Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-16

ganization dictates terms to it's mem
bership. The individual becomes a part
of the compact body, which directs the
marketing as well as the cultivating of
the crop. No individual can sell a bushel
of his apples out of the channels with
out having to pay the organization
heavy penalty. The results of this is,
organization has in a few years changed
this from a community of poor, plod-
ding fruit growers to one of the richest
in California. Many farmers who were
scarcely able to make ends meet are
now riding in automobiles over pike
roads, lighting their homes with cleo
tricity, and are loaning their money
to those from whom they formerly Dor
rowed. The reason for this progress is
found in the fact that the apple grower
decided to use his brain a part of the
time, and he has been handsomely paid
for his decision.
I believe the cotton farmers have
brains enough to understand just such
plan for the handling of the greatest
commodity and world necessity that is
the proud possession of any section of
the world.
- MARKETING OF COTTON
The question of properly marketing
our cotton is a scientific and not a SEN
timental one. From the very beginning
of our organization this question has
been much discussed, and a great deal
of valuable information gathered. The
proper marketing has been the slogan of
every organizer and lecturer since the
founding of our organization.
We have made progress-great pro-
gress. Intelligent people can not have
experiences without prohting by them.
We have, in Georgia, made several eff
o1E In = Tn
other until believe we are now able
to build and carry plan for marketing
or cotton to success. The question of
why keep on may be asked. The an
swer is, we are forced to keep on by
the very necessity of our situation. We
grow cotton; it is our money crop;
some one will control its price; if the
farmer does not, then some one else
will. If the other fellow has the pricing,
he certainly can not be expected to
worry his brain about the farmers in
terest
The people who produce the raw ma
terial must either price the goods or
work for bare existence. The farmer
has the raw material in his possession
once a year. He must price it then or
not at all; his failure to price it will
cause the south to lose millions of dol
lars annually, and be hindered in her
commercial development.
In consideration of this problem, we
must not forget that he who would con-
troll the price of cotton must regulate
supply to demand. There must not be
more cotton grown than the world
needs, and none of it should be crowded
on the market. If we are producing too
much, it is necessary that we find some
way to reduce the amount The grow
ing of other crops must be stimulated,
and the cotton growers should see that
the raiser of the substitute crops makes
a prot on them. If the price of cotton
is too low, because there is not enough
manufactured goods being sold, then the
producer should locate the trouble and
proceed to apply the remedy.
HINTS FOR THE FUTURE.
think it proper at this point to say
that the southern manufacturer is NOV
ing very slow, using but little of the
"'American push" In the first place.
he needs to throw away a great deal OF
the machinery he has permitted the
northern factor to put off on him, after
It was too old to be used by them We
should make finer quality of goods or
yarns Second, the southern mill own
ers should organize and put their own
representatives in China and other
countries, and stop depending on agents
of the eastern state or foreign manufac-
turing centers. These agents look out
for their section and not for the south.
Some countries charge us a prohibit
tive tariff. Brazil SO 90 per bale; Mex
leo, 1915; many other countries similar
amounts. Such tariff could be re-
duced, If our people would go at 1t IN
the right way. The farmer should look
into all this carefully and then recon-
| mend such actions as would bring him
| -. should know inst
what our cotton, cotton yarns and man
ufactured cotton goods bring in the diff
| ferent markets, and the amount of toll
| charged against them, then and not
until then will the farmer be prepared
| to hold his own in the commercial tar
iff fight
The next question is. how can we do
all this, the answer is simple, from a
| compact business corporation, finance 1t
and use the business tact that has mark
| ed the success of corporation in other
! lines of industry, do not try to do ev-
! erything at once, but lay hold with a
| determination and march steadily on.
| Such an institution should be built on
a cooperative plan, and so outlined and
| safeguarded that it will be Impossible
| for a few men to grow rich at the eX-
pense of the many. Each man subscrib-
| ing stock should take enough to cause
I
| ing of the institution.
/ hope the convention will discuss this
proposition thoroughly and advise for-
ward movement that will mean the saw
ing of millions to the growers of cotton
and their families.
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.
! Our free school system, it is thought
| by some does not prepare our boys and
| girls for the responsibilities of life. They
are taught away from work and not how
to make work profitable Their minds
are filled with the glitter and glare. They
are inclined to the sensational and but
terfiy nfe, which does not satisfy. we
often see them trying to drive away
their disappointment by dissipation, or
dragging out a miserable existence with
out any definite purpose or plan.
Our American school system has not