The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-02-18
TO THOSE WHO HAVE HELD COTTON.

to advise. the farmers TO hold then
cotton. He said that he had heit
his cotton sixty days, that the pric'
WAS M better. In the first place W.
toll him that IL vas the National
Alliance that advised the farmers Il
hold their cotton and that THE eau
CAsLAS simply gave its endorsement
TO what the Supreme Council did
and in doing ~ We went further ana
gave our reasons, SO that every read
er could weigh the reasons and Idgf
for himself. We further told him
that we knew when we published
the article that We would he blamed
If cotton did not 20 up, but be lev
] ing that the chances were nine out Ol
ten IN favor Of its going up that v {
thought it was our duty to say SC
and to give to the public our reasons
for saying so. W. are not cowardly
enough to fear few criticisms, even
from our friends, when we see what
we believe to be our duty. We believ-
ed what we said and believe it yet,
therefore ii was our duty as public
journalist to say so. We then made
the gentleman this proposition, that
if he would hold his c1tton till we
told him to cell it Ia time not later
than the opening Of the next season)
that If he lost by doing SO that we
would ply him half of the loss, pro-
vlded that if he gained he would pay
us half of the profit. We Offered to
write The contract and to sigE it with
him. He hesitated a moment and
then refused. He said he would take
his own risk, showing that his judg-
ment was like ours and we now
make the same proposition to every
one (up to the amount of what we
are WORTH who has held cotton Oh
our Twice, and is dissatisfied. Isnot
tina f air? 1t not only shows that
THE CAUCASIAN was sincere in its
advice, but that il is still of the same
OpiEioz. We nay be mistaken, but
we can always afford to take chances
that are largely in our favor.
He then asked what was our opin-
ion as to he causes why cotton had
not gone VI. We told him that the
greatest cause, the fundamental
cause, was the scarcity and uneven
distribution Of money, the specula-
tors, bearing the market, which cou.
pied with the tax on cotton goods,
prevented thousands who worked
every day ami who were in need of
cotton goods from being able to buy.
This cause exists and will continue
to exist to depress prices and to
m2overish the country till the gov
eminent is taken out of the hands of
mono. oily and put back into the
hands of the people.
We further told him that the addi-
tional and temporary causes that
have so far prevented the rise we ex-
pected, was first the delay in getting
the information to the people. That
we tried to get the Associated ana
United Press (the two great news
syndicates that furnish the tele-
graphic news to the daily newspapers
all over the county, to send the in
formation out over the wires, but
hey refused to do so. Why? Be-
cause Jay Gould, Russell Sage and
other millionaires and spectators,
own these news syndicates, and they
saw what would be the effect of this
information if the people acted upon
it. They saw that if the farmers all
stopped selling cottoa that they
would be forced to pay more for it
If they got it. They knew that it
would be months at considerable ex-
pense before we could reach the pro-
pie through the weekly press and by
und that a great |
many we could never reach. They
were right, and therefore but few
have held their cotton. If all had.
the price would have gone up imme-
liately.
The gentlem .n then said, "but
why has cotton gone down since that
resolution was passed.? We told
him that no one but the spectators
themselves knew the real reasons.
but that we would give him our opin-
on. First, we asked him if he did
lot believe that not orly We're the
but every combine
rust and monopoly in the United
states was opposed to the Alliance.
he said; ~ esq. Then we told him
hat it was our opinion that the spec
llators saw than if they could get
III the money powers of the countr,
o aidthem that they could further
'ear down the price of cotton. That
his would discourage the farmer
nd make him lose faith in the ALI
nee; and if he could show + ,e
Whole money power of the country /.
hat he could damage the Alliance. ,
hat they woul ! all helr HIM. He
hoWed them they helped him.
The gentleman then said, swell, if !
he money power has got us in their i
rasp is it not folly to hold cotton t
ny longer We told him that the
oiders OF cotton had to sell some. :
lme, and that when they did, that +
would be TO their interest to push t
.r