Tensas gazette., 1911-11-03
PLANS FOR HOLDING COTTON
President Barrett Issues Statement
Showing the lnpresna5le Position
Of the Farmers Of the South.

OF the = aFmeF9 OF kUo 0ooeh'
President C. S. Barrett Of the Farm
ers' union, who attended the national
convention Of that organization al
Shawnee. Okla. and the Cotton Grow
ers' congress at Montgomery. has Is
sued statement in which he states
the impregnable position OF the south
ern farmers. and urges them to stand
shoulder to shoulder to win the night
for fair prices during the opening sea-
son. Mr.. Barrett also brands as ao-
solutely without foundation the re-
ports OF a bumper crop. and declares
the world viii 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-
tion 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 a vigorous fight for insur-
ing a fair price for its main staple,
cotton. l do not remember to have
attended a more enthusiastic gath
ering. a 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 with
every class of farmer, were present
| 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 a 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 a correct price.
At Montgomery Hon. Thomas Hef-
lin. congressman from Alabama: E.
j. Watson. commissioner Of agricul-
ture from Alabama, and myself. were
constituted a 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.
Nr.xx e. Al. A.. g. An. f~fo,a -
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
cases where distress" cotton might
otherwise be thrown on the market
only to glut it.
It 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 OF
the Just price for cotton means 9
, loss of millions visited upon ever
trade channel. It resolves itself sim
, ply into a question of letting the
; world know, by our actions. that we
, are going to market and not sacrifice
our cotton. II the business man and
] the banker fails in his duty. II the
: public man fails in his often-repeatet
protestations Of loyalty to the farmer
I they will all suffer in similar degree
. With regard to cotton. we stand o
D fall together. An unjust price for th'
/: farmer means lack of prosperity 70
4 the merchant, the banker, the busi
r ness man-whether In the city o.
= country. A Just price means pros
0 perity for all In same proportion
' The mills of New England. after
I season of curtailment. are resumini
r operations Does this look like thcr
y is an absence OF demand for cotton
1t is incumbent upon us not to sci
our birthright. not to yield the re
d suits of the years toll at the behes
I Of market manipulators
You are in better shape than eve
, to make this fight a winning one.Y
, have no excuse for falling in IT 70
have grown hogs. corn and other foo
; stuffs this past season You are les
II in debt. less under the dominatio
II of the mortgage than at any perio
y in southern history. You whippe
'r the gamblers before when you wer
= head over ears in debt. II you don
do It now, almost debt-free. you d.
n serve little sympathy from yourse
- or the world.
AS never in history. the farmer an
e business man of the south are pr
pared to battle side by side. The CO.
= ference at Montgomery proved that
= My present purpose in this hour
to press upon all southern elemel
the necessity Of keeping the riedg'
si of cooperation given at Montgomer
= and of representing to all souther
- ers the prime duty and self-intere
of participating In movement thi
- means the welfare of the south. wit
out regard to business or location
~ CHARLES s. BARRETT.
~ Union City, Ga