The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-10-23
TUESDAY,. October 30, 1900.
FARMERS SHOULD STAND FIRM,

Mr.. George w. Truitt, of Troup
county, Georgia, n of the largest cot
ton planters in the South, has written
a letter in the Atlanta Constitution
giving the same advice to the cotton
farmers of that State that this paper
has been giving to the cotton farmers
of North Carolina. 1t is 20 good that
we make place for it in full, as fol-
lows: 'sa<xs<
Editor Constitution:-Through your
columns / hope to reach as nearly all
the people of the South as possible, and
say to them stand firm against the eff
forts now being put forth to depress the
price of cotton" 1t is all a bluff game.
Now is the time for the farmers, bank
ers and merchants of the South to show
of what metal they are made, and to ex-
hibit their good sense. | am not sur
prised at this decline in the price OF cot
ton. Who could expect the bears of every
color and hue to leave anything undone
to force the cotton down at this time,
the time when the bulk of it is being
gathered and prepared for market, the
time when our obligations are maturing?
The mill men of the world would move
heaven and earth to buy this crop OF cot
ton at the cheapest possible price. They
want to buy it cheap, and if they can get
the bulk of it bought cheap, cotton goods
will go up, and you will hear no more OF
low price cotton until another crop is
on hand for their trap. This is as plain
as daylight. 1t is all consummate rot
to talk about a 10, 200, 900 bale crop this
season. Nine million two hundred and
fifty thousand is the maximum, and con-
ditions must be perfect for us to reach
that figure. Now when we face this fact
and then take a look at the demand
side of the condition we see the 100, 0OO,-
600 spindleS of the world, with their
50, 500, 900 600 of capital right in the touch
of want. These spindles must run or the
people who are hired to work them be-
come paupers and unmanageable. besides
the capital engaged takes a nap that
makes it very bilious.
I want to tell the good farmers of the
South in stentorian tones hold your
:, cotton for a profit l want to say to
the bankers of the South, come to the
support of the men who enable you to
pay dividends on your stock. What
would the business of the merchant and
the banker be in this Southern country
if not supported by the products of the
planter? We of the South, planter,
banker and merchant, ave furnished the
money to make this cotton crop; we did
not get our ability from Liverpool. Why
cant we continue to use this strength and
sell our cotton at a profit? If we use
our money, our brains, and our muscle
to produce the cotton and allow it to
pass away from us unprOfltably at the
all-important moment the selling time,
we place ourselves in a ridiculous plight
to say the least of it, and they who buy
from us would have just cause to laugh
at our folly.
| call upon the merchant and the bank
er in the South to do their whole duty
at this critical moment. Next spring the
banker and the merchant will have their
arms around the planters neck to make
the goods move from their store and the
congested wealth from their vaults in
order that the dividends and interest
may come in for their investment and
labor. Now, Mr.. Merchant, and Mr.. Bank
er, is your heart big enough to stand by
and support your best friend? If so, put
your shOlder to the wheel right now and
We will come to your aid next spring
and ummer. You will look in vain for
any other source of wealth and support.
Liverpool and New York don't buy your
goods or borrow your money. They buy
our cotton, it is true, but rather not
pay a reasonable profit on it, and the ma
ture of the case makes it necessary for
us to demand it. Nothing less than 10
cents per pound means a profit on this
crop, and justly it should bring II cents.
1t cost more to produce it than any crop in
ten years. The yield is very short. A
reduction in price cuts the very life out
of us. If the mill men are forced to
pay a reasonable price they will adjust
their business to make a profit. They are
no underlings, and never will be, but they
will root the farmer off every time and
get all the pap if they can.
The cotton producing interests of the
South are as strong collectively as the
cotton manufacturing interests of the
world, and are entitled to as much con-
sideration, for we alone are interested
in this feature; let the mill men demand
a profit on their products, and oh. how
sure they are to do it.
GEORGE w. TRUITT.
The North Carolina Cotton Growers
convention will meet in Raleigh on
Wednesday night Of this week to con
slider the cotton situation and send
delegates to the Interstate Cotton
Growers invention to be held at Ma
con-, Ga, on the goth of November. 1t
is to be hoped hat the attendance will
be large. 1t is an important meeting.