The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-23
COLD WEATHERIS
 ONLY THING NEEDED
 TOBOOST BUSINESS
Sol Caheen Says Local Mer- chants Do Not Feel War
 or Cotton Scare
PAY UP DEBTS AND
 TRADE WILL HUM
Says If Cold Weather Would Come
 Now His Firm Would Have to Put on Extra Clerks


 The Caheen brothers-Sol and Ferd-are of the opinion that the war and the lack of a market for the south's cotton has nothing to do with the business Of local merchants. Give us cold weather ana we'll do the business" Is their slogan. It was stated yesterday by Sol Caheen that despite the unreasonable warmth his store was doing good business. meeting ex- penses and keeping up to the standard of past years.
 MT. Caheen cordially commended the policy of The Age-Herald in agitating the pay your bills movement and said 1t already was bearing fruit. He said custo- mers who had been on the books for as long as two years had come in and paid their accounts in full. He said there was nothing the matter with the business sit uation here and that if people would fol- low the advice of The Age-Herald and pay their bills there would be no talk of hard times.
 MT. Caheen thinks the farmer who has no other means of paying his debts should sell his cotton for what he can get for 1t and pay as much on his indebtedness as possible He said yesterday that he was inclined to favor as business proposi- ton the proposal of Asa c. Candler, the Atlanta millionaire, to lend So,000,oOo on cotton grown in Georgia. MT. Candler's s plan is to lend $30 bale on all cotton brought to him.
 Caheen Bros. will accept cotton on the same basis as the Georgia millionaire IS lending money on it--6 cents pound-in payment of accounts or for new pur- ehases. The cotton so secured will be placed in warehouse and the caheens will hold it until the price advances and return it to its original owner for the price they pay for 1t, $50. Sol Caheen said yesterday his firm did not want to make a profit on the cotton, and would not sell it when the market price goes higher. He merely will accept the cotton in order that farmers who have not the money may have some medium of ex- change in securing needed clothing and other articles which he sells
 Nothing Locally Wrong
 There is nothing wrong with the busi- ness situation here, said Sol Caheen yes terday Business is all right and is entirely unaffected by the war or the lack of market for cotton. The only thing that is causing loss of business to Iner- chants in Birmingham is the unsea son ably warm weather. We are paying ex- penses, and you can see by looking about you that there is a steady stream of GUS toners coming into the store. But if the weather were as cold as it should be we would need extra clerks to care for the trade.
 ''There will be no retrenchment policy in this store for any reason. We will con tinue to pay salaries and none or our em- ployes will be relieved of duty. Business will be excellent when cold weather starts.
 Tn regard to the cotton situation, the plan proposed by Festus J. Wade is the only proper method to handle the crop. The farmer is a business man just the same as the merchant and should expect losses as well as the merchant. He is In good condition. even though money is be- ing lost this year There has been long period of prosperity for the farmer
 ''There is no reason why the govern ment should go into the business of lend ing money to the farmer, on his cotton. That is a problem for the bankers, and a good business proposition for them, IT handled after the methods of Asa G.. Candler, who is lending money at the rate of cents a pound on cotton at per cent interest Alabama bankers could handle the Alabama crop in the same manner by pooling their interests, and they would make money, too.
 "Such legislati ton as proposed by Senator Pankhead is all wrong. It would be pa tcrnalism, class legislation and would work more harm than good. There is just as much reason why the government should issue bonds to purchase from me dresses for which paid s25 and can only sell at s5; or purchase the pig iron output when the price is below normal.
 Farmer Is Business Man
 ''The farmer is a business man. and as a business man he has his losses. It Is to be expected In any business. If the far mer will sell his cotton for as much as he can get at the market price, pay as much op his indebtedness as possible. in order that the country merchant may meet his obligations to the jobber, there Is no reason why this country should not have a wave of prosperity.
 "The adjournment of Congress will have a good effect upon business generally. The politicians in agitating the fact that cotton had lost it's market and the news papers in fostering the buy-a-bale move ment have made a mistake. The poll ticians. seeking to gain the good will of their constituents. agitate for government tai aid. when they are perfectly aware that such legislation is in direct contra vention to the accepted standard of dem ccratic government It is class legisla- tion and should not be enacted into law.
 '1f the politicians will give business a rest, if everyone who can will pay as much on his bills as possible and continue to make expenditures in keeping with the income he receives. there Is no reason why everyone should not be prosperous
 Birmingham is in better shape than many other southern cities have talked with visitors here from Atlanta and am told that this city is booming compared to Atlanta. Just give us cold weather and the merchants of Birmingham will do the business"