The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-11-27

people raise three-quarters Of all the
cotton raised in the world can dictate
to the consumers of that cotton that
they shall pay a price that shall be
reasonable to its planters. This is
clear, and it is manifestly to every
conceivable interest in America that
if the government possesses this
power, that it should be exercised as a
simple act of justice to the poor, de-
pressed and neglected cotton planter.
Now to the solution of the problem:
The means by which the government
can give this assistance without hazard
of loss. Consider my suggestions.
Don't be quick to call them imprac-
ticable until you have given the mat
ter proper thought and investigation.
Then rather than criticize harshly, see
if you cannot suggest something bet
ter. For the craftsmanship of the
country must direct it's attention to
that necessary legislation by which
the planter shall retain his equitable
share in the profits of the new annual
creation of wealth which by his sacri-
fees and labors he gives to the world.
My suggestions are not perfect in
detail, but can be made so by the
proper legislation. Let the surplus
be expended in building cotton ware
houses at convenient points through
out the South, Ut will be an equit,
able manner by which the government
a return to us the illegal cotton tax.
Besides, it is apparently more to the
interest of the country thus to expend
it rather than in coast defences, edu-
cotton or increase of pensions.) Let
the government say to the cotton
planter, if the European and Ameri-
can manufacturer don't come and
give you IA cents per pound for your
cotton, q name IA cents because that
will be about At per cent. protection
added to the present market price,)
bring your cotton to the government
warehouse and by paying one cent per
pound lthis is to I'VE all expenses of
keeping warehouses, all losses from
shrinkage, fire or by reason of fraud,
and if all the cotton could pass through
these warehouses, it would produce a
large net revenue to the government,)
deposit your cottoe in them, and on
the proper grading we will give you
warehouse receipts. Suppose I call
them cotton certificates, in analogy to
silver and gold certificates. Let these
certificates be issued in los, EOS, SOS,
zoos and l,OOO's, and be made nego-
table at Is cents per pound. q say
Is cents because this adds the l cent
to the IA cents, the price the cotton
could be purchased for befote entering
the warehouse.) With these certifi-
Gates the planter can pay his merchant
and all other liabilities, and use them
in all dealings as money, just as he
does the gold and silver certificates.
Critic, please give me a good reason
why, if the government should author
ize and sanction these cotton certifi-
Gates, they would not be as good as
gold and silver certificates. 1t takes
human labor to dig gold and silver
from the spot of earth that is favored
by nature with the ore, and when it is
produced it a only be used for pur-
poses of ornamentation. 1t takes
human labor to dig cotton out of the
spot of the earth that is favored by
nature with the forces and climate
which are necessary to produce the
staple, and when produced is abso-
lutely necessary to clothe the human
race.
A governmental certificate repre-
senting that which is absolutely neces-
sary to human nature ought to be
esteemed and recognized as valuable,
at least, as that which can only repre-
sent ornament. The practical result
Of these warehouses will be that Euro
pean and American cotton mills, see
ing that the planter is secured in IA
cents per pound for his cotton, realiz-
ing the statistical position of the staple,
and knowing that they must. have it
to run their machinery, will come on
our streets and pay IA cents per pound
for our cotton rather than see it 90
into the government warehouse, for
they know that it will take Is cents
per pound for the certificates that call
for the cotton or they will have to pay
Is cents in gold to get the cotton out
of the warehouses. This would be so
apparent to them that at least three
quarters of the crop would be pur-
chased on our streets at IA cents per
pound rather than facing the certainty
of paying n cent more.
Some will say that such an Ameri.
can svstem would insDire other COTTON