Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-11-02
BABS0N ON
COTTON BELT
FAMOUS STATISTICtAN MAKES
AN ANALYSIS OF THE SOUTH
ERN SITUATION.

relative to conditions in the South,
especially due TO the boll-wee}il,
Roger w Babson has been asked to
make an analysis Of the Southern sit
uat.on as it now appears from the
Viewpoint Of statistician Mr.,
Babson's statement is as follows:
. "ln the so-callcd cotton belt,
which stretches across many Of the
Southern States, is produced GO per
cent of the worlds supply of cotton.
I'm fact, this cotton crop has been so
important that the South has prac-
tically given its entire attention to
cotton and thus become zone crop
Country. The holl-wcevil is now de-
s.roying large percentage Of this
cotton crcp, so that in many sections
only one bale cf cotton is gathered
where two were originally produced.
OF course, great efforts are being
made to control the boll-wcevn, and
science viii ultimately find a sol
ton TO this problem. In the meantime
however, there are several factors to
be considered
"First, our supply Of cotton will be
greatly reduced until this wecvll Is
controlled. TIL. amount produced
fer the next few years may not be
moro than half of the requirements
of former years This mcars that
high prices may be expected both for
raw cotton and for all manufactured
cotton goods for some time to come.
"Secondly, the South, which has
been a one crop country viii be fore
cd 20 raise other crops and become
at least self-supportirg. In previous
years The South has imported from
the Middle West nearly all the corn
and a large proportion Of the meat
which it has consumed. This year,
the South has raised sufficient corn
for It's own use IL is also successful
~ Kidding itself of the tick which Is
so detrimental to raising good cattle.
Herds OF fine stock are rapidly in
crcasng, and the South, which has
an ideal climate for all-yoar stock
grazing, should soon bc one Of the
mast important stock raising sections
Of the country This means that the
Middle West will have serious COM
DC titor. in corn and stock raising.
.The third factor to consider is
that Che South will steadily increase
it's manufacture of cotton into finish
ed goods Already it is shipping large
quantitics Of these manufa turcd
cotton goods into the northern states.
These Southern mills can produce
very economically and are at the
source Of the raw materials. This
means that The cotton mills Of the
eastern states viii nave serious COM
petition. OWING TO the present inn
migration restrictions these northern
miGs will soon bc greatly handi-
CAPPED Us 90 labor supply which fact
should also aid the South.
"a fourth factor is that the south
crn farmers are employing less labor
on their farms chan under previous
conditions, many Of them reducing
labor one half The reason is That
the farmers are planting a larger
acreage in corn, hay, and other
crops and less acreage in cot
ton. These other crops require less
labor T. work than cotton does. To-
day there is a very considerable IN
employment of farm labor i'm the
south. This means that there viii
be ample labor for cotton mills and
other forms Of manufacturing, and
for the development CT natural re-
GourCoS.
"Ffth and finally, the South is
realizing its need Ct effort and
struggle in order to hold it, econ
omic position. The boll-weevn is
forcing upon it a new economic con-
Gition which it is now brayely strUg-
Cling to meet. believe it has the
VIII to meet these new conditions,
but it needs capital. The South has
large undevelopcd resources. ii has
coal, mineral deposits, and water
powers. Its scapor, cities have good
harbors which are s,rategically To-
Gated for commerce with Latin Am
erica and Southern Europe Thus as
the South more fully realizes and
grasps the opportunities which il
holds, it will grow and develop rap
iblN li'aV AjiittiNANitil lAiA IJyl ttl4A'. iAlr
means that during the next few years
the South will offer many very at
tractivc opportunities for the invest
or. Just at present the South is hard
hit by the boll-weevil; but this very
TACT is bringing it 70 realization Of
It's needs and opportunities. Thus,
within a few years, a new economic
condition should be established and
the South should be more prosperous
than at any time in the past.
The Babsonchart index dropped off
che point this week, standing now at
per cent below normal. This re-
ccssion, however, has no especial sig
nifcancc. Further advance should be
expected during the coming month.
WEATHER SUMMARY .
The weather summary for the
month Of October as given out yes
terday by +. l.. Delavan, local CO.
operative observer, shows mean
t,,avin,rr, f,popcratrrp of 90 de0reoe