Henderson gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1911-19??, 1911-05-11
a MENACE TO THE SOUTH.

.
farmers and Bankers Against En-
t,rirg Wedge of Foreign Ownership
If Cotton Lands, and Points In Ur-
gent Need of Action.
TotEe Officers and Members of the
Farmers Union:
From the first moment that was
entrusted with the presidency OF this
pr4at organization, it has always
h.ep nv effort to avoid the note OF
the alarmist or the sensatiOnalist.
Rut the time is come to speak
plainly regarding a matter that is OF
the first Importance, not only to tho
farmers of the South, but as we'll to
the business men and the people OF
the South generally.
1t has not escaped the al tention OF
the most thoughtful that an English
eyudicute recently acquired IL large
n,r.nge OF fine cotton lands i'll one OF
the central Southern States.
The tacit purpose is to produce
cotton on these lands for English
epinners, thus avoiding dependence
upon the Southern cotton farmer.
II this were just one instance, 1t
need not occasion concern.
But it has come to my attention
that similar negotiations are on
foot in other portions of the cotton
belt.
What is more significant, | AIN also
informed that foreign spinners gener-
ally are contemplating the advisa-
biity of buying large tracts in the
Southern States, and produce their
own staple.
OF course, in each one OF these
eases, the most scientific methods
will be employed, as much cotton
will be raised to the acre as the spec
ialist can extOrt, rotation and fertlll-
zati0n will be used to retain the
richness of the soil, and the latest
improved farm machinery will he on
the program.
We cannot cpnsure foreign splnners
for projecting this movement. 1t Is
simply a business proposition with
them
1t should alsO be business propO-
sition of the South to take cOgnI-
zance OF a movement that may throw
the balance of power in our sO-called
monopoly" of cottoninto the hands
of foreigners.
And such is the inevitable cOnclu-
sion of the policy under debate by
English and continental spinners.
The meaning of such a develop
mpnt is plain.
Hundreds upon thousands oi
Southern farmers would be compelled
to compete upon the open market
with n product raised by the buyers
upon our own soil and by the most
improved methods.
The demand for natiVe-grOWn cot
ton would dwindle as these foreign
owned farms came into their full pro
ductiveness -4..
Prices might, probably would. be
controlled by mill interests as absO-
lutely as they used to be controlled
by cotton exchange operators before
the days of the Farmers Union.
The penalty would not be confined
to the farmer.
1t would be visited in IL greater or
less degree upon every business IN
the Southern States, since Southern
business and cotton are, rs yet, in
separable financial factors.
The stream OF gold now coming in
to the South each year from Europe
would be lpssened. Cotton, which is
now one Of the South's greatest re-
linnces for preserving the interna-
Uonal balance on the right side,
would lose much of its vitality in
that direction.
| am speaking temperately, be-
cause this menace is yet no larger
than man hand. We can avert it,
and We must go about the task
without delay.
Conditions under general Mva-
sion of foreign land buyers would be
disastrous. The absentee landlord
ism that is making life such a strug-
gle in England, and more OF strug,
gle III Ireland, might be reproduced
on II prOpOrtiOnate scale in this
country.
The one way for the Southern far
mers to acquire their own acres and,
what is more important, to use upon
them the most scientific culturaI
methods. II is case of fighting the
devil with fire.
We may as we'll face the truth now
as later. And the truth is that cot
ton growing in the South will not
reach a genuine business basis until
every farmer makes every acre re
turn its maximum, until he reduces
the cost OF production to minimum
and raises his own products.
lOn may ask how this is to be done
when hundreds OF thousands of far
mers do not own their own farms
or are under obligations to land
lords.
We can, first, help ourselves. w
can dc that by sacrificing, pinching
and scraping, until all OF us get out
OF debt and accumulate enough tC
make first payments upon farms
We can, next, reinforce this policy
by utilizing scientific methods, anC
all the help we can get from the Far
mers Union lectures, and government
agents and State and Federal agri
cultural departments and expert
nent stations. Hand in hand will
this should go scientific marketing
and distributing under cooperative
auspices.
In this battle with a problem tha
Is going to grow in a geometrical ra
ito, the aid of the Southern business
man is needed
The banker, the merchant and tn
capitalist will find it to his ultimat
interest to cooperate to the end o
enabling the farmer to own his Owl
acres, and further, to talk scientifi
agriculture to him in the most prac
tlcle form. He should likewise en-
courage the farmer to co,oparat