The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-04

ed c~ontraband o. war. DOUBLE,
foodstuTs. coal-oil. cotton. horses and
mules as we'll as all materials WI
could be used for munitions Of VA
will be declared c~ontrabsnd Of wtr
and when destined to any countr Il,
war may be taken even from neutral
vessels by yarships OF anothe~ caun-
try at war with the country 10 which
the vessels are destined.
AS long as there are an German
war vessels afloat IA the Atlantlc n,
English or French vessels can sale.
leave port and no neutral vessels cas-.
safely carry anything To France 81
England which would be considered
contraband of war.
Ocean Traffic Paraiyxed.
Ocean transportation. therefore
for the next few weeks will be 50 he
ardous that it must OF necessity be Al
most entirely suspended. This win
bring about u condition of PARALYSIS
in all export trade. Arrangements
will have to be made 10 finance tn.
| present cotton crop. otherwise thur
or fourteen million bales Will h,
thrown upon an American market
prepared to take care of only e.
third that amount. What will happen
is plain to everyone: the prices would
cease to bear any relation t. value
and cotton would cease to have any
considerable purchasing power.
1T is necessary. it seems to me. for
the national government IL make
some temporary arrangement by
which relief can be given and tho
cotton crop protected from Sacrlhcs
sale.
Il understand the new currency
law is much more elastic and possibly
relief can be given without additional
legislation. But if additional lesis-
lation be needed. Congress is in seS-
sion and the patriotism and wisdom
Of the American people will demand
and sanction any measure necessary
to protect this great crop from sac
rifice.
viii Send Wheat Up.
1T is entirely possible that while
the result of the war will he much
higher prices for wheat. possibly al
most famine prices. the government
will have to give temporary relief 10
the wheat-SrOwers. We have just
harvested the largest wheat crop ever
grown. probably $50, 900. 900 bushels
Of wheat more than ever was grown
before. and unit the dominion of the
of the seas is settled we cannot self
that wheat anywhere. In a lesser de-
gree the tobacco crop will be affected.
and it is entirely possible that the ma
tional government will find ii adviS-
able, if not necessary. to assist in Il
nancing these three great crops.
1T is not likely, but it is possible.
that the legislatures of the southern
States will have to be assembled to
pass temporary stay laws. SO that
debts contracted with a view to beng
paid from sales of cotton may not be
enforced exactly at maturity. but
postponed three or six months This
would be an unusual and radical
measure, but it would be justified IN
my opinion rather than to allow in
nocent to be forced To sell
their cotton at ruinOuS prices TO pay
debts contracted to mature October,
November and December LIST. 1t may
be that these debts will have to bs
postponed until March. April and May.
5 Effect of Fleet Destruction.
IF this week the English fleet
t should be able to destroy the German
feet, either wholly or 50 much 5,
that the of the German
: fleet would hide in the land-lOckei
5 harbors of Bremen and HAMBURG,
l then this paralysis Of trade will pass
t away and m will De resumed
: with France and England. Grain and
fOOdstuffs would go very high, mules
and other cOntraband Of war would
: bring prices never before known.
: Machinery useful in war: auto
5 trucks. electric apparatus, and many
Of the thousand articles now needed
t In war. would be in demand at ire
: mendO prices, and business in tn.
. United States would receive in certain
lines a wonderful impetus.
The one crop which cannot be
helped by war is cotton. The effect
! Of the war is bound to depress the
price, even though the seas be opened
and shipment to England and France
7 resumed. On the other hand. the eff
fect of the war is likely t. be advan-
= tageous to the cotton mills The Eu
fopean mills have largely supplied
AFRICA and South America and Asia
/, our goods have been almost shut on
Of the market. This war turns over
Tor the time being. those markets t.
he American mills. and the America
+ cotton mill will probably have cheaI
cotton and a tremendous demand fol
goods They ought to be able to take
advantage of this war and perm
anently get possession OF the market