The Tupelo journal., 1908-04-03
By Il. e. BLAKESLEE. JACKSON.

The following letter written by Pres
ident Hightower, of the Farmers Union,
Mississippi Division, in reply to a pri-
yate letter from a prominent South Mis-
sissippi banker, is given here, because
it deals in a practical way with ques-
tons which concern the people of Mis-
sissippi:
"Oxford, Miss March 20, 1908.
my Dear Sir-Your favor of the 18th
received. l appreciate fully your line
OF reasoning ON business interests gen.
orally. There is no question about the
.soundness of your argument that the
natural marketing of all commodities
is the best and soundest method of
handling them. This applies to cotton
as to any other commodity, but under
the present system cotton is not uatur-
ally marketed. There is set up in this
country a most unnatural, cumbersome
and expensive system of handling this
crop. Our effort to set up a new system
is nothing more than an effort to break
down the present very expensive and I'M
just system. We cannot do this by al
lowing the cotton to 60 through the
channels that it has gone in former
ent system goes to the gamblers, buy
ers and to the mills, every disadvantage
under this system is reaped by thu pro-
ducers. When [ say producers, L mean
it in the broadcast sense. | mean that
section of the country which produces
the cotton regardless of class or occupa-
ton.
THE United States has a yearly bal
ance of trade with foreign countries in
its favor. The cotton crop of the South
furnishes the most of the balance in
favor of this country. The South would
reap special benefits if the trade condi-
tions were natural and just. AS it is,
however, the South is the least BEN
flied of any section of the country. Shall
we permit this system to continue in
definitely, or shall we make a united
effort to change the system and reap
the wealth that is properly ours? Every
interest would be benefited by such a
change; the bank deposits would be in
creased with the wealth of the people,
the volume of trade in every line would
be swelled in proportion that the price
of cotton is advanced, and every inter-
est in the South would reap its share
of the prosperity.
"You speak of your towns as an indus
trial center. Your compress attracts
considerable cotton. 1t would possibly
attract more if this cotton could be
financed there next fall. The bank de-
posits would be increased in proportion
to the amount of cotton handled from
that center.
ut is true that credit thus extended
is a burden to the borrower but we feel
that it is better to carry this burden
for a few years and put ourselves on a
sound and natural basis than to pay
tribute indefinitely to those who speeu-
late on our products and get rich from
the of the South, and especi-
ally is this true since other sections of
the country are getting the greatest
benefits.
ct is true that the independence of
the individual enables him to hold his
products and to take advantage of the
best prices offered during the season. If
this is true of the individual it is still
truer of the South collectively. Greater
benefits can come to the individual
through a united and cooperative effort.
The individual who is able to act for
himself is often hampered and thwarted
in his efforts by the individual who is
unable to act for himself, and is at the
mercy of those who would prey upon
his weakness. His weakness in the cot
ton situation becomes the weakness of
all. Our effort is to make the weak