The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-11-04
PLANS FOR HOLDING coTToN7
President Barrett Issues statemens
Showing the inpregnable Position
of the Farmers of the South.

/ President C. S. Barrett of the Farm
4 ers union, who attended the national
convention OF that organization at
Shawnee, Okla, and the Cotton Grow
ers congress at Montgomery, has is
sued a statement in which he states
the impregnable position Of the south-
ern farmers, and urges them to stand
shoulder to shoulder to win the fight
] for fair prices during the opening sea-
/ son. Mr.. Barrett also brands as abb
| solutely without foundation the re-
ports of a bumper crop, and declares
the world will pay legitimate figure
for the staple If farmers, in co-opera-
/ ton with business men of the south,
will conduct the proper sort Of cam
| paign. His statement follows:
To the Cotton Growers of the
Southern States: The recent conven-
| ton Of the Southern Cotton Growers
| at Montgomery, Ala, has satisfied me
| that the south, as a unit, has at last
walked to the need of cooperating and
of making vigorous fight for insur-
l
| cotton. do not remember to have
| attended more enthusiastic gath
| ering, more representative one, or
one more patronized by prominent,
/ hard-headed business men. Commits
| sioners of agriculture of the southern
states, and men in close touch Wa&h
| every class of farmer, were 9reseng.
| The concensus of opinion was that
cotton should be held for Is cents.
| This was in line with the verdict of
| the national convention of the Farm
| ers' union at Shawnee, which decided
that cotton should not be sold at
| prices prevailing, and should be held
| and financed for higher figure. At
! Shawnee more than a thousand tele-
grams were received from various
parts of the south, declaring that the
organization would work toward the
end of holding the staple. and help
| ing needy farmers, until the market
| reached correct price
At Montgomery Hon. Thomas Eef-
j. Watson, commissioner of agricul-
ture from Alabama. and myself. were
| constituted committee to supervise
publicity and propaganda.
There is no doubt in my mind that
concerted measures will defeat the
movement to bear cotton, and will in
sure a just level throughout the sell
| ing season.
Now is the time for the friend of
| the farmer to prove his friendship
by substantial aid Cotton Is the best
collateral in the world The banker.
and the small merchant can, and
believe will, accept 1t as such in
casea where distress" cotton might
otherwise be thrown on the market
only to glut it.
r. is to the first interest of the
Business men of the south. whether
bankers or merchants, to join the
farmers in this movement for their
| rights. Even one-fourth Of cent off
the just price for cotton means a
loss Of millions visited upon every
trade channel. It resolves itself sim
ply into question of letting the
world know, by our actions, that we
are going to market and not sacrifice
our cotton. If the business man and
the banker fails in his duty, If the
public man fails in his often-repeated
protestations of loyalty to the farmer,
they will all suffer in similar degree.
With regard to cotton. we stand or
| fall together. An unjust price for the
farmer means lack of prosperity for
| the merchant, the banker, the bust
ness man-Whether in the city or
country. A just price means pros
perity for all in same proportion
The mills of New England, after a
season Of curtaflment, are resuming
operations. Does this look like there
is an absence Of demand for cotton?
1t is incumbent upon us not to sell
our birthright, not to yield the re-
suits of the years toll at the behest
of market manipulators,
You are in better shape than ever
to make this fight winning one You
have no excuse for falling in it. You
| have grown hogs, corn and other food
stuffs this past season. You are less
| in. debt, less under the domination
of the mortgage, than at any period
in southern history. You whipped
the gamblers before when you were
head over ears in debt. If you don't
! do 1t now, almost debt-free, you de-
serve little sympathy from yourself
| or the world.
AS never in history, the farmer and
| business man of the south are pre-
lnpared to battle side by side. The con-
| ference at Montgomery proved that.
My present purpose in this hour is
| to press upon all southern elements
| the necessity Of keeping the pledges
of cooperation given at Montgomery,
| and of representing to all southern
ers the prime duty and self-interest
| Of participating in a movement that
means the welfare Of the south, with.
| cut regard to business or location.
CHARLES 8. BARRETT.
/ Union CITY Ga