The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1914-10-17
RECKLESS SELLING.

The thing most reared mas happened.
Cotton is being thrown upon stagnant
market and sold for whatever it will
bring In spite of the warning OF every
leader in the South that cotton must
be held off the market if living prices
were to be maintained; in spite OF the
dictates of the most elemental common
sense that the present narrow market
must not be glutted with supplies; and
in spite of the appeal of sheer self
preservation that the crisis must be
met with steadfastness and courage,
we find certain farmers and spot
holders at the first shot of the enemy
throwing down their guns, turning tail
and running like bleating sheep back
wards upon sure destruction.
1t is incomprehensible that men
should do this thing. If the stampede
be not arrested, it means wreck and
ruin to the Southern people. For the
heretofore prosperous citizens it means
shrinkage and privation; for the poor
| it means actual hunger and want. In
the light of the movement disclosed by
the recent declaration of Sir Charles
NIAGARA, President of the Federation of
Master Spinners, that advantage should
be taken of present conditions for
"stabilizing" the price of cotton in the
future, it means that the spinners of
the world will for song acquire and
ccumulate stock of cotton with which
they can stabilize" the price at level
to suit themselves, and it means that
relief cannot come until a cotton
famine shall have brought to pass
through the slow starvation of the
American farmer.
But what, it is asked, can be done
by the individual in the midst of such
stupendous issues? There is formula
of success which is infallible. 1t is
also feasible Let every individual
farmer, regardless of what others may
do, attend to this
1. Don't sell any cotton on this
market
2. Plant little or no cotton next year.
If, under this policy, one-half Of the
nrocant oron 10 withhold fro,,, cole owl.
four or five million bales made next
year, this entire crop, as we'll as the
next, will bring nearer IL cents per
pound than G. If, on the contrary, this
crop is given away to the trade ad-
versaries of the farmer, not only will
present ruin to the latter result, but
for time to come the former will hold
the means for smothering all efforts
for recoupment. Hold as much of this
years crop as possible, plant little or
none next year, and the profit in price
will more than compensate for the
shortage in production. Make hand
some profit by inaction in so far as
cotton is concerned. If cotton be rigid
ly withheld from sale now, that portion
which will be sold later will neces-
sarily command a reasonable, if not
remunerative price; and if, when the
spring comes, the farmer tells the
world that he has already made about
all the crop he will have to offer, he
will, for such crop, secure a handsome
price. Surely the farmers, merchants
and bankers of the South will soon
cease quaking, and our leaders will
soon cease trying to compound econ
omic nostrums, and all together will
subscribe to this cooperative creed:
Hold cotton now.
Sell sparingly later.
Plant little or no cotton next spring.
In the meantime we hazard a word
to the national bankers of the South.
There remains yet with these the po-
tential power to issue one hundred and
fifty million dollars of emergency cur
rency. They have as yet availed them
selves of only one-third of their privi-
lege. Would they not, in these times
OF tight money, high interest rates and
impending calamity, do well to supply
a somewhat larger volume of that
medium without which in plenty all
plans for relief must come to naught?
w. B. THOMPSON & co.