The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-07
Or Take Five Cents For
Cotton Next Fall With
out a Whimper.
The Only Hope For Farmers is to Hold
Cotton and Reduce the Acreage
Over Twenty-Five Per
Cent.

To the Editor:-I don't believe half
of the people in the South realize what
this fight farmers are making for
| better prices for cotton means for
them. The Census report shows that
Is per cent of all the farmers in the
cotton States lost their farms between
1890 and 1900, and the tale of woe
is not half told. Thousands of farms
were mortgaged, and thousands OF
mules, horses, cows. wagons. and other
things were mortgaged and sold TO
pay debts during the year that cotton
sold at 1-2 to I cents.
With everything we have to buy
now at from % to IS per cent high
err, and hands with board from -four
to five dollars per month higher 1t
will not take half the time now TO lose
10 per cent of our farms by five 10
seven cent cotton.
If we win this fight, we must have
united action by all cotton farmers,
bankers, merchants, and all business
men. and all of us will have to make
some sacrifices for our mutual good.
Once. just before great naval bat
| tie. an English Admiral ran up to
the masthead, the signal, England ex-
poets every man to do his duty
Brother farmers this Is Il fight FOR
your wives and chll lren ana homes,
and the future prosperity of the South,
and if you expect TO Win. every man
must do his duty
This is a fight of much importance
| to all OF US. and we can win it III
seven months if we will stick together
| and hold our cotton, and decrease the
acreage 25 to 80 per cent 50 that after
planting time in June. the government
reports a decrease of not less than. %
! per cent. Then the manufacturers
vii: hustle to get our cotton at ten
! cent per pound. and we will not have
| two million bales Of surplus cotton
next year 10 help beat down the price
! of the next crop. If farmers viii
! plant another large crop, the price
will be four to five cents next fall,
| and it will take five years TO recover
! from the effects of the thirteen million
| bale crop of 1904. and before then,
many Of us will be sold out.
once. during the Civil War, the
| Northern and Southern armies were
drawn UP in line on opposite sides of
the Rapoahannock river. at Freder-
icksburg. Va. ready for the battle
next morning. The night before the
battle, the Northern bands played the
"Star Spangled Banner and the
Southern bands Dixie trying to get
up some enthusiasm among the trops,
but all was quiet along the Kappa
1dTllOcK except the ilOOlllS OI the ON 1.
and the croak ng of the frogs. After
awhile, botn bands commenced play
ing Hone Sweet Home" and the
woods echoed with the Wells of the
soldiers for miles because ii went
home to the hearts Of the soldiers,
who wore the blue or the grey.
it seems to me that we Southern
people are similarly situated today. We
have been divided in business and
politics and many other things, but
when we have TO fight against six
cent cotton, the day has come when
all can agree. and stand together, as
this is a fight for the prosperity of
the South and Home Sweet Homo"
What hope is there tor q man who
Will not tight for his home? Gentle
men, speak now. and let us know
where you stand. or take five cents
for cotton next fall without a whim
PEI.
Yours truly.
RANSOM HINTON.
Raleigh. y. c., Jan. 5.