The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1906-02-10
THEIR FALSEHOODS
DENOUNCED.
PRES. CLARK EXPOSES THE TACTICS
USED TO DEPRESS THE
COTTON MARKET.
Farmers Urged to Stand Firm and
Not be Deceived.

The following address to the
farmers of the State has been is
sued by President Walter Clark.
of the Mississippi Cotton Asso.
citation:
"a careful and thoughtful con.
sideration of the cotton market
for the past ten days will convince
any man that cotton has been un-
duly depressed, and desperate
effort is being made to bluff the
holders of spot cotton and force
them to sell. The bear elements
have not confined themselves to
the fact, but have flooded the
country with false statements.
The holders of cotton in their ig-
norance of the true situation have
been bluffed out of their holdings.
"Mr. Price a few days ago in a
circular letter quoted from a tele-
gram which he claims to have re-
ceived from a cotton factor of
Memphis, Tenn, stating that a
cotton buyer at ClarksdaIe had
bought 1 200 bales of cotton from
the State of Mississippi and that
this cotton was then on the fac
tors table for sale at any old
price; and also that there were
$4,000 bales of cotton in the COM
presses of Clarksdale and holders
of this cotton were anxious to
give it away. Both statements
are false and without any founda-
tion in fact. The only 1 200 bales
of cotton sold by the State of
Mississippi were sold in the early
part of the season; and were sold
and shipped to the spinners at a
handsome profit to the buyers who
bought from the State. By act
ual count, at the time named,
there were II, ,542 bales of cotton
in the congresses at Clarksdale.
This is only one of the misleading
statements made by these people.
1t is a fact that a few people
whom | begged to sell their cotton
at twelve cents did sell last week,
but the large majority of holders
are still firm, and will continue to
hold.
1.-THE Mississippi division has
never advised the holding of cot
ton for fifteen cents, but I am
thoroughly convinced that the sta
tistical position of cotton warrants
even this price, and firm hold
ing movement is all that is neces-
sary to bring about a sharp ad-
vance.
The farmers should not forget
that they have won two great vic
tories, and that a desperate effort
will be made and no stone left un-
turned to dislodge all weak hold
ings of cotton, and to disrupt the
organization. The rampant bull,
who refused to sell at twelve cents
thirty days ago, and swore he
would have fifteen cents, should
remember that if his position was
good then it is much better now.
"We know that the crop will
not exceed 10,25O,0OO bales, and
the recent enormous takings of
the foreign spinners show conclu-
sively that they must have cotton.
We know that the price of dry
goods is high, and that the supply
is limited, and that the spinners
can make a handsome profit and
pay much higher prices for the
remainder of this crop.
"The strong fight now being
made against US we should meet
in the most positive and determin-
ed manner. We must stand to-
gether. We must organize. In
a short while you will hear from
this same bear element of the
enormous increase in cotton acre
age, the purchase of new mules
and of new agriculture imple-
ments. Remember, that we must
organize, know the facts, and tell
the truth nothing else can do US
any good. / admit that there will
be, and there should be, slight
increase in cotton acreage in Mis-
sissippi, but the farmer who
plants his acreage in cotton and
neglects to provide ample acreage
for his food products, is not only
a fool but knave.' =