The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-10
WANTS SOMETHING DEFINITE DONE ID
 AID COTTON GROWER Farmers Union Official
 Says They Cannot Get Money on Product
 
BANKS TELL THEM
 NONE IS AVAILABLE
T. J. Kennedy Thinks Buy -a- Bale Movement Is All Right, But Will Not Reach Many
 Farmers
Q the Editor of The Age-Herald.

To the Editor of The Age-Herad
 Representing possibly 1oo.o0o Of the best farmers in Alabama l have naturally been closely watching the present cot ton and the financial situation. and I have been reading the newspapers Of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Lousiana and other of the southern states as well as the New York and other eastern and northern newspapers, and not a line con cerning the proposed financing of our cotton crop has escaped my notice. The "buy-a- bale" proposition offered is all right so far as it goes. but it doesn't quite reach, vet 1t is a very laudabe movement and will relieve a few farm CTS Over in Georgia .hey have organ ized n corporation capitalized at Si006,00o with the privilege of increasing to siOO,00o- 900 for the purpose of "buyng' the pres ent cotton crop. and in that state as well as in Alabama and. other states mora fortunate farmers propose to carry the cotton of their tenants, giving credit on account at the rate of 10 cents a pound. That is also laudable, but what is to be- ceme of the others who are not fortu- nate enough to be one of those favored
 
 majority.
 In the early stage of the game the Uni ted States government, through the Sec retary of the Treasury. announced to the farmers of the country. especially the cotton farmers they would be taken care of out of the emergency currency issued under the vreeland act. As I un- derstand 1t this money must come from the government through the banks, 1t be- ing given out that the government could not deal directly with the farmer, but must do so through their agents the na tional banks. Now. there IS nothing wrong with this arrangement. but ths main and serious trouble is the farmer has not as yet been informed just when where and how he is to receive this government aid: in fact the banks have not announced the receipt of any govern ment money to be loaned to the farmer upon any conditions.
 No Money Available
 I have made personal efforts to learn some .informaton relative 10 this govern ment aid, and each time l am told the farmer must secure this government money from his local bank and jn the ItSuldi cHsiHuti pitotIibtu ny tht 6ttIt- tary of the Treasury. Some of our farm CTS have applied for loans on cotton to the country banks, presenting warehouse receipts, such receipts certifying the grade, weight, etc., also certifying that the cotton was duly and safely stored and insured. and each time the farmer has been told there was nc money avail able from the government, and he was further informed by the country banks that 1t was seriously doubted if there would be any government funds available And judging from recent indications our own United States government has weak ened and receded from it's former posi- tion. and it's assurances of help in this crisis seems to have fallen flat. But, why? Is there any reas m the cotton producers, the men who raise the com modity which controls the trade balance of this country, the men whose products
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