Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-11-02
BABSON VS.
Billion Dollar Bug

Wellesley Hills, Mass, Oct. 30-Tr
view of the sensational reports rela,
tive to conditions in the south, es
pecially due TO the boll-weevil, Roger
w. Babson has been asked to make
| an analysis of the southern situation
as it now appears from the view point
of a statistician. Mr.. Babson's state.
ment is as follows:
"In the so-called 'cottonbelt,' which
stretches across many of the southern
states, is produced 60 percent of the
worlds supply of cotton. In fact, this
cotton crop has been so important that
the south has practically given its
entire attention to cotton and thus be-
come zone CROP country. The boil
weevil is now destroying a large per
centage of this cotton crop, so that in
many sections only one bale of cotton
is gathered where two were originally
produced. OF course, great efforts
are being made to control the boil
weevil, and science will ultimately find
solution to this problem. In the
meantime, however, there are several
factors to be considered.
COTTON SUPPLY DROPS
"First, our supply of cotton will
be greatly reduced until this weevil is
controlled. The amount produced for
the next few years may not be more
than half of the requirments of form
err years. This means 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 zone CROP country, will be
forced TO raise other crops and become
at least self-supporting Tn 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 its own
use. tt is also successfully Kidding
itself of the tick which is so detri-
mental to raising good cattle. Herds
of fine stock are rapidly increasing and
the south, which has an ideal climate
for all-year stock grazing, should soon
be one of the most important stock
raising sections of the country. This
means that the middle west will have
q serious competitor in corn and stock
raising.
-. GROWTH IN MANUFACTURES
'fThe third factor to consider is that
the south will steadily increase its
of cotton into finished
goods. Already it is shipping large
quantities of these manufactured cot
ton goods into the northern
states. These southern mills can
produce economically and are at
the source of the raw materials.
This means that the cotton mills
of the eastern states will have serious
migration restrictions, these northern
as to labor supply which fact should
also aid the south.
GA fourth factor is that the south
ern farmers are employing less labor
on their farms than under previous
conditions, many of them reducing Ia
nor one-half The reason is tAat the
farmers are planting a larger acreage
in cotton. These other crops require
less labor to work than cotton does.
Today there is a very considerable un-
employment of farm labor in the
south. This means that there will be
ample labor for cotton mills and other
forms of manufacturing, and for the
development of natural resources.
"Fifth and finally, the south is
realizing its need of effort and struggto }
in order to hold its economic position.
The boll-weevil is forcing upon it
new economic condition which it is
now bravely struggling to meet. L
believe it has the will to meet these
new conditions, but it needs capital.
The south has large un developed re-
sources It has coal, mineral deposits,
and water powers. It seaport cities
have good harbors which are strate-
gicallv located for commerce with
Latin American and southern Europe.
Thus, as the south more fully realizes
and grasps the opportunities which
it holds, it will grow and develop ra-
pidly into commercial Importance. This
means that during the next few years
the south will offer many very attrac-
tive opportunities for the investor.
Just at present the south is hard hit
by the boll-weevil; but this very fact
is bringing it TO a realization of its
needs and opportunities. Thus, within
a few years, new economic condi-
ton should be established and the
south should be more prosperous than
at any time in the past"