Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-08-19

az d ldl SSly dlCeuQeu al earnest
meeting of farmers, merchants and
bankers, held yesterday morning upon
call of the Americas Chamber CT
Commerce, the very serious situation
now confronting the country at large
and more particularly the disposition
of the cotton crop, now being harvest
ed, was discussed at great length and
suggestions advanced by representa-
tive citizens along this line.
President ]. E. Mathis, of the Ameri-
Gus Chamber of Commerce, presided
and favored the meeting with a briei
report of his recent visit to Washing.
ton, where, with other Southern rep
resentatives, the situation was discuss
ed with congressional committee tc
the end of devising means for market
ing the cotton crop. After going fully
into details, President Mathis suggest
ed as the surest plan of relief-econ-
omy.
Hold your cotton, economic in
every way, practice self-denial, and
conditions will proceed to right
themselves" was the sound advice of
President Mathis, and it struck a re-
sponsive chord with his audience.
To Exercise Rigid Economy.
Brief but logical and sound ad-
dresses were made by Messrs. L. G.
Council, r. P. Stackhouse, Frank
Sheffield, Crawford Wheatley, R. L.
Oliver, W. L. Thomas and other rep
resentative citizens of the town and
county, al of whom emphasized rigid
economy along all lines until the
South escaped the impending danger
of financial depression.
Mr.. Council expressed the belief that
congressional relief in some form
would yet be afforded and preferred
to hold good the promises emanating
from Washington. Unity of action be-
tween the farmer, the banker and the
merchant was a necessity emphasized
by Mr.. Council. Only in a firm stand
could the storm be weather.
ed, he said.
Don't Sacrifice The Cotton.
Mr.. Council urged the necessity of
holding On to the cotton crop rather
than sell it at ruinous prices. The
farmers, he declared, would surely be
afforded sufficient money for picking
and marketing the crop. Georgia mills,
he said, would demand lot of it, but
the bulk of the crop could be held un-
til the was subsided, or some means
is provided for it's sale and safe de-
livery abroad.
Mr.. Frank Sheffield and Mr.. Craw-
ford Wheatley spoke along the same
lines, urging economy in every line
and the storage of the crop until the
clouds of depression vanished.
Cotton receipts could be taken to
the banks and sufficient money ad-
vanced upon them to pick and market
he crop. The sale of seed alone to
he oil mills would more than pay the
cost of crop marketing. Keep the main
crop of cotton off the market, and
prices would advance in due time.
Break the market now by forcing cot
on upon it, depress the price to five
or six cents, and it will require six
months to bring about an advance.
Cut Out the Next Crop.
1t was pointed out that, under the
most favorable conditions that could
De hoped for now the South would
nave to carry over 100000 or S,O00,-
700 bales cotton into next year, and,
therefore, it will not be expedient %
plant another cotton crop in 1915, or,
1t best, very small one. The speakers
al argued the raising of more meat
more corn and hay and grain next
year Make these staple crops the
,asis of credit in 1915, instead of a
cotton crop.