The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-08-30
J. S. Mullen's Views.

An Ardmoreite reporter called upon
]. S. Mullen, president of the Cham
ber of Commerce, for his views re-
specting the cotton situation. Mr..
Mullen is also large land owner,
and has given some study to the sit
uation. lie said:
"The general crop promises yield
of at least fourteen million bales.
The local yield promises to be as
large, if not larger, than any we
have ever had. Wilson and Ringing
TO the west on the new railroad will
cut off the local market probably
twenty-five per cent, but even then
that ought to give crop of between
twenty and twenty-five thousand
bales. The season is too far ad-
vanced for boil worms and boil Wee
wills. What we want now is hot,
dry weather for at least a month, in
order to give the plant the fullest
opportunity to come to the highest
state of fruition. The difficult thing
at the proper moment will be cotton
pickers. The labor is becoming
scarce in this country because OF the
demand of Europe's call of reseryists
to colors, and in their patriotic ar
dor they are leaving this country by
the thousands. OF course this stream
of labor will flow back to this coun-
try as the natural result of the I'M
poverished condition following the
present European conflict. If China
and Japan can see their way TO take
our surplus, coupled with what Eng
land might take if it can clear the
seas. added by a million and half
bales of excess cotton going to our
own looms, by reason of the addi-
tional demand for the cotton cloth,
and if the banks are liberal, we can
handle the situation.
Applied to Congress.
We have recently made represent
ations to members of Oklahoma's
delegation in congress. asking for re-
lief. Messrs. Gore, Thompson and
Murray advise that at recent con-
ference with Secretary McAdoo and
other high government officials, it
developed that the government eX-
poets a four million surplus by reason
of the abnormal demand, and they
agree to loan forty dollars bale,
or a total of one hundred and sixty
million dollars. That is, the govern
ment will accept warehouse receipts
for this amout and the bank may
loan such amount to the farmer as
its Judgment directs, as a minimum
of safety. The thing that the banks
will be called upon TO do is to loan
up to as near to the $40 as possible
and to charge as low a rate of in
terest as possible. 1t is now time
for the banks to show their mag
nanamity and generosity toward the
suffering people, and let the rate of
interest be the minimum compared
to the risk assumed.
The following conditions obtain:
First, the farmer should be slow in
marketing his crop. Second. it will
be necessary to have bonded ware
houses which will necessarily carry
with them fixed charges of insur-
ance. storage. salary of warehouse
keeper, and the like. 1t is probable
that Ardmore has, in the way Of the
old foundry, the old iron store. the
Sammons Lumber Yard place, and the
compress. sufficient buildings so as
to not necessitate our resorting to
our profits to erect warehouses.
Banks Have Obligation.
Third, it is necessary for the local
banks TO join the proper currency
association. One bank in Dallas alone
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