The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-09-30

.., three periods-the slave-labor
' iron, the time cotton was first
e., -ao-n in South Carolina down tc
YaS5 the period from the close OF the
l I,i war down to 1894, the first year
CI''- which the American cotton crop
H alor1vimated 100000 bales; and the
aP5r-;aj from 1894 down to the present
''', The second era witnessed the eX-
,-;0n Of the state of Texas into a
pa growing empire itself. 1t wit
CD the final spread of cotton
.uErorohout the cotton belt, and 1894
messed also the appearance OF the
Vii Vii v.eevil as the greatest American
'O1 The third period has been marked
=. r~emendous fluctuations both in
;o,d and in price. 1t has been marked
T., +lc appearance of very consider
i1a Thor troubles and by the devel-
ao,r OF distinct efforts in the way
" Improvement in the way OF cotton
seduction. The area devoted to cot
tan has steadily increased throughout
.Ia4 neriod from 23,000,000 acres in
1 ,,5ol m TO as high as 100000 acres.
IL 1904 it reached 30000,000. At the
tare time the yield per acre has
shown steady decrease. For example,
limo the two decades of this 30-year
osr;od-that is. from 1894 to l9l4-the
prerage Weld of the entire cotton belt
ner acre fell below us pounds per
acre only four times. 1t equaled or
eyceeded 200 pounds per acre eleven
t;roes in that period-that is, during
tbe first 20 years, from 1894 to 1914.
From 1914 down the yield has equaled
or exceeded Us pounds per acre only
twice, and in no single year has gone
higher than 17S pounds.
/ am not orthodox on the boil wee
vii nroposition. The boil weevil is
not the limiting factor in cotton pro-
d,ction by any means. II this were
tr,c it would follow as logical Sc
ouence that final control of the weevil
would mean such an oversupply OF
American cotton as would glut the
markets of the world. II this were
true. then the control OF the weevll
would be calamitous thing for the
cotton grower instead OF benefit.
We have only to glance at the tiuc-
tuations of this crop prior to the ap-
nearance of the weevil to see the sig
nifcance OF my suggestion. The pend
u1,1m of production swung back and
forth before the weevil appeared just
as il will continue to swing after he
has ceased to be subject OF discus
.;o, Nhv then should | emphasize
this period with reference to insect
Dests5 Because the presence OF the
Heevil lends large additional import
ance to every other factor IN cotton
production. With heavy Weevll IN
iestation each of these factors imme-
diatelv assumes a significance greater
than it possessed before.
The most importance single factor
in cotton production remains what It
has always been-that OF weather. L
have more than once expressed TINS
ooinion; that it was entirely possible
for the south to produce another
bumper crop Notwithstanding the wee
vii. This is not likely to occur but II
is always possibility.
From still another angle, the most
important factor may be said to be
that OF labor. American cotton has so
long associated in popular magma
tion with the negro that its produc-
tion as negro function has become
one al our most cherished traditions.
As matter OF fact, cotton has al
WAYS been produced by white labor
The proportion thus produced mas
steadily increased, until today II IS
well within the limits OF conservative
statement to say that by far the larg-
er portion OF the crop is grown solely
by white people.
Cotton a White Crop.
American cotton production is now
passing through process OF LABOR
Transformation no particle less vital
and far-reaching III its results, even
though less spectacular, than was the
transition from slave labor to tree. IT
is a movement fraught with large con-
SEQUENCES for the American negro Tor
its ultimate conclusion will determine
in what degree his economic lie VIII
be rcvolutionized in the direction OF
his elimination as an important factor.
in cotton production. The removal OF
the negro from rural to urban NE,
ii il should actually take place, would
be social and an economic Tragedy
Of Tar greater significance to him than
to the white man.
Southern fields will still be cultivaat-
ed. Cotton will still be grown. AS the
negro moves out the white man
move in, and never yields the ground
thus gained Such problems and
changes wrought out on so vast a
scale require the processes OF year;
Tor their determination. The negro stu
holds much of his own destiny in his
own keeping. But it is an ill-consider-
ed view which fails TO realize that IN
the long run cotton production IS d
lar more vital thing to the southern
negro than the negro is TO productioii::
One OF the most significant facts OF