The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-12

ducer should not control the figures in
preference to the SPECTATORS.
My plan is simple. Organize pls
stock company. with shares OF .ne pa.
yalue OF IS each. Interest as many cotton
nroducers as possible to take stock Tnen'
a fter organization. induce the stockholders
ana other producers to sign contracts
which will give the company the cohlfoi
OF marketing their cotton.
On his mart the producer will hold one
fourth of his cotton on his farm. lie VIII
have the right 10 borrow money on II ii
he wants TO do so. but must not sell lt
until the company says so. VI us part
the company will guarantee mat uhner no
circumstances will the producer receive
for his cotton less than the prevailing
market price al the time II Is actually
sold To help him to hold 1t the company
may even lend him a certain amount OF
money on the crop. 1890
Well. suppose the company I'm this way
should get control Of onc-fourth or the
crop. or 2000OoO ahles. who would At
tempt tn sell cotton short? Let the specu-
lators try II II they dare. All the COM
pany would have 20 do would be 10 puy
every bale offered below a fair price. Then
when IL got ready it would call upon tho
shorts TO deliver the cotton. and where
would they get II? The company Wonld
have control Of 1000 90 bales. and II would
settle with the shorts on its own terms.
II the company should do pretty well
with one-fOurth Of the crop one year. the
producers might be willing to turn over 10
II one-half or even more the next year,
and then by advising a reduction Of acre
age and regulating the supply 10 the de-
mand the cotton producers Of the South
could become what they are entitled to
be-absolutely independent.
Mr.. Roddey is candid. He does not at
tempt to dodge He says in plain Eng
lish that the organization is 10 be n trust
whose object is TO fix the price Of cot
ton, and the remarkable spectacle Is pre-
sented OF a farmers trust. organized by
Wall street man in the State Of Georgia
which boasts of an antitrust law. II the
plan succeeds, competition will be shut
out and every poor man in this country
will be forced to pay tribute to the cotton
trust whenever he buys a shirt or a suit
Of overalls.
That being the case, II were entirely
reasonable to expect that every antitrust
paper in the country would denounce this
movement as the prompting Of a greedy
monopoly designed 10 enrich stockholders
at the expense Of the plain people. But
we have heard Of no such denunciation.
On the contrary, the Atlanta Constitution
has encouraged 1t and the Augusta Cron-
icle booms It and urges II along as a good
thing. THE present attitude of the cot
ton growers of the South" says the
Chronicle. us the most remarkable that
sensible men ever occupied They pro-
duce one OF the worlds most valuable
crops, and one they have practical mo-
nopoly in. and yet they have no more 20
do with fixing the price Of their product
than II IL were grown in South America
The farmers realize this. This campaign
Of education has progressed this far All
see the embarrassment OF their position.
and all admit the need OF a remedy. But
too many are disposed TO concede that
the trouble IS past remedy. They must
pluck up better spirit. and determine not
only that remedy is possible. but that it
shall come.
What shall be the form Of this or
ganzation. and what shall be the me-
thods of operating are matters for future
discussions; but the farmers should de-
termine without delay that organization IS
possible, and that IT shall be had"
There you are. A proposition to orga-
nize the greatest trust that this country
ever knew. A proposition to corner and
control every pound OF raw cotton pro-
duced In this country. and the farmers
are to do II and member Of the New
York Stock Exchange is telling them
how to do IL and the Bryan papers are
whooping It up.
We forbear TO comment. save to say
that these farmers and these newspapers
must forever hereafter hold their peace
on the subject of trusts. They have re-
pudiated the Chicago platform and cast
their lot with the bloated monopolsts.
Lord save u.s.