The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-14

and they are the ones who can best se- cure accommodations from the larger banks. Almost every town of 800 peo- pie throughout the south has it's banks, and towns and cities of larger size have many Sanks. Many of the stockholders of these banks, thousands In number, are fa1mrs, and many are merchants, and almost all are directly interested in the price of cotton upon which the money supply of their community so largely de- bends. Their interests are identical with yours. Your prosperity last year and in previous years has made them prosper ous, you are able to help yourselves, you are able to give good security; they are able to help you and they will.''
 MT. Harding advised the adoption of cooperative methods. even If they be trust" methods of producing and mar ketine' crops.
 q have heard some intimation that the officers of your farmers organi- zation may run a risk of prosecution under the Sherman law, when they ask you to organize, to limit your preduc- ton. to diversity your crop. to- hold back a portion of your products and to market them in sane and a scien- tific manner but I do not believe you are violating any law of God or man when you combine in an attempt to secure lull Vdluc loi tHc pIOuuctS WHICH your soil has yielded as a result of your brawn and muscle, and the sweat of your brow. No law can stand that seeks to deprive an honest man of the fruits of his labor. which enriches not himself alone, but his state. his sec tion and his country"
 Barrett's Address
 President Charles S. Barrett of the TTa IDinn addroScipcr J,a Southern Cotton Growers conference to- day, declared that all reports of a bumper crop are absolutely baselhss. He likewise denounced as false any statement to the effect that the Farm CTS union is a combine to hold up civil ization. and before he concluded he charged the existence of a conspiracy to hammer down the price of cotton.
 After a few introductory remarks MT. Barrett said In part:
 q state unequivocally that reports, government or otherwise, foreshadow- ing a large cotton crop this year are absolutely unfounded in fact. I can speak with authority, for the machin- cry employed by the Farmers upion has 'ascertained that cotton conditions, virtually in every state, are different. The crop will not come up to ex- pectations In volume. The man who Is looking for bumper yield is deceiy- ing himself or has been deceived
 'If I correctly interpret the purpose of this meeting it Is to stand by the farmers of the southern states and to prevent the loss of several million dol- lars through unwise marketing of cot ton. The Farmers union has just con- cluded its annual convention at Shaw nee, Okla, and I am confident that there the representatives of more than 2,00O,o0O farmers formed plans that will bring to nought any conspiracy that may exist to secure for less than its real worth the staple that is still the .south's main dependence" He in- vited the cooperation of every man in a movement to bring for cotton what 1t Is worth.
 Mission of Farmers Union
 Mir. Barrett then entered into an ex- plepation of the mission of the Farmers union He denied emphatically that the organization exists for the purpose of working havoc in the general business world or of subverting the laws of sup ply or demand, or of gaining an unjust advantage of anyone.
 We are not the enemies of the small country merchant, of the country or city banker. or of the International cotton fa ctor'' he asserted, unless that factor corspires unjustly to rob us of the prod uct of cur toil
 When anyone tells you that we are In a combine to hold up civilization he de- clared further along. "use my authority for denounclng that person as either a willful liar or a man of absolute gnor- ance. We are compelled to organize for our own protection. The least significant business that is not well organized stands not the slightest show of surviving. But to charge the farmer even indirsctfy with a desire to hold a club over the needs of civilization is to perpetrate libel on the fairest. squarcst, most just class of men on Gods green footstool.
 "On the other hand, have been in- formed on excellent authority that there exists at present a conspiracy. almost vol ld-wide, to bear the price of the cot ton crop. I am not afraid that such d plot will succeed, but if 1t should, the southern farmer, and. on the other hand, the southern business man, would be poorer by many millions of dollars.
 "I put 1t up to the farmer calmly and you want to absolutely give away several dollars bale?
 'Co-operation, rigid faithful. unswerv- ing cooperation. will banish the last chance of that possibility. The southern farmer. has his fate in his own hands. He can get exactly what his crop is worth We should forever abandon the folly of disposing of our cotton in a one-sided deal of letting the buyer name his price and iaiYely aecepting fl. We deserve noth- Ing better of fate If we do not stand up for our rights, If we do not realize that this staple is worth certain price to the world, and that the world will pay