The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-11-18
llnRtTT SAYS HOLD COTTON.
PRESIDENT BiRRETT GIVES OUT
STATEMENT.
National Union President Lauds Com
missioner Watson for wcrk In This
state.

~"'oshoia, NOV. 10 see the en-
closed clipping. L am right In be-
hind you with this work. More than
2,eoo papers carry these communica-
tions" was the statement contained In
. letter received at the state depart
mont Of agriculture by e. ]. Watson,
the commissioner.
The following statement accom-
panied the letter:
president Ctas. s. Barrett Of the
National Farmers Union. In an sd-
dress to union members. today says
hold cotton. He urges farmers to
Afarm as II cotton were not In exist
snce. He says at this critical stage In
the cotton situation. with the Farm
err Union and scores of business
leaders and general Southern factors
battling to stem the tide OF unfair
4 prices. the first duty of the farmer Is
TO hold his cotton. Those who sell al
present prices are simply giving away
. margin of several million dollars to
spSnners and speculatora Quotations
after the first Of the year will estab-
lish the truth of that assertion. The
most difhcult part Of the campaign is
now upon ua To waver IL to iose the
effect OF the splendid work already
accomplished.
In South Carolina. under the lead
ership Of Il. J. Watson. president Of
the Southern Cotton congress. they
are insfItuting q system Of pledges
which binds the planter to hold his
present cotton for Is cents: and fur
thsr. not to SOW more than 60 per
cent OF the arabic acreage In cotton
for the coming season. The plan is
an excellent one. Statistics and our
own common sense tell us that the
crop now I'm hand II worth more than
b being offered for 1t. But II civiliza-
tom needs the sharp session of short
crop to emphasise the wisdom Of fair
dealing with the farmer. then 90. be
y l|H>.->HA-z. \. : = q ~. -. !, 1. .
The south y in better position to
- '&bsosoteiy fndependsut than any
other section Of the country. Just as
sumo. for the sake of illustration. that
soil conditions were such that we
could not produce cotton. We would
then proceed to realize upon the
south's heaven-sent heritage by pro-
ducing the great staple crops raised
In every other section OF America, the
crops they rely upon to sustain life.
to bring In revenue. to promote pros
perity.
Think what Southern soil can
yield: Corn. what. oats, barley. rye.
sweet potatoes. Irish potatoes. tur-
nips. peas. vetch. burr clover. alfalfa,
ribbon cane. sorghum. watermelons.
all kinds of vegetables. cows, hogs,
sheep. goats, mules poultry and poul.
Try products dairy products and all
manner OF fruits.
We could simply wipe cotton oct
of consideration. still make a iysrg
and bring In enormous sums from
the world at large for Southern crops.
I'm the face of these tremendous
assets. II is nothing less than GRIM
inal folly to concentrate on cotton
Cut down on II ruthlessly!! Make 1t
strictly a surplus crop. Produce any
or all OF the other crops I have emu
merated. Then the perennial cot
ton problem will cease to be one. the
cotton we do raise will bring a fair
price. and IL will not be incumbered
by the large amounts now insanely
sent outside Of the section for staples
that should ba raiaed hara