The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-08
A Plea for the Life OF the Southern
Cotton Association.
(Louisburg Times.)


Is tho Southern Cotton Association
worth wh!lo?
Has it justified its existence and Is
it's perpetuation as a vital force a
thing to be desired?
The questions are pertinent for the
Association is in deadly peril--is
about to he s,ain in the house of its
friends.
/. for ono, believe in the Associa-
tion-in it's wisdom, it's beneficence-
its power to make good for those
who toll Thus believing, / make this
plea for it's life.
What is the most deadly enemy to
this organization which has done so
much and is capable of doing so
much more for the cotton farmer
the Bears of Wall street? They
are the chaff before the wind when
this organization moves forward in
its might. The one thing that can
k II this giant, shear it of it's strength
and make it's name a jest and a by
word in Wall street is the indiffer-
ence and neglect OF the farmers them
selves. We have only to ignore the
Association and it's recommendations
and its death will be swift and GER
tain. From without the Association
is absolutely invulnerable. but from
within it will fail an easy victim to
Indifference and neglect. If when it
speaks to its own it's own will not
hear and heed it's voice. how can it
be expected to have influence and
power in the council chamber of the
maninulatorS.
On the 18th. of September at Ashe-
Vile it spoke-spoke with intelIi-
gence-with convincing power. and
all Beardom trembled when it heard
it's voice.
1t declared that the crop of 1905
would not exceed 9.58S,133 bales,
and that it was worth eleven cents
a pound. This was not a guess, il
was a careful, conservative estimate.
and there is not a man living who
does not know that if the farmers had
"stood pat" had abided the decision
Of the men who were anxious to do
them good cotton would have gone
to eleven cents at once. There is
no man who does not know to NOR
al certainty that cotton will go tc
eleven cents. It is to be devoutly
hoped it will not go materially higher
for the farmer can i'll afford another
cotton drunk.
But the issue is not ten cent cot
ton, Or eleven cent cotton. The diff
ference is not large enough to be vi
tai. But the issue is the very life of
the Association. Is it not plain that
if you want the Association to -four
ish you must act upon its advice.
How can the generals win a battle If
the men in the line ignore their or
ders? 1t is d high duty we owe to
each other to keep the faith" 1t is
at once a pity and crying shame
that the farmers of the land-invin-
chile when united-are left to the
mercy of few manipulators in Wall
street simply because they will not
be true to one another. In refusing
to sell your cotton for less thar elev-
en- cents you are saving more than
the difference between ten and elev-
Ell cents. You are saving yourselves
you are saving the principle OF
loyalty to the one organization which
is loyal to you.
l say no man can afford to sell his
cotton for less than eleven cents un-
less the Association says so. Ii q
mistake has been made let the Asso-
citation so declare and then act upon
what it says.
But how can you hold your cotton
l. If you do not owe anything on
your cotton keep it at home in place