The Green Forest tribune., 1908-10-30
The Folly of the Southern PeopIs.

The agitation in the South for sev. eral years has caused many people to inquire into the cause of the condi- tions here. Cotton being the basis of nearly all prosperity in the South, we naturally look with a jealous eye on the fluctuation in price, adding to or taking from it's value many millions of dollars. often in a single day. Why should it be worth $10,000,000 more or less today than it was yesterday? Every business man in the South when asked the cause will tell you that speculation did it. When asked how speculation can add to or take millions of wealth from the people in so short a time only one in a thousand will be able to talk intelligently about the hows and the why's This lack of iD- formation and careful study on tbe part of so many of our people is large ly responsible for much of our trouble. Manipulation fixes the price of cotton under the present system of marketing. few individuals who dominate the exchanges can subtract millions from the value of our chief commodity at will. Public sentiment in the South, however, is very important factor in market values. Public sentiment is the heavy artillery with which the ex- changes lombard the market. They dare not run counter to this sentiment very long. The first thing, therefore, undertaken by the manipulation in bear raid on the market is moulding of pessimistic view as to trade con ditio1s and the constant agitation of, the bumper crop idea When the South is thoroughly saturated with these ideas they raid the exchange markets, break the price, and public sentiment in the South allows the spot market here to follow, not so much because we have to, or because true conditions justify it, but because a pessimisIn possesses the people and they become panicky and sell, and the selling sus- tains the fictitious price caused by the bear raid on the exchange market.
 Thus a manufactured sentimen. costs the South millions of dollax. every year. Thus sentiment fixes tt-. price of cotton. Thus sentiment pr:> vents the carrying into effect of tks only sane method of marketing cottet. that is to feed the markets of tte world as the world needs the cottob. What of the Southern man in any calling who talks down the price of cotton and contributes his share l., lower values? He unwittingly play. the role of a traitor to his country to his neighbor and to his home. What builds boom towns? Talking them ur. What causes runs on solvent banks? Talking them down. Talk by South ern men has the same effect on cotton values and costs the South millions every day.
 The drummers of this section are | powerful factor in moulding senti- ment May I not appeal to them to change their tactics? Better prices will give you better business; maybe not this month, but eventually it vii, all come back with interest. The , pOSlllOu gives W6lSuJ JO WHdl he says. May I suggest to you, Mir Banker, that $10 per bale to add to our cotton will increase the bank de posits of the South $100,000,000 and | you get your share of it. Mer- chants are factor in moulding pub- lie sentiment, May I remind the mer- chant that one-fifth added to the value of our cotton will increase his trade in the same ratio. Why not boom the | price of cotton like you would boom your town or your business? Both de | pend on cotton. I suggest that every | business, professional or commercial | organization depending on cotton for it's prosperity hold meetings and ai | once in it's own way begin to boost | cotton.
 l have made a most thorough in- vestigation of crop conditions, and | based on these investigations I am pro pared to say that all crop estimates is | sued to date are unreasonably high. | The crop will be a very short one. | Even the preacher can tell the truth | and help collect his salary at the sams time.
 G. R. HIGHTOWER, Secretary Farmers Union National |
 Cotton Committee.