The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
Cotton Holding Not Popu-
 lar in Texas
FORMER EXPERIENCE
Prices Continued to Fall During For mer Holding Campaign and the Politicians Favoring It Suf-
 fered as Result

1 crence to the outcome of the eHorts made by public officials from time to | time on behalf of the farmer are not at all optimistic over the possible ulti- mate effect of the movement that was inaugurated by Governor Colquitt and promoted at the recent conference o1 governors and others at New Orleans to bring about an increase In the prics of cotton through inducing the farm CTS to. join in a general holding move ment and by other auxiliary methods This view Is strongly held by men who believe that prices are regulated by the supply and demand.
 l It has proved to be a ticklish prop osition for man in public life In Texas who has expectations for future honors at the hands of the people which, of course, embraces the farm CTS as the predominant factor in the elections, to enlist their efforts toward bringing about better prices for agri- cultural products, particularly cotton. Some of the friends of Governor Col quit were surprised that he should have assumed the leadership of the present cotton holding movement. It is a matter of political history that several men who were prominent in po- litical affairs of the state have gone down to oblivion as a result of az tempts similar to that which MT Col quit and governors of other states are now making. If cotton prices do go up all is well, but should they fai, and the farmer who holds his cotton be compelled to sell at lower price, than he can now obtain for his pro- duct the pubic officials who fostered and supported tho holding movement will be held responsible for the losses not of course, in financial senae, but in political way.
 Movement Several Years Ago
 The truth of this assertion was never better shown than a few years ago when the cotton warehouse move ment was inaugurated with much gusto by certain men who were prominent at that time in the councils of the dem ocratic party. These politicians went about over the state preaching the doc Urine to the farmers that they were the victims of gambling interests in Wall street and that the spinners were giving their support to the depressing of cotton prices; that II the farmers would stand together and hold their cotton they would bring these power ful oppressors, who, they alleged. were seeking to profit enormously at the expense of the farmers, to time.
 When that memorable cotton holding caml aign started cotton prices were well up as compared to what they had been In some previous years. It proved pop ular movement, however. and in order to hold the crop scores of warehouses were built all through the cotton sbelteof the state and were filled with the bales from the farms. The holding of cotton in Texas that particular year exceeded that of any previous year. Farmers were led to believe by the politicians who were carrying on the agitation among them that the prices would quickly be forced up several cents per pound and that they could successfully cope with the alleged speculative interests which they claimed were manipulating prices. They were doomed to bitter disappointment. Prices continued to fall lower and lower and farmers were forced to dispose of their crop eventually at figures which meant heavy losses as compared with the revenue, that ,theyyscould have ob- .tained had they not joined the holding movement. The politicians who were ac- tive in agitating that plan were roundly berated by the farmers all over Texas and they were buried so deep under the wave of u1ipopularity that none of them has been heard from in public affairs from that day to this.
 So generally accepted among long tried and experienced men in public life in Texas is the axiom that it is dangerous to take Up the fight for better prices of any product in the behalf of farm CTS that few of them have tried 1t in recent years.
 Colquitt's Campaign
 Governor Colquitt has very strenuous campaign on his hands just now. He Is being opposed for reelection to a second term by w. F. Ramsey associate jus tice of the supreme court. MT Ramsey is. said to be popular with the farmers