The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-09-11
Buy a Bale of Cotton.
Atlanta Journal.

ne VIII give his blood and his life for
its defense. The South today faces
situation as serious in it's economic
aspect as hough an alien army
were swarming toward us to block
ade our ports, lay waste our fields
and trample out the very sources of
our subsistence. The effect of tho
European war is felt as distinctly. If
not as heavily, in the cotton growing
states as in Belgium or France. Our
staple crop, the backbone of our
business life, the product on which
nllilons OF our people depend for
their daily bread is virtually without
market. Europe's mills are closed
the foreign demand for cotton has
suddenly ceased, and. for the time
being, the American demand has al
most hickered out. We ere thus be-
Sleged with conditions as oppressive
ana dangerous in a business sense as
though they were the bayonets of an
invading foe
But the South will not surrender
1t Will not suffer it's fortune and
freedom to be crushed It's man
mood and woman hood, its heart of
patriotism, it's very instinct of self
preservation will rise to this emer-
brave and resourceful people can do.
In this spirit, acting together with
promptness and vigor, we can turn
the cotton crisis to splendid ac-
hleVement; We can create a market
OF our own. we can bring safety to
the farmer, cheer to the business
man, prosperity to all the people
without own means amid our own
pluck, we can build up a demand for
cotton, self-made South-wide de-
mand that will soon set millions of
money free, and make the mellowing
autumn season of uneXampled
bounty.
This. in fact. is already being done.
The -Bale-of-C Cotton campaign
is under way. In Atlanta, Rome,
LAGRANGE and other Georgia towns.
patriotic citizens are buying cotton.
Some are buying one bale, others
more. They are paying ten cents a
pound. and are pledging themselves
to hold 1t out of the market for a
year, or until normal prices are re-
stored. The campaign, however. has
Just begun. 1t must be pressed
swiftly forward, far beyond the
boundaries of Georgia, until it has
enlisted every Southern state. every
Southern community every Southern
man and woman who are true to
their homeland in the hour Of peril
and distress
This is not to be the work of a
few men for the benefit of few in
terests, but the work OF the rank and
file for the salvation OF our common
interests. 1t is not device of fin
anciers but a crusade Of patriots. a
battle for the people and by the peo-
pie. Therein lies its power. and
there, too, lies the publics respon-
sibility. Nothing can carry this plan
to success unless the mass of South
ern citizens are behind it. but moth
ing can prevent it's overwhelming
triumph If they are. 1t has been
well said that great reforms and
great achievements come not from
the top but from the potion. come
from the masses of struggling hu-
man beings. from the instructive ef-
forts of millions of human hearts
trying TO beat their way up into the
light and into hope of the future!"
1t is the peculiar virtue and glory of
the present campaign that ii de-
pends upon the million, not upon the
few; that il calls to all men through
out the South, and bids them stand
together in defense OF their native
land.
In such a movement each man has
his particular obligation, each town
and county and state has particular
duties. Each man must do his right
full part without delay. Every bale
OF cotton that is bought and retired
brings a normal market that much 4
nearer Every fifty dollars thus in-k
vested puts that much more moneyV
into circulation. We are attacking ~
great problem, with the loyalty of
the people as a weapon. The people
must be responsive and true, If their
cause is to be won
AS one Of the largest cotton grow
ing states, Georgia has peculiar CON
cern and responsibility i'm this un-
dertaking. Her citizens, therefore. /.
should take the lead in the cotton
buying campaign. 1t should be their
aim 10 care for a million bales by .
means Of individual and collective |
purchases, supplemented with the .
system - federal aid that will soon .
be in operation. That system, bas- !
ed upon warehouse receipts, will en-
able many farmers TO store their .
cotton until fair prices return. 1t is .
Inevitable, however, that much dis |
tress cotton will be offered for sale,
and IL is at this point that the rank |
and file OF Georgians should step in
I'D protect the commonwealth .
against ruinous prices. II they do |
so, and the splendid beginning they |
have madNr shows that they will, the |
amount ctton thus bought, to-
gether wi hat the farmers them
selves can hold, should approximate |
a million bales.
II other states do propoTtionately
well, eight million bales OF cotton
will be retired from the market for