The farmer and mechanic., 1910-09-27
Especial to Colum bia State.)


smith, in an interview, gives out
the following statement, with refer
nee to the South's cotton crop, as
compared with a like period a year
"Reports from every cotton State of
Importance indicate that the present
.rop will not very greatly exceed last
years crop. Below will be found re-
ports from each State, with the name
of the party reporting. This will give
a fairly good idea of the probable
yield and the disposition of the farm
trs towards holding for better prices
shan those now prevailing.
In view of the fact that last year
was an unprecedented short crop, the
demand for the staple increases year
by wear the outlook for an adequate
supply to meet the demands of the
world is poor indeed.
Have Whip Hand.
The farmers of the South, and the
business men whose prosperity de-
pends upon the farmers, have the sit
uatlOn fully in hand. Everything de-
pends upon whether they will market
the crop judiciously The South is not
a section in which the doctrine of pro-
lection finds many honest adherents.
We DO not ask laws enacted to protect
us from competition; We simply ask
an open field and free fght-and
that there shall not be national legis-
lation which will discriminate against
us. We content to let the law of
supply and denand-hOneStly
fOrccd-determine the price Of our
commodity.
i wish the cotton growers Of the
South to remember that last year the
;r; +Ni
10 give a profit to the manufacturer.
This year, during the latter half Of the
session, the attorney-general of the
United States. through information
given him by certain parties who seem
to have been short on cotton, indi-
Gated certain ones who were atempt
ing to get an approximately legiti-
mate price for cotton.
One Sided.
Now. to state the case clearly: The
whole machinery Of the Government
was set in motion to pass such law as
would guarantee the manufacturer
profit and then to invoke the law TO
prohibit the producer of the raw ma
t-rial from getting the price that TT
simple law of nature-the law of sup
ply and demand-entitled him to.
The sO-called bull clique were to
lee hailed into court to answer to the
charge of an illegal combination in the
restraint of trade. while the same
body that passed the Sherman act
were busy passing the Payne-Aldrich
bill to legalize an artificial profit to
the manufacturers of America.
i asked the question of leading
Republican protectionist, if he would
not vote to exempt labor and indus
trial organizations from the operation
Of the Sherman act. His reply was
that he believed that all should stand
on the same footing before the law.
H.. lyn hor
under the law, was depressing those
who labor for wages and who produce
the raw material, in favor of those
who clip coupons and own the manu-
featuring interests of America.
Advises Holding.
Il shall not attempt to dictate to
the farmers-Of the South what they
shall do. But under the circum
stances. | would be delighted to see
them combine and hold their cotton
from the market, wherever it is pos
sible for them to do So until it shall
bring such price as shall measure the
artificial price placed upon manu-
factured articles by virtue of the tariff.
My honest conviction is that 20
cents a pound for the present crop is
none too high. in view of the supply,
the cost of production, the compare
tive value of cotton with other textiles,
and the artificial price that now OBJ
tMns on manufactured goods.
Last year, when the attorney-gen-
eraI of the United States was setting
the machinery of the law in motion to
investigate the bulls, [ introduced a
resolution in the Senate, which was
unanimously passed that he should,
IN common decency, investigate the
hears also
/ shall do all in my power, whilst
member of the United States Senate,
10 see to it that those who produce
the raw material shall get a square
deal
Tide Turning.
1t seems that the tide is turning
our way; and if the people will only
o. faithful to their own interests and
HeInand what is legitimately theirs
mere is no power under heaven to
Keep us from getting it.