The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-10-29
(By E. A. Anderson.)

(By E. A. AndersOn.)
see that our southern congressman
and senators have put up a hard fight
to relieve the southern cotton farmers
who raise 81 per cent Of the cotton OF
the world. and yet they have lost. and
l certainly admire their pluck.
l notice also that part of the people
engaged in commerce got substantial
help from our government to the ex-
tent Of buying the necessary ships to
carry on the commerce for them in
the way of transportation; this is all
right, and it is nothing but the govern
ment's cooperation with the shipping
interest, and our government has even
went further and floated bonds, and
built the Panama canal for their con-
venience even in time of peace; this
is all right, and it is just the govern
ment's cooperation with these indus
tries. Also our government in time
of peace built great battleships to pro-
tect the commerce of the United States
in time of war; this is all right, and
| 1t is just the governments cooperation
that Is protecting all of these indus
tries, and for the United States gov
farmer of the South who clothes 81
per cent of the people of the world. in
a great disaster that now threatens
| the cotton farmer 1t does look likt
| that our national government is not a
government of the whole people o,
else they would have co-operated with
the farmer of the South, and took
100000 bales of cotton at 10c per
pound as security or investment, which
would have been more substantial for
our government than floating bonds,
or putting in battleships, and digging
Panama canals or buying ships to
carry on their commerce
To give special privileges to any
class of business and not to protect all
alike is opposed, not only to the Decla-
ration of Independence but to the
whole theory of our government, and
on this point all parties must agree
| This European war should teach the
farmer of the South a very substantial
lesson; that is that the government
of the United States will not cooper
ate with them in time of war or in
time of peace, and it is for them to
work out their own destiny, and the
way | believe it can be done in this
present situation the farmer must put
on every nerve and use the big stick.
He should only sell half of the cotton
crop of 1914, and keep the other half
until 1915, and not plant one hill of
cotton in 1915, and it would pay him
to raise rice, corn, oats, cattle, sheep
and hogs, and everything that can be
eaten for | believe that corn will sell in
1915 for $3.50 per bushel, and every
thing else to eat in proportion, and the
farmer should remember that the holy
writ says, watch as well as pray"
and the farmer had better watch what
he works as well as work, for the farm
er just as we'll understand now with
good surplus left over from 1913, and
a crop of 100000 bales for 1914, and
II he makes another crop Of cotton in
1915 with no demand for cotton and
the supply of cotton out of all reason
with the demand, cotton will certainly
sell for &c and 4c per pound, and If
the European war is long war it will
probably not sell for that, for the peo-
pie can wear old clothes but they have
to eat. and as sure as they plant an
other crop of cotton in 1915 they will
absolutely be at the mercy of the man.
ufacturer, who never can buy cotton
low enough to suit him. At the pres
ent prices on finished cloth, cotton
should now sell at 12c and 15c per
pound, and if the manufacturer sees
an over production he will try to force
the farmer to sell at any price to
suit the manufacturer.
II the government of the United
States cannot cooperate and finance
the cotton industries of the South what
will become of us in time of a great
war like there is now going on In Eu-
rope? England is financing one of.the
greatest wars known in all ages, ane |
is now lending money at and 8 J
per cent, and our government don't
seem to be able or willing to finance
a cotton crop. when our own interest
on money is from to 10 per cent in
time of peace; these things look lit
lie funny to a man sitting of thinking.