Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-12-11
LARGEST COTTON CROP
Over 100000 Bales in Fields
When War Began.
Southern People Working Problem OF
Carrying Over SuTplus Until There
10 Demand fcr lt-VarlouS
Plans Advocated.

filed with pickers we'll started on the
task of harvesting the largest crop in
the history of cotton growing, except
the phenomenal crop Of 1911.
Based on the acreage and produc-
ton Of 1913, there were when the war
began considerably over 100000
bales in the fields. The stopping OF
the mills in Europe meant a cut in
the consumption of at least ,one-third,
or 5000, 900 bales. This surplus must
be financed and carried owe until
there Is . demand for It; and, logi-
cally, unless the crop to be planted
next spring is sufficiently curtailed to
absorb this surplus and any decreased
demand next year, the price Of cot
ton will be accordingly low. The South
is still faced with this problem, which
has not been solved in Its entirety, but
is working toward a solution through
the energy and resourcefulness Of the
southern people.
AS soon as transportation across the
Atlantic became dangerous. and the
demand from Europe ceased, a cry
went up from the South for federal
aid. Thousands Of plans, and varia-
tions of plans, were advanced for the
solution Of the problem Of financing
the surplus Of the crop. Everything
from federal valorization to state
bonds issued against cotton warehouse
receipts was suggested. Southern con-
gr~essional delegations attempted to
secure the passage Of a number Of
bills for the relief Of the South, which
were foredoomed to failure because OF
the charge of sectional favoritism.
Various Plans Advocated.
Then the attention Of many was
turned to securing state legislative
action, and the same measures were
advocated. Attempts were made to
have the states prohibit the planting
Of more than 50 per cent Of the usual
acreage for 1915. Because Of the con-
stitutional obstacles and the difficulty
Of securing uniform and synchronous
action by the states, with such a d.
versity Of opinion Of the needs pre-
vailing, it soon became evident that
concerted and uniform action by the
state was impossible-at least in time
to be Of benefit.
Convinced at last that the problem
Of caring for the surplus Of 1914 and
preventing . surplus being raised in
1915 must be solved by the people Of
the South without legislative or con-
g~ressional aid. they are coming to-
gether-bankers, merchants and farm
ers-to carry through the only plans
left, that Of taking care of themselves
and preventing overproduction by the
weight Of cooperative, unified action.
It seems probable that the Lee
county plan," SO called because 1t was
first adopted by the farmers Of Lee
county, Georgia, will spread all over
the cotton states and prove the main
feature in the final solution. On Sat-
urday, October IA, in accordance with
a proclamation of the governor, the
people of Georgia met In their respec-
tive counties and signed agreements
to curtail the cotton acreage of 1915
one-half. They formed tentative Or
CARNATIONS, which are to be legaliZed
as soon as possible by Incorporation,
through which the problem Of provid-
ing grain and other seed for the 2,600,-
900 acres in Georgia that must be
planted In foodstuffs this fall and next
spring and the financing and market
ing of these food crops will be handled
by the cooperation of bankers, mer.
chants and farmers, as we'll as the
landlords who rent to 70 per cent of
the farmers Of Georgia the lands they
plant.
As long ago as 1911 Charles ]. Ha-
den, now president Of the Georgia
chamber of commerce, as chairman of
the legislation committee of the South
ern Cotton congress, presented to the
convention of that organization a plan
for either federal bonded warehouses
or state bonded warehouses, If the for.
mer could not be secured, to be safe
guarded to as great an extent as the
bonded warehouses licensed by the
federal government for the customs
and internal revenue services. II this
plan, which was approved by tho
Southern Cotton congress, had been in
effect, 1t is possible the severity Of
the cotton emergency would have been
greatly lessened. Until such a system
of warehouses is In effect throughout
the cotton states there will always be
danger from overproduction, or the
sudden stoppage Of exports by a great
war, because of the insecurity of cot
ton as a basis for longtime bank
credit under any other system of
storing.
PROFESSIONALLY one Of the strongest
influences to force the reduction of
acreage in 1915 will be the refusal Of
bankers and merchants to finance
more than half a crop Of cotton next
spring. On the other hand, many of
them will do everything possible to
induce the farmers to plant the land