
1t is possible that the game which
has often been played In the past
will again be played this year, and
that as the planting season comes
on the price of cotton will be advan-
ced for the purpose of stimulating
growers to put In a large acreage
again. 1t matters not to what price
the spectators may put cotton this
spring, the South would not be iusti-
fed in a large acreage, nor would
bankers be justified in advancing
money to any cotton grower who
does not reduce his acreage.
Viewing the whole world situation
we believe that 1t Is pre-eminently
important for the South to save IT.
self by so largely reducing It's acre
age that the crop carried over and
the small crop to be raised would
sell at price which would once
more bring prosperity to the cotton
interests of the South. The South is
morally responsible to It's own peo-
pie to reduce it's acreage and to make
it's crop so small that every bale OF
the coming crop and every bale that
is now In existence will command q
decent living price to the growers.
1t would be infinitely better for the
South toleave one-half of it's cotton
acreage uncultivated entirely than
to put 1t all in cotton this coming
season. Increased acreage In grain
and other crops Is most desirable,
but If this cannot be done with the
labor available, then a reduction OF
so per cent In the cotton, leaving the
balance uncultivated, would reduce
the cost OF raising the crop, and the
small crop would sell for more than
q large crop, the net difference being
of immense value to the growers.
There is no greater folly than to
talk about the South being morally
responsible to raise cotton. There is
no moral responsibility resting upon
any single man In the South orupon
the section as a whole to raise bs lie
of cotton. Men raise the Things or
produce the things which they can
sell to advantage. That is their
bounden duty to their own families,
. and those who talk about any NOR.
al responsibility OF the South to
raise cotton know as little about
morals in case OF this kind as the
Germans do about honor.
Manufacturers Record.