Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-02-22
THE FARMERS IN THE SADDLE.

Theodore II. Price, tho great New
York cotton bear, has published quite a
satyrical article on tho recent cotton
convention held at New Orleans, in which
he says the substance of tho conventions
resolutions may be summed up about
this way:
Resolved, That the laws of gravitation
are hereby suspended; that the mc.he-
matical proposition that "2 and 2 make
4" has been exploded, and in regard to
the cotton crop they make only 2i. or at
most3; that we will hide our heads in
the sand and our cotton in out-Of-tne
way places, in the hope that the world
will forget that we ever lost the first, or
ever had the second; that progress in
agriculture is mistake; that we must
quit trying to raise cotton cheap, but see
how much We can make cost 10 raise it;
that any farmer who shall violate the
provisions of these resolutions shall be
ostracised from society, and Ii he per-
sists shall be run out of the cotton
States; that any negro found hoeing cot
ton shall be condemned to penal servi-
tude; that all surplus mules shall be
sold to Russia and Japan; that the poor
planter had better starve than that the
rich planter should fail to get an exhor-
bitant price for mis- cotton that the min
asked to refrain from praying for bounti-
full harvests-at all events, to go easy on
cotton.
Mr.. hice has summoned some humor
to his assistance, and has gotten up
something to amuse, for the time at
least, and possibly convince some that
the work of the convention was folly.
Nevertheless, we think the outlook by
no means unfavorable for the realization
of the hopes of the cotton growers. The
situation is not only hopeful now, but if
the farmers and Others Interested stand
squarely together, without division, dis.
sension or personal quibbling within
their ranks, success is certain. 1t seems
that it is definitely settled chat there is
Co be no politics or religion mixed in
with this business organization, and this
is well. Politics and religion are good
things in their places, but they always
provoke divisions, which spread from
the original source into the vital parts of
a business organization, with the result
that neither politics nor religion has
been elevated and that the main objects
of the organization have been totally
defeated. Let the cotton grower stand
firm in his purpose to be justly recon-
pensed for his labors, and he will win,
though it will take time. 1t is fact
that he has never been better prepared
than he is too day to stand for his rights.
There are various ideas as to the status |
OF the situation, and the expressions i'm
public prints give many sides to the
question. Speaking of the outlook for
the producer prominent mill president
of Charlotte, n. c., says:
You may say what you please, but it
is a fact that the farmers are i'm the sad.
die now. They have things in their own
hands, and eau control the situation as
long rs they choose to do so. If they
stick to the holding movement and re-
duce their acreage they will be sure TO
receive higher prices Cotton is not at
its real value to-day, because so many
Splnncrs are supplied. When their
stocks become exhausted, there will be- a
much stronger demand, and then there
may be no necessity for the farmers to
continue to hold their cotton. For the
next 80 or 90 days very little cotton will
oc bought by the spnners, but the fac
tors who have contracted to make de-
iiveres will he forced to go into the
market, and they are the people who will
be hurt"
This is practically the position taken
by The Courier some two months ago
when 'thc bottom began to drop out" of
che cotton market. We have seen no
reason to change our opinion, and we
still believe the producer is able to keep
himself master of the situation if he
will sit steady and hold fast