Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-06-23
PRES. BARRETT SPEAKS PLAIN
Issues Warning to Farmers and Bank
ers Against Entering Wedge
Of Foreign Ownership.


great organization, 1t has always been
by effort to avoid the, note OF the
alarmist or the sensationalist
But the time is come to speak
plainly regarding a matter that Is OF
the first importance not only to the
farmers Of the south. but as well to
the business and the people OF the
south generally.
1t has not escaped the attention oil
the more thoughtful that an English
syndicate recently acquired a large
acreage Of fine cotton lands in one Of
the central southern states.
The tacit purpose is to produce
cotton on these lands for English
spinners, thus avoiding Dependence
upon the southern cotton farmer.
II this were Just one INSTANCE. IL
need not occasion concern.
But 1t has come to my attention
that similar negotiations are on foot
In other portions of the cotton belt
What is more significant. am
also informed that foreign spinners
generally are contemplating the ad-
visibility of buying large tracts In
the southern states. and produce
their own staple.
OF course, In each one OF thrse
cases the most scientific methods
will be employed. as much cotton will
be raised to the acre as the specialist
can extort, rotation and fertilization
will be used to retain the richness
Of the soil, and the latest improved
farm machinery will be on the pro-
gram.
We cannot censure foreign spinners
for projecting this movement II Is
simply a business proposition with
them.
II should also be business propo-
sition with the south to take cog
nizance OF a movement that may
throw the balance of power in our 60
called monopoly" of Gotten into 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 development
Is plain.
Hundreds upon thousands of south
ern farmers would be compelled to
compete upon the open market with
a product raised by the buyers upon
our own soil and by the most I'm
proved methods.
The demand for native-grown cot
ton would dwindle as these foreign
owned farms came into their full
productiveness.
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.
It would be visited in a greater OF
less degree upon every business In
the southern states. since southern
business and cotton are. as yet. n
separable financial factors.
The stream of gold now coming
into the south each year from
Europe would be lessened. Cote l.
which is now one Of the country's
greatest reliances for preserving the
international balance on the right
side. would lose much of its vitality
In that direction.
| am speaking temporarily. because
this menace is yet no larger than Z
mans hand. We can avert 1t. ant
we must go about the task without
delay.
Conditions under general invasion
of foreign land-buyers would be disas
trous. The absentee landlordism tina
is making life such a struggle II
England. and more Of a struggle Il
Ireland. might be reproduced on |
proportionate scale In this country
The one way is for southern farm
ers to acquire their own acres and
} what is Of equal importance. to us
upon them the most scientific Of cul
tural methods. II Is a case of fight
ing the devil with IRE.
We may as well face the truth nov
as later. And the truth IL that col
ton-growing in the south win no
reach q genuine business basis unit
every farmer makes every acre n
turn its maximum. until he reduce
; the cost of production to q minimum
! and raises his own food products
II You may ask how this Is to be don
! when hundreds Of thousands OF farm
! ers do not own their own farms. o
are under obligations to landlords
! We can. FIRST. help ourselves w
can do that by sacrificing. pinchin
! and scfaping. until all Of us get ou
Of debt and accumulate enough Z
} make first payments upon farms.
! We can, next. reinforce this polic
. by utilizing scientific methods. an
: all the help we can get from tn
, Farmers union lecturers and govern
! ment agents and state and fedora
agricultural departments and exper
, ment stations. Hand in hand with thi
: should 60 scientific marketing an
( distribution under cooperative al
: spices.
i In this battle with problem tina
E Is going to grow In a geometrics
ratio. the aid of the southern bushes
. man Is needed.
The banker. the merchant and tn
( capitalist win find It to his ultimat
4 interest to cooperate to the end {
: enabling the farmer to own his ow
! acres, and further. to take scientifl
E agriculture to him in the most pra'