The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-10-11

The newspapers of the country
and particularly of the South, contin
ue to discuss the efforts of the
Southern cotton planter to secure
what he thinks is fair price for his
crop.
Some are inclined to be amused
and even scott at some of the plans
and suggestions offered; while others
90 to the extent of frantically endors-
ing almost any and every idea ad-
vanced-provided it is first put for
ward by the farmer himself or some
one purporting to represent him and
his interests.
1t is easy to discern the motive
for both lines of comment. As 4
rule, only the Northern and Eastern
papers, those more in touch with the
spinner than the grower, have had
the temerity to be amused at some Of
the things that have been done in
behalf of Fifteen cents cotton;
while unreseryed and, more often,
uniformed approval comes from
that class of Southern journals
which, like a certain class of politi-
clans, are for anything the farmer
wants-whether he gets it or not.
At least, they pretend to be; not one
of them daring to risk an honest
opinion, or offer a little common
sense advice, when it is so much
needed
For instance, we find some Of them
throwing up their hats, as it were,
over resolutions like these, passed
at the recent convention of South
Carolina cotton growers, towit:
1--WE, the farmers and commercial
interests of South Carolina in con-
vention assembled, reply to the chal-
lenge of ten cents cotton hurled at
us by British spinners and their
American Tory allies, after the ex-
ample of John Paul Jones; We have
Just begun to fight. -
Now, it cannot be doubted that
every man who has the best interests
of the South at heart is DESTROYS of
seeing the South's greatest staple
crop bring the best price obtainable;
in fact, every one is, or should be,
willing to contribute everything pos
sible to that end for a good price
for cotton means better conditions
for all of us, while low price cotton
means general depression throughout
the cotton growing states.
But it may be doubted if every
man who jumps up and shouts for
fifteen cents cotton" when it is ten,
or for twenty cents cotton" when it
is fifteen has the best interests of
the South at heart; or the interest of
ony one in mind except himself.
Too of en- those who shout the
loudest are merely politicians who
are trying to get in, or stay in, on
what they know is a popular cry;
these and a certain class of news
papers make business of playing to
the gallery, whatever may be the is
sue.
Take a look at some-not all
of the so-called cotton conventions"
that have been held this year; and
of what are they composed? Why,
tWo-thirds politicians and one-third
farmers. Who makes most of the
speeches and drafts most of the res
olutions? You know. In some in
stances the farmers present seem on
ly to have been there to give the
stage proper setting.
Imagine, for instance, that John
Paul Jones resolution, quoted above,
having any possible effect in raising
the price of cotton. Imagine it hav-
ing any effect at all-except to give
the man who worded it a chance,
as he doubtless thought, to show off
a bit, and catch the cotton farmers
ear.
But there are those who are at
work for the farmer; and these are
the farmers themselves. Yes, and
the best business men, the best mer-
chants and bankers and cotton fac
tors of their respective communities,
too. They are at work earnestly
and conseryatively in a common
sense, practical way, to accomplish
three or four things that will keep