The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-10-20

II is assumed that the cotton prob
lem is solely a Southern problem. 1t
is a national problem. The first
nronositon that confronts the farmer
at the beginning of the year is to
raise money to make a cotton crop.
All of those problems have been soly-
ed-the labor problem, the financial
nroblem. the weather problem, the
loss from the boil weevil, and the
loss from the drouth, and the loss
from the frequent rains, and the loss
from fioods-all of these difficulties
have been passed, and the South has
raised from ) to 16 million bales Of
cotton.
What will the world do with it?
1t is a worldwide problem, the mar
keting of this crop, and not solely
problem of the Southern planter.
There are numerous propositions,
some of them too wild for considera-
ton. Others impracticable because of
lack of time and money and others
CAPABLE of working out the difficulty
through the cooperation of the man
who has raised the cotton, the mer-
chant who has a mortgage on it, the
banks who have loaned to the mer-
chant and the buyers, who, whatever
thew may say, must have the cotton
to start the mills of England and
New England.
Last year the South received 1000
million dollars for its cotton crop.
showing that the world wanted cot
ton and that it wanted Is million
bales of cotton.
This year (1914), when the gin
ming began, war closed the foreign
markets and made the spectators
and mill owners believe that they
could get cotton at their own price.
They cannot get much of it at their
own price. Some cotton, at ruinous
prices. has been forced on the mar
ket. but the disposition everywhere
is not to maintain an artificial price
for cotton, but to cooperate with the
Southern farmers and business men
in carrying the cotton until there is
a return to normal conditions
throughout the world.
Last year, by October 18th, one
half of the cotton crop had been
ginned. The final figures are not in
at this time, but it will be certain
that the ginning has been far less
than last year. There has been no
reason for Fastening it, either on ac-
count of the weather or on account
of the prices.
In some quarters pressure has been
brought to bear to force the payment
of debts secured by the cotton crop,
with the result that in the primal
markets the price has fluctuated
around 7 cents.
We notice in various quarters
great many panicky suggestions. One
is to the effect that the state or con-
gress, by law, forbid the planting of
more than half crop for next year.
We do not believe the farmers
ought to surrender their control of
their lands in any such way. Not
only ought they not to request such
legislation; they ought to oppose it.
The hope of the South is going to be
on the farmer himself. We believe
that some plan will be devised; that
some of those under consideration
will be shaped so as to carry at least
three million bales.
This means the cooperation of the
banks throughout the country. They
must in advance agree to take a GER
tain amount of this paper. 1t is
proposition that will be put to the
banks everywhere and subscriptions
asked
Recently the New York banks
wanted 100 millions in gold to help
them pay the New York city debt
abroad, and to help them to maintain
the price of American securities. 1t
was defended as a perfectly reasona-
bic financial proposition, but when
the same principle is applied 10 the
cotton market we notice in certain
journals and among certain fnan-
ciers the proposition to let cotton
alone.
Cotton will not be let alone. 1t is