The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-09-22
npusTnEVT OF NATIONAL FARM
FRS, UNION SAYS NATION HAS
NOT AIDED COTTON.

As national president of the Farm
orc Union l feel it my imperative
6uty in the presence of a great cri-
&c n give to the public an express
sion not only Of my own opinion,
hut that of the grea. national con-
vention of the Farmers Union which
bos inst adjourned it's annual con-
vontion held at Fort Worth, Texas.
The sorrowful and destructive war
in Europe has had, in business
sense. a most disastrous effect upon
the PRODUCERS of the United States.
We are but at the beginning OF that
war No living man can safely pre-
dict how long it will last; and there
fore none of US can foresee just how
soon this unintentional embargo up
on our foreign trade will continue.
Naturally the destruction in Europe
will make a demand for our super
fuous food stuffs just as soon as
shipping facilities can be provided
for getting these food stuffs to the
hungry millions of Europe.
With our great staple, cotton, the
situation is different. Europe takes
an average of sixty per cent Of the
cotton crop. The demand from Eu-
rome has absolutely ceased, with no
immediate prospect of renewal OF
that demand. 1t is possible that
England may take a reduced amount
but it is very certain that the amount
which England can use, when engag-
ed in a life and death struggle, will
be greatly reduced.
AS l see it, and this is also the
opinion of my colleagues, probably
so per cent of the cotton crop will
be unstable during the present cot
ton season at any price Whatsoever;~
and this will mean that the other half
will be sold at a price far below the
cost of production.
have never been pessimist-my
Temperament rather leading me to
the opposite view; but we are con-
fronted today with a situation so.
grave that it would be worse than
criminal for me to minimize this sit
uation, or to fail in setting it forth
plainly.
Numerous voluntary efforts are
being made hastily by many of our
splendid citizens who have the best
of intentions, and who want to re-
iieve the situation. These efforts,
however we'll meaning, and however
worthy of our regard, will of necessi-
ty fail. One and all of them, when
narrowed down, means that the peo-
pie of the cotton belt must, out of
their own resources invest at least
four hundred million dollars in cot
ton with the prospect OF holding it
pne year. While there are large
number Of people in the cotton belt
who could buy and hold some cotton
one year as an inactive investment
the mere statement of the fact, which
is true, that it will require four hun
dred million dollars proves the utter
impossiblility of the cotton belt, out
OF its own resources, putting this i'm
mense sum of money into an inactive
investment.
Since 1873 we have had several
panics in this country. In each case
the financial equilibrium has been
chiefly restored by our exports Of cot
ton, which established our foreign
credit and brought to US immense
stores Of gold. 1t is by far the lar
gest single item in our foreign trade,
Il is indeed our main reliance for
keeping us in q healthy financial con-
dition, and from becoming too deep
iy indebted to other nations. 1t is
the rock upon which rests all the
prosperity Of one-third of our cour~
try and nearly one-third of our popu-
lation.
All men are fcnd Of recCgrizir2
in speech the service Of the farme'
who clothes and feeds humanity;
but the time has now come when
this friendly expression must be cor
GREETED into the deed. 1t is absolute
ly true that the situation is so urgent
and the sum needed SC great that no
other power in this country, except
the government, can get adequ'te