The Louisiana populist., 1894-12-14

thisslssue only the plan offered by
Mr.. S. f. Russ. which is embodied
in the first six resolutions referred
to above, and which amounts prac-
tically to the formation of an or
ganization of cotton growers, and
their friends, who will bind them
selves to grow no more cotton at
the present destructlve'prices.
The only questions to he met
are, SIS it practical!" and "will
it accomplish the desired resultF'
To the first, we answer that this
is the age of organization and
combine, every law upon our stat
ute books seem favorable to the
formation of mighty combinations,
the history of the United States is
a record of the mighty results of
organized effort among the masses
of the people, but to come nearer
home and to more recent efforts,
We cite the Farmers Alliance and
the various labor organizations
which, without any well-defned
purpose in view, or any very bril-
liant leadership, have risen to be
factors in national events, and
have settled questions equally as
momentous and difficult as the tenn
porary elevation of the price of
cotton.
If it be a fact that the present
price of cotton is much below the
cost of production, and that there
are other crops to which a farmer
can turn, for at least bare living,
without u constant loss of capital
invested, and we presume no rea-
sonable man will deny this, it seems
that the least possible agitation of
the information would cause a ma
iority of our farmers to abstain
from that course which is surely
sinking their farms under mort
gage as fast as the years roll on;
while reasonable amount of en-
ergy and time expended by de-
termined and persevering leader
ship ought to organize body of
such intelligence and magnitude
that it would control public opin-
ion in the cotton belt, and dictate
the cotton acreage. There never
was a more suspicious moment for
any organization, than for such an
one at the present, and it should in
a few months grow to such massive
proportions and SO completely
control public sentiment as tc make
it disgrace to grow cotton to the
injury of the individual and the
community.
The answer TO the second ques-
tiOn is by no means so easily dem
onstrated. The history of cotton
production in this country shows
two great instances of decrease,
one by artificial causes, during the
late war and the other by natural
Tor as some would say ''Providen-
cial'') causes, notably the crops of
1928 and 1884.
In the first instance of decreased
production the cotton belt was the |
scene of a war that engaged many
men. The cotton producers stop |
ped the production of cotton
and engaged in a business that, if |
it did not pay better, at least en-
abled them to wear plenty of cot
ton clothes; and this business"
called great many more men to
the same ''business" which paid
them even better, and in climate
that requires cotton clothes. So
that while the cotton production
was cut off iby the erstwhile pro-
ducers. engaging in something else,
the demand for cotton goods was
very largely increased and the de-
mand ras accompanied by the ability
to buy, because the men were en-
gagged in ''business" that suppli-
ed their necessities. So that this
decrease in the production of cot