The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-09-14
FARMERS DON'T SE[[
YOUR COTTON NOW
Fifteen< Cents May be the Price
Fix ~ the Committee of
>Se Union

IitSIUcit Barrett DISCUSSES III LAnnuak
Address Topics Of Interest to Mem
bers of the Farmers Union, All
Farmers and All Other Citizens OF
The South :
Birmingham. Ala, Sept. 9-The sen.
timent in the Farmers Union meeting
here is strongly against Southern
farmers selling their cotton early. The
belief is that the short crop warrants
fifteen cents and the leaders wish ALI
farmers to help secure that price by
not hurrying the crop to market.
Some favor fixing minimum price OF
fifteen cents. The majority seem to-
favor leaving the fixing Of the price
to the executive committee, which.
will probably make a flexible minimum
to be adjusted according to conditions-'
The Union does not control enought
warehouses to store the crop, but it ia
urging the erection or control of 9TH
that position.
The big problem is GLOW to Prevent
Early Selling" 1t is recognized that
the twelvecent price is tempting, that
many are in debt. and the efforts OF;
the leaders are being directed toward
much early selling. They believe IT,
the crop is held awhile everybody will
get fifteen cents. but no fixed price
is proba BILE. j
PRECEDENT BARRETT"S ADDRESS.
The most important feature Of the
convention is the address of President,
Barrett. He spoke eloquently of thei
aims, objects and purposes Of the
Farmers Union and of the great sue
cess which has already come to
crown its organized efforts.
After expressing his gratitude for
the privilege which had been his OF
serving his fellow farmers. he COM
pared the gathering to the national
congress. The latter. he said, was
made up in it's last analysis of sue
ceSSful politicians.
They are the best in their respec-
tive States, perhaps he continued.
and many Of them are good men, but
as a rule they are men controller BY
the selfish motives Of perpetuating
tn selves, as ST. Paul said all things
to all men, striving, pickering, evad
ing and not always so dazzling with
craftsmanship at close quarters.
'It is different spectacle I am fac
ing today. When 1 stand on this plat
form and look into your eyes. my
friends, am addressing not politi-
clans, not men struggling to promote
their own success and their own glory,
but representatives Of that vast, Won
derful body that controls the progress
and the prosperity Of America,
through whose toll In the monday
sun, and amid the frosts of winter
this nation has risen to greatness at
home and eminence abroad.
You meet each year to disburse no
prOdigiOus sums, to levy no far
rea ching and extortionate tariff. to
pay no homage to partisan, fetch or
political grandeur. But YOU do meet
as the servants and mouthpieces Of
the greatest organization of bona fide
farmers in history, to report, each
State to the other. the progress we
have made during the past year; to
devise measures which by affecting
the farmer likewise affect every in
dustry in America: to debate the best
means for solving the large problems
of the present and the larger prob
lens of the future: to inspire each
other as brothers for the tasks that
are yet to be achieved, and that seen.
broader and more exacting as we ap.
prOach closer TO them.
(COntiDuad on papa