Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-01-28
E DIT RIAL.
A SERIOUS RLUNDER


III is not in any spirit of envy Q
jealousy that the Times Recorde
is prompted to make few comment
upon campaign recently embarke
upon by our contemporary, the Al
lanta Constitution, an old and honor
able newspaper. But we believe tn,
movement it has undertaken is so lad
EN- with mischief to the welfare of
the farmer and every business man
of the South, that attention should
be called to it. We refer to the cam
paign undertaken to show the farm
ers how they can grow more cotton
despite the boil weevil
At considerable expense theACon-
etitution has sent a staff writer to
Texas and other section of the cotton
belt which have had the boil wccvil
for the greatest number of years to
find out and write about how cot
ton is being successfully produced
there in spite of the boil weevil, This
information is disseminated through
the columns of the Constitution
daily, and other papers are being in
Sited to publish the letters also.
The purposes which prompted the
Constitution to undertake this cam
paign were probably the loftiest: it
undoubtedly was intended To do the
farmer of Georgia, and others indi-
rectly, "a distinctive service. But in
our humble estimation the opposite
will he the unavoidable effect in
whatever degree the campaign has
any influence.
WHAT THE FARMERS OF GEOR-
GA NEED NOW is TO KNOW
HOW TO RAISE OTHER PRO.
DUCTS THAN COTTON - AND
MARKET THEM. They need to be
drilled constantly on the absolute ne
cessity from this time forward of di-
Nersifying crops and the Importance
of putting them in proper shape for
marketing after they have produced
Them. True, diversified. crops are not
worth much now But these are alb
normal times, and the ratio will not.
long remain SO unfavorable against
the farmerr-except in the case of
cotton, the price of which now, de-
spite its lowness, is probably higher
Than next years crop or that of any
succeeding year for some time will
be, unless the boil weevil ravages CON
tinue TO become more serious.
The danger of the Constitutions
propaganda lies in the fact that the
Farmer needs no encouragement to
plant more cotton than is good for
shinf or good for the country; he'll do
It on the slightest provocation. To
tell him that he need not fear the
boil weevil and that he capw really
raise big crops even with the weevil
infesting his fields is as logical as
telling a small boy suffering stom-
ache from too much candy to have
another piece. OF course, he is GO
ing to eat more candy, because that
pleases him best, regardless of what
is best for him.
The Constitution, in effect, is pass
ing the candy plate and tempting the
already sick boy. and is thus adding
to his agony and prolonging his pc
Rod of ifdisposition.
The best service can be done the
farmer by teaching. him to live at
home and raise cotton as side pro.
duct. We do not want him to give
up cotton etirely, for the world needs
cotton and will pay for tiff we do
not grow foo much, But the South
has seen the wisdom of living at home
this year; with little money in the
bank and few cash markets for pro-
duets, warehouses aud pantries are
filled with hams, syrup, meal and
other products which permit the pop
ulation to get by the strenuous times
with almost no suffering. II more
cotton had been planted last year this
condition would not have been as
true as it is today.
Cotton can easily be the absolute
ruin of an already embarrassed sec.
ton, and only a little encouragement
to plant more Of it. as is being Civ.
en- the farmers by the Constitution
can accomplish this ruin. Real selw,
nee, it appears to us, lies in encourag
ing the farmers in the other direction
And safety lies there, too.