The Green Forest tribune., 1911-09-22
FlaHT TO MAINTAIN COTTON
President Barrett Makes FIrst Official Expression on Attitude to Keep
 Staple on Proper Level.


 Farmers union, recently made his first official expression regarding the attitude of that big organization in the battle that is coming this fall to maintain the price of cotton at prop CT level
 -The Farmers union," says Presi- dent Barrett, tissues an invitation to the entire south to cooperate with 1t in saving to this section many mil lion dollars on the cotton crop of | 1911-12. It is for the merchant, the | business man, the banker, the small i 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 a whole. To that degree, it si 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- tion may be brought to bear with complete success upon the present sit uation
 'To the farmer, whether or not a 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 go 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 he fail you and I 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 mendous sum of money. It Is for the south we are working Now Is the time for every southerner to prove his business insight, and 1t is not the time for hypocritical pretensions. It Is a cold matter of dollars and cents. If the farmer suffers, the business man, every business interest. suffers along with him.
 'It 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 chfnery, land itself. the proposition would be feasible. But as we cannot, the farmer must insist upon the price of his product being maintained upon level with that of every other prod uct.
 The south ought to be abundantly able to finance and hold its own prin- cipal product The mplishment should be matter of pride, as well as of common sense. Practical men realize that the cotton crop of the opening season will not be nearly so large as 1t has been reported. We, who have investigated, know that there will be demand at fair price, for every pound of the staple pro- duced. The main thing Is for the farmer, large of small, organized and unorganized. to get together and re- solve that he will not be cheated out of the result of his toll.
 Every solitary southerner is inter- ested in the same result. And to each one, in whatever calling, 1 extend a cordial invitation to work with us for his own monetary interest, no less than that of the farmer. AS for the latter-another season or two of fair prices mean absolute emancipation from debt. That thought should be suffici to nerve him for the battle especially when he is assured assist ance in its winning"
 Capt. Reuben F Kolb, commission CT of Agriculture of Alabama, has call ed meeting of the commissioners of Agriculture of the southern states. and of all interested parties, barring none. to devise means for maintaining the price of cotton. This conference will follow the Farmers union convention, to be held at Shawnee, Okla, Septem- Der 5, and the convention will be Iib- erally, if not as body. represented at the conference. l urge all southerners who realize the importance of the oc- casion to meet with the commissioners 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, nor any other subject, but the secur- ing of a proper price for cotton. That is big enough job for gathering composed of the south's best brains, and 1t should not be interfered with by hot air or discussions admirable in their way but without any bearing on the paramount issue
 Prompt action taken by this joint conference, following the policies out. lined at the Farmers union conven. tion. will bring triumph in a campaign which no southerner, however humble can afford in self-interest and patriot ism, to ignore"
 CHARLES S. BARRETT.