The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-10-03
FACE TO FACE WITH A SERIOUS
SITUATION.

all the Southern states are race "
face with the most serious question
that has confronted them in a de-
cade. They nave invested millions OF
dollars of money in growing a cotton
crop which has matured more rapid
" than ever. The farmers believe
that the cotton crop this year is not
a very large one but the unpre-
cedented early opening and ginning
have given the impression to the
country and to the spinners abroad
that the crop his ear is going to
be a record reaker. This belief be-
ing prevalent among the buyers Of
cotton in the New England States,
has brought the price of cotton down
steadily since the first Of the month
and it is now at a price that does
not give the farmer a cent OF pro1t
for his years work. h cotton crop
this year has been made at an ex-
pense greater than ever before.
Everything the farmer had to buy in
making the crop and everything he
has had to buy for his own family
and for his tenants has been higher
in price than in this generation, and
the cotton farmer comes to the month
of October, having made large debts
to cultivate his crop only to find that
cotton has gone to such a low price
that if he sells now he has worked
all the year for nothing, and, in some
cases, had 20 board himself, to boot.
Tho labf. tho forroorC hauo ina,1rro6
are pressing upon some of them n
some have been selling their cotton
at the present prices to
meet their obligations and the prob
lem before them is one of great
magnitude. 1t is q problem as we'll
else in the South, for, although we
have diversified our crops and the
South makes other things than cot
ton, it still remains true that Cotton
is King and that the price of cotton
Is the true measurement of condi-
ions in the South.
If the farmers get a profitable price
for their cotton, business of all kinds
move, the banks are full of money
new enterprises are created, old ones
enlarged, and general prosperity
blesses the whole South, but if the
crop Of 1911 must be sold around
ten cents, then it means such econ
Omy as requires the farmer and those
dependent upon farmers to Gu. to the
bone; it means stagnation in many
lines of business; it dWarfs manu-
featuring II prevents hat business
South is entering.
In view of the serious situation,
what are farmers to do? 1t is mani
fest that they cannot act alone. The
bankers and merchants and farmers
are all in the same o in a large
sense and in this emergency they
should act together. A meeting of
the Farmers Union Of Wake county
was held in Raleigh yesterday and
great consideration was given to the
present conditions and after a great
deal of discussion by KhouYhtful
farmers, the Union passed a series of
resolutions, printed elsewhere, calling
upon it's members to hold their cot
ton as long as possible, or until a
more satisfactory price could be had,
and closing with a resolution request
ing President Alexander, Of the Farm
ers' Union of the State, to call a great
meeting in Raleigh in October COM
posed Of interested people, regardless
Of whether they belong to the Union,
to consider the ways and means of
holding cotton. They also request
President Barrett TO hold a national
meeting Of the Farmers Union and
that this important bread and meat
question that comes home to every