The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-04-02
OF COTTON
WILL co HIGHER
Memphis Banker CengratuIateS
Farmers Union
VALUE Of ORGANIZATION
Farmers of South Have Aided in Over
coming Panic by United Effort
to Hold Up Price of Cotton by
Holding the Staple.

Jackson, Miss, April 1.-(Special)-A
few days since President Hightower of
the Farmers union wrote letter to Il
Memphis banker that was given out for
publication. and in which he took the
business men of the south rather severe
ly to task for their failure to back up
and assist the farmers in their fight to
maintain and increase the price of cot
ton
Edwin L. Johnson of Memphis writes
Mr.. Hightower that he has read that let
ter with great interest and pleasure. lie
tells of his work in making up his an
nual review of the cotton oil situation,
prices of which he predicts are going
higher before this crop is disposed o.
and finds great similarity in the cotton
and cotton oil situation He then says;
you are far more temperate THAN L
would be under similar circumstances in
criticisng the south for its attitude to-
wards cotton and the planters. However
disaffected many in the south may be
with the planters for their attitude to-
wards the exchanges and futures the
south cannot afford to let any such feei-
ing interfere with the fullest most active
and persistent support of the value OF
the staple itself. 1t would be not merely
the worst kind of folly, but also the
basest sort of ingratitude and treason
for the southern people willingly to let
cotton decline for any such purpose as
teaching the planters a lesson. If organ
lied holding movements fail, we enter
again upon an era of scent cotton and
all the value of long, hard years work
will be lost. We cannot start panic
in cotton and check it as has been done
in stocks. If our planters lose conf
dence in their organizations, then the
cause of cotton is lost and too late the
south will realize that in teaching the
planters a supposedly needed lesson she
has lost her chance to control forever
her own richest and most valuable source
of wealth.
1.-THE work you and your organization
have done in this panic year in restoring
confidence to the financial south, in pre-
venting the breaking of southern banks
and southern merchants, is something LOT
every southerner to be proud oi-soHne-
thing which he cannot and should not
forget, something which he should return
in kind now when you need every south
erner's help | say God bless you ana
your organization. He is on your SIDE
because you are hoping yourselves, ana
l believe that you will win and see lz1s-
cent cotton
Mr.. johnson declares he does not pc
neve there will be any actual decrease
in the consumption of cotton goods TINS
season, for the reason that the people 40
not in hard times economic on necessl-
ties. but on luxuries and that as COT
ton goods are as a general thing neeessl-
ties. he cannot see where their use can
he eurtailed to any considerable extent.
While the mills may carry less Of cot
ton and of cotton goods, it Will simply
mean that they have put off buying as
long as possible-to the very last minute
and they will have to have both sooner
or later before the end of the season.
1or that reason it remains for the farm
err to carry his cotton just a little longer
than usual in order to get the fun Vaiue
for it.