Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-08-28
STABLE PRICE AND MARKETING.
Farmers Union Address on the Cot
ton Situation.

| Beginning with last September the
South with dire disaster threatening
the nations greatest money crop,
has been engaged in one Of the
greatest economic struggles in her
history. The last year ended with a
commercial victory that perhaps
saved millions of dollars to the grow
ers of cotton and to those whose bus
mess interests are absolutely depend
ent upon cotton and fair price for
that commodity.
The South Is now facing another
cotton crop year and already the in
| fuences that have heretofore been at
play. at will, to manipulate the mar
| keting of this commodity, which
brings back from Europe to this
country $50O,O00 annually, and
upon which the stability of. Ameri-
| can finance and the balance of the
worlds trade in favor of the nation
depend, are again at work, as is evil
| denced by the depression Of the
| prices Of cotton to the extent Of $40
| per bale in the last ten days.
The real fight for proper market
| Ing and greater stability OF price
must now be fought, and it rests
| with the producing, banking and
| commercial interests of the South to
push that fight upon sound, economic
| lines, based upon business principles
applicable to changing international
| commercial relations.
The time for decisive and concert
ed action has arrived.
1t has occurred to the undersign-
ed that no more appropriate day for
the taking OF such action throughout
the communities of the cotton belt
States could be selected for the pur-
pose than Monday, September 2,
which is Labor Day 1t IS eminently
proper that upon this day, which is
national and State holiday, those
Of our people who labor in the fields
to create the wealth of the country,
should meet with those whose busi-
ness interests are dependent upon
this particular product of the soil,
and determine upon fixed policy in
the matter Of marketing of the 1912
cotton crop. We unhesitatingly and
most earnestly call upon every
banker in the South, and particularly
in this State, to make such financial
arrangements that will enable the
banks - rcr1o~ 70 'ha Drcd-ror such
AID as W,il MAKE j. possible GNr h.u
20 avoid the placing {, 81 his cotton
uron thc market az ONE Iima 81 one
Narty Sail .aalu& n}n U,s'"ad 10
e,I.---..-.y {, .......~~ !. - ...u .oo. al
vantage. We would call the atten-
ton Of the bankers and business
men who are interested in the banks
to the fact that even If the banks did
not get one cent Of profit for ad-
vances to farmers for this purpose on
cotton, the increased volume of bust
them.
We wish to take this occasion to
commend those banks in this and
other States which last season, Sc
cured the necessary money to loan
to the farmers, and especially do we
commend those banks and bankers,
which this season, have come for
ward and announced similar arrange
ments.
Other Calls Urged.
We most earnestly call upon the
Commissioners of Agriculture of the
several States Of the cotton belt and
the Presidents Of the several State
Farmers Unions to issue calls SINH
lar to this one for meetings on Sep
tember 2, to the farmers, merchants
and bankers Of their respective
States, for the execution of the pur-
pose outlined above.
Realizing the impending danger
and onslaught that is being made
upon the markets by the manipulate
ing forces, we have after most care
ful deliberation, determined to issue
this most earnest call, which we de-
sire to be understood as directed to
each individual farmer, each mcr-
chant and each banker to assemble
at such meetings as are suggested on
Labor Day and give this matter the
most careful and thoughtful consid-
Grafton.
we wish all to bear in mind that
last year though the Farmers I'm
lon began in August, it was impos-
sible to secure the co-operation we