The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-07-04

subject Of establishing system to
market the cotton crop ofthe South.
The South is enjoying her share
Of prosperity in general way, be-
cause her resources are being mar
keted. But unless something is
done to conserve these resources. her
prosperity cannot be permanent.
It il pointed out by Mr.. George
Dole Wadley, president Of the Sor-
thern States States Corporation, that
the farmers arr raising cotton at a
cost to them Of ~ cents pound,
and last year they we're compelled
to sell it at an average Of less than 8.
cents. The general average price
received for cotton is said to be
about 10 cents, whereas the price OF
production is greater than II cents.
1t can easily be seen what will In
evitably result if this situation is
allowed to continue.
Farmers are saving the patches
Of timber on their places and haul
ing it into the cities to make good
the deficits on their cotton. These
deficits consume the labor Of the
children and the wives, the cheap
negro labor, all the surplus meat,
corn, etc., and still leave the cotton
farmers in debt. There are thou
sands upon thousands Of farm peo-
pie in the cotton mills, having been
closed out by the unnatural con-
ditions existing in the cotton in
dustry. They exhausted their credit
J and their energy, giving up in des-
pair and moving the entire family
to the cotton mills.
The South has monopoly on cot
ton, and to market this crop with
intelligence will enable US to receive
a fair margin Of profit. This cot
ton is now rushed into the markets
Il Of the world in months time, all
sold, and as soon as it leaves the
hands Of the farmer it begins to
show better and better prices until
the seaeon rolls around again, when
he is once more forced to glut the
market and run down the price.
The Southern States Cotton Cor
poration plans to make a 12-months'
period Tor marketing the cotton, IN
stead Of A months. Ifthis plan can
| be worked out it will make the Sou
lth prosperous in her iustprOportion.
Our prosperity or money season is
now limited to months, and we
hold our hands, 80 to speak, for the
8 months, with no inflow of money
Except incidentally for fruit, naval
stores and timber.
It is planned to hold a conference
~ Southern Governors for the pur-
pose Of considering this question in
! its many phases, and to either in
dorse the plans of the Southern
States Cotton Corporation, or con-
denim them, or to work out some
plan by which the results can be
accomplished. To make twelve
months season for the South will
do more for her prosperity than
anything that can be devised. Cot
ton is spun for the entire ~ months,
snd there is no business reason why
the farmer should be forced to close
out in 4 months.
Western farmers are able to pay
SO to 90. so per day for labor to har-
vest their wheat and corn, and they
are prosperous in the West. This is
not because they have any advan-
taQe Of the South in the matter Of
climate or soil. southerners can
grow anything here they can grow
in the West, whereas the Westerner
cannot grow cotton. And the world
must have cotton, as well as wheat.
The Southern farmer gets his labor
1t a maximum Of 81 per day, and
he is not able to pay that. With all |
his natural blessings and monopoly.
he is unable to take advantage Of
them.
Il behoovss the business interests
Of the cities to join hands and en-
deavor to accomplish reform. The
Governors cannot engage In better