Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-04-02
man strong in order ths. .n NAY 10

man strong in order that sn may -
come strong.
1T is true that the country 10 al.
lusiing along that line but very slow.
~ II conditions are allowed 10 remain
as they are, n half century will pas.
before the South comes into its own. IL
in fact that ia ever accomplished. The
constant drain Of wealth from thi. sec
tion and the concentration of the sam.
IN the great wealth centers add. TO their
strength and to our weakness, and
widens the chasm year by year.
Your pine forests will be- exhausted
In half century and cotton will he
your source Of wealth, 80 why not CO.
operate now in order that cotton may
hold the commanding position that your
pine forests now holI.
1T may he true that the man who
borrovs money and carries his commodi.
ties Is specializing but il is equally true
that the man who carries hi. commodi.
ties and does not borrow money il spcru-
lating; in fact, the farmer is speculatinR
from the time he put. the seed in the
soil until he turns his product into
money. lie is specializing againss
weather. seasons. trade conditions, etc,
and when by his own act he permits
trade conditions to exist that operate Ia
his detriment, he speculates very un.
wisely.
II am glad TO note that you are inter.
ested in the welfare and prosperity Of
the agriculturists, and that you think
they are due more support and sympa.
thy than any other class. am sorry to
say, however, that they do not gener.
ally get that support and sympathy from
men engaged in other avocations. They
produce the wealth Of the country, and
yet they are the poorest class Of the
country. They feed and clothe the world,
and yet in their present struggle for
self preservation almost every business
man in the South has predicted that cot
ton will 90 to cents per pound. thus
discouraging the farmer and cncourag-
ing those who would prey upon him.
The Southern farmers during the last
few months have waged the most I'M.
equal struggle known to man. They have
fought the world in their efforts 20 Sc
cure just compensation for their toll,
and have had arrayed against them the
majority of the business people of their
own section. II Is my candid opinion
that II every business man in the South.
during the last four months, had encour-
aged the farmer to hsld the position he
has taken. and said to the balance Of the
world that You must pay a legitimate
price for the cotton of the South before
You can have it. We would see very diff
ferent conditions in the cotton trade. The
world gets its impression of the South
from the conduct and uttcrances Of the
business people Of the South.
The impression during the last sea.
son has been that the farmers would not
hold their cotton. but would be caused
to bolt and sell their product for cents
per pound. Late last fall. when the cri~is
caused by the approach of settling time
was confronted, the market was raided
in an effort to put the price of cotton to
cents. The farmer refused TO take
that price, and cotton began steadily to
advance, and in February it reached Iai,
cents in the local markets. Now we are
confronted with another crisis. Planting
season has come, farmers owe money,
they must have mules, corn and other
supplies. Many of them have to have
credit. We see now another raid Of the
market, trying to force the price down
to cents. This is a very great strain on
our people, and they deserve unstinted
praise for their sacrifice and sclf-denial
in an effort to protect their homes. II
they could be driven from their position
now, it would not only mean the loss
they would sustain on the cotton they
have on hand, but it would mean a loss
of not less than cents per pound on the
whole of the next crop. They will not
surrender. Cotton will advance again.
Il thank you for your kind expires
sions of goodwill and friendship for the
agricultural class, and trust you and
your class may in the future not only
make those Kind expressions, but that
you may cooperate in this movement for
the welfare and the up-building of our
beloved Southland.