The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-30
URGES FARMERS
 ID HOLD COTTON President Barrett Issues Stirring Address EVERYONE AFFECTED Says That All Should Cooperate to Prevent Sacrifice of the South ern Product at the Pres
 Prices
 
EVERYONE AFFECTED

1 L mon CltA. Ga., August ZS-NSpeHIdi.'
 National President Barrett of the Farn- CTS union today made his first official depression regarding the attitude of that big organization in the battle that is coming this fall to maintain the price Of cotton at proper level
 The Farmers union says President Barrett tissues an invitation 10 the en- lire south 10 cooperate with 1t in saving to this section many million dollars on the cotton crop of 1911-12. It is for the merchant. the business man, the banker, the smallest cltizenA no less than the farmer, to figure the difference between Is or 9-cent cotton and 1S or 14-cent cotton. The fight we are going to win is not alone in behalf of the farmer. It is waged in the interest of the southern business world as a whole To that degree 1t is not only the duty. but the individual rroft. of every element in the southern states to join hands with the Farmers union to the end that the powerful ma chnery of this organization may be brought to bear with complete success upon the present situation.
 
 ber of the Farmers union, my imperative advice is Hold your cotton,' It is worth
 infinitely more than the price now quoted. You should first go to your local banker. If you are in debt, and borrow sufficient money, with cotton as collateral, to enable you to hold. Your own banker knows you best, and it is to his interest to aid you in the fight. Should he fail you-and don't think he will--you can depend upon us for assistance.
 Shall Not Dictate Prices
 "rhe Farmers union does not intenu that a clique of bear gamblers or do- nestle and foreign spinners shall com hine to dictate the price of our product, or | to rob the section of a tremendous sum of money. It Is for the south we gre orking. Now is the time for every south erner to prove his business insight, and | it is not the time for hypocritical pre- tensions. It is a cold matter of dollars and cents If the farmer suffers, the busi- ness man. every business interest suffers along with him.
 "1t is no longer possible to produce cot ton for 8 or cents at a profit. If we could return to the old prices for mules, supplies, farm machinery, land itself, the proposition would be feasible. But as we cannot, the farmer must insist lpon tte price of his product being maintained upon a level with that of every other product.
 "The south ought to be abundantly l able to finance and hold its own prin l cipal product The accomplishment l should be matter of pride, as well as | of common sense. Practical men realize that the cotton crop of the opening season will not be nearly so large as
 it has been reported We who have l investigated know that there will be a demand at a fair price, for every pound of the staple produced. The main thing
 is for the farmer, large and small, or ganized and unorganized. to get togeth-
 CT and resolve that he will not be
 cheated out of the result of his toil
 Every Southerner Interested
 Every solitary southerner is inter-
 ested in the same result. And to each
 one. in whatever calling, I extend g
 cordial invitation to work with us for
 his own monetary interest, no less
 than that of the farmer As for the latter-another season or two of faiI prices mean absolute emancipation iron
 debt. That thought should be sutfi- cient to nerve him for the battle, es- 1 pecldiiN when ne IS dsSuTtQ dsSiStdHCt in its winning.
 Capt Reuben F. Kolb, commission. CT of Agriculture of Alabama, ha. called a meeting of he eommis toners of agriculture of the southern states and of all interested parties. barring I none, 10 devise means for main tainine the price of cotton. This conferenc, will follow the Farmers union conven | ton to be held at Shawnee, Okla, Sep ! tenn Der 5, and the convention will b, literally, If not as body, represente' ] at the conference. l urge all south 1 erners who realize the importance O the occasion to meet with the commis sioners and with members of the Farm CTS union In this conference Let al come. not to discuss the farmers great ness. which may be taken for granted nor any other subject, but the securin, of proper price for cotton. That is ! big enough job for a gathering com ] posed of the south's best brains, an, 1t should not be interfered with b, hot air or discussions admirable i, their way but without any bearing ol the para mount issue.
 Prompt action taken by this join I conference, following the policies out | lined al the Farmers union convention will bring triumph in campaign whic | no southerner, however humble, ca afford in self interest and patriotism l to ignore. CHARLES s. BARRETT