The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-09-10
WHERE ARE OUR FREEMENl

ton seed is evidenced strongly
enough by the following dispatch
from New Orleans published in lead
ing dailies throughout the country
Friday:
"LEss MONEY FOR COTTON SEED.
"New Orleans, Sept. 5.-The lead
ing cotton seed men of Louisiana
and Mississippi met here last night
to fix the price they would pay tho
farmers for cotton seed this season.
The meeting was strictly private,
but it is known that most of the lead
ing members of the National Co. Ion
Oil Company, which controls the
price of cotton seed and cotton seed
products, we're present. The price
agreed on was Ii cents free on board
river, with the usual rebate of one
cent per sack equal to a rate of II
cents free on board rail. This is a
much lower figure than the farmers
received for their seed last year"
This dispatch should need no COM
ment by us. 1t alone speaks elo-
quentiy enough Of the need for CO.
operation of the farmers.
Notice the situation: The corn
and forage crops of the West half
ruined by drouth insure a greatly
increased demand for cotton seed
and it's products. Cattle-feeders
hitherto using corn almost exClu-
sively will this winter use immense
quantities of cotton seed meal.
Manufacturers OF ~butterine, cotto-
lene, etc., will use more cotton seed
oil than ever before. From every
section of the country come eViden-
ces of the greatest demand for cotton
seed and its products.
On the other hand, we find a dam
aged cotton crop, injured in every
State by unfavorable weather, rem
dering it absolutely certain that
there will be a Uery short supply Of
cotton seed.
Either of these conditions, in
creased demand or reduced supply,
would naturally increase prices, but
with both conditions existing, the
farmer indeed has a right to expect
prices far better than ever before.
In the face of these facts, however,
what do we see?
Bold with the belief that the far
mers of the country will submit like
dumb driven slaves to whatever or
ders they given, drunken with a
sense of their own power and feeling
secure because of the unorganized
condition of the cotton growers, a
body of capitalists meet together
privately in Ne Y Orleans a. the be-
ginning Of the cotton season-and to
do what? 1t seems hard TO realize
it here in this free country in the
first year of the twentieth century
Calmly and deliberately, however,
they meet ''to fr the prices they UtJL
pay the farmers for cotton seed this
season."
And they decide what?
That they will take half of the
greatly increased profits that must
come from the increased demand?
No.
Or half that will come as a result
of the short supply? No.
They decide, not on half that must
come from either condition, but on
all the profits that must accrue from
both conditions.
Nor do they stop here. Why should
they? Does not their greed demand
more? And are not the farmers
helpless? Are not these capitalists
thoroughly organized, and are not
the farmers scattered like sheep?
Of course. More profit then the
farmer must yield to monopoly.
Greed demands it, and the cotton
grower will not resist. Paying the
same price as last year and taking all
the profits that come as a result of
increased demand for cotton seed
products and decreased supply of
cotton seed is not enough.
And so these capitalists decree,
with the same confidence and calm
ness with which masters in the
Dark Ages made such announce
ments to their slaves, that prices
for 1901 cotton seed will "6e at q
much LO10er figure than farmers re-
cejCed for their seed last gear"
Such, kind reader, are these high
handed proceedings. And if your