The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-09-22
FIGHT TO MAINTAIN COTTON
President Barrett Makes First Off!ciaI
Expression on Attitude TO Keep
Staple on Proper Level.

attitude Of that big organization in the
battle that Is coming this fall to
maintain the price Of cotton at a prop.
er level.
THE Farmers union." says Presi-
dent Barrett, Issues an invitation to
the entire south to cooperate With it
IN saving to this section many mil.
lion dollars on the cotton crop Of
1912. It is for the merchant, the
business man. the banker, the small.
est citizen, no less than the farmer,
to figure the difference between eight
or nine cent cotton and thirteen or
fourteen cent cotton. The fight We
are going to win Is not alone in be-
half of the farmer It Is waged in
the interest Of the southern business
world as whole. To that degree. It
81 not only the duty, but the individual
profit. of every element in the south
ern states to join hands with the
Farmers union, to the end that the
powerful machinery Of this organiza-
ton may be brought to bear with
complete success upon the present sit
uation.
ITO the farmer, whether or not q
member OF the Farmers union, my i'm
perative advice is Hold your cotton!
It is worth infinitely more than the
price now quoted. You should first 60
to your local banker, If you are in
debt, and borrow sufficient money,
with cotton as collateral, to enable you
to hold. Your own banker knows you
best, and it is to his interest to aid
you in the fight. Should be fail YOU
and l don't think he will-you can de-
pend upon US for assistance.
THE Farmers union does not in
tened that clique Of bear gamblers or
! domestic and foreign spinners shall
combine to dictate the price Of our
product, or to rob the section Of ire
mendous sum of money. 1t is for the
south we are working. Now Is the
time for every southerner to prove his
business insight, and it is not the time
for hypocritical pretensions. It is a
cold matter Of dollars and cents. II
the farmer suffers, the business man,
every business interest, suffers along
with him.
1T is no longer possible to produce
cotton for eight or nine cents at a
profit. If we would return to the old
prices for mules. supplies. farm ma.
chinery, hand itself, the proposition
would be feasible. But as we cannot
the farmer must insist upon the price
Of his product being maintained upon
a level with that Of every other prod
uct.
"The south ought to be abundantly
able to finance and bold it's own prin
cipal product. The accomplishment
should be a matter of pride, as vel
as Of common sense. Practical mer
realize that the cotton crop Of the
opening season will not be nearly 81
large as 1t has been reported. We
who have investigated. know thai
there will be q demand at fair price
for every pound of the staple pro
duced. The main thing Is for tn
farmer. large Of small. organised ant
unorganixed, to get together and re
solve that he will not be cheated GU
| Of the result Of his toll.
Every solitary southerner is inter
ested In the same result. And to eacl
one, IN whatever calling, l extend ,
cordial invitation to work with US TO
his own monetary interest. no les
than that Of the farmer. As for tn
latter-another season or two Of fail
prices mean absolute emancipation
from debt. That thought. should b.
sufficient to nerve him for the battle
especially when he Is assured assist
ance in its winning"
Capt. Reuben F. Kolb, commission
er Of Agriculture Of Alabama. has call
ed meeting Of the commissioners o
Agriculture of the southern states. ant
of all interested parties. barring none
to devise means for maintaining tn,
price of cotton. This conference vii
follow the Farmers union convention
to be held at Shawnee, Okla. septem
Der s, and the convention will be lib
orally. If not as body, represented a
the conference. I urge all southerner
who realize the importance Of the oc
casion to meet with the commissioner
and with members Of the Farmers
union in this conference. Let all come
not to discuss the farmers greatness
which may be taken for granted. no
any other subject, but the secu1
ing Of a proper price for cotton. Tha
is a big enough job for a gathering
composed Of the south's best brains
and 1t should not be interfered wit
by hot air or discussions admirable Il
their way but without any bearing o.
the paramount issue.
Prompt action taken by this join
conference, following the policies Out
lined at the Farmers union CONVEX
ton, will bring triumph in a campaig
which no southerner, however humble
can afford in self-interest and patrioI
ism. to ignore"
CHARLES 8. BARRETT,
Texas Ranks First.
Judging by the value Of agriculture
products, Texas ranks first Of all tn
states. She has 100000 acres Il
. cotton and her farm crops aggregate
in 1910 $364,110,000. Till then Illinoi
held the leading place. The value Q
wealth produced on the farms Of tn
United States in 1910 was S8,926, 900