Woodruff County news. [volume] (McCrory, Ark.) 1901-1910, 1909-04-08
Farmers Educational
AND
Co. OperativeUnio
Of America
Where viii 1t End7

WHAT mas become OF the courage ana
backbone of the farmers In market
| ing their cotton slowly?
Last year Texas farmers held ON to
their cotton nobly, while the farmers
of the Eastern States sold rather fast.
This year the best, the amplest, the
most substantial arrangements have
been made by our State Union Off.
Gals to relieve the distressed cotton
that we have ever had, still the farm
ers seem to be panicstricken.
The cotton over the principle part
Of the belt opening unusually early
the farmers all seem to be In race
TO see who can get it ginned and all
| of 1t to market first. Their conduct
in this matter is the rankest madness.
That is strong term to use, but why
mince words or speak in velvet tones
while this high carnival of folly is
in full swing.
AS Mr.. G. r. Hightower, secretary
Of the Farmers Union national com
mitee says: Public sentiment In the
| South is largely responsible for these
low prices. The lack Of full and cor
rect information among the farmers
and the strength of the old habit Of
| rushing their cotton to market as fast
as gathered is responsible to large
| extent for the present conditions.
| Spectators know more of the farm
ers' condition than the farmer ever
| dreams, and they use this knowledge
to Its fullest extent They know when
| they have once got the farmers faith
in the market broken and have them
| stampeded to market they can just
| keep cutting the price and the farm
ers will feed the market the faster.
This season, somehow, the farmers
started into the season in pessimis-
tic frame Of mind They seem to fear
| a repetition OF last seasons bank tie
I'D; still they do not hesitate to de
post what spare change they have
with the banks On the whole. the
farmers, of whom / am one. have
many OF the characteristics of an
enigma.
The loss to the farmers and other
business interests In re South this
odless rushing the market. has already
run into the millions. When will 1t
end? When will the farmers learn
that a little careful study OF the
worlds cotton market and the condi'
tions of business that affect 1t will
enable them to put more intelligent
business methods into their crop mar
~ hak m 70
more money and have more OF the
comforts of life with an eight-hour
day than they get now under this old
system Of tOiling from sun till sun at
all seasons OF the year.
Often when / have been soliciting
subscriptions among farmers for our
Union papers have / been told: II
haven't got time to read. 1t takes
me all my time to make living. II
try to take a county paper to sorter
| keep up with things at home, but
half the time don't have time to read
It,"
There is no practical remedy for
the farmers condition outside of or
ganization. Organization without q
disposition to cooperate and act IN
concert throughout the cotton belt is
worthless. If a man Is unwilling to
be taught better and saner methods
| of doing business the organization can
not help him, but he can through his
| incorrigible ignorance and stupid folly
become a milestone about the neck OF
the organization and that condition
largely prevails today.
Those who would save this loss OF
so man millions Of dollars to the
| farmers of the South are prevented
from doing SO by this crowd, who
never have time to read anything
heavier than Hostetter's Almanac.
Farmers Union men, let US rally
our forces and do what We can to
| stop this dumping, this everlasting
| bearing the market II you must have
money for any purpose and you cannot
| get loan on 1t stored IN your ware
house at home, for the love OF your
family and your country don't sell 1t
| at such prices us are now offered, but
ship 1t to some one OF the cotton fac
| tors at Galveston in the care of J. G.
| Albritton and draw two-thirds of its
present value at 6 per cent, the loan
to continue till you order the cotton
sold.
This matter Of shipping cotton is a
very simple affair and II you don't
understand it go to your railroad agent
for instructions; though If you are a
Union man your local secretary has
complete instructions for you. You
may say there is no use for me to hold
my bale while everybody else is sell
ing. That argument is the refuge OF
knaves and fools and will not be re
/ H. al Atao Inc h.