Pocahontas star herald., 1914-11-20
MOST Unique P-.1
"5uy-a-Baie Of Cotton Hove
ment Restored Confidence.
AID GIVEN COTTON GROWERS
Prevented Flooding Market with
fheuS, nds Of Bales When There
Was No pemand-Atlanta I'd.
I.sr Originator Of Idea.

The 'hdya.hale OF cotton" move
mCnt. one OF the most unique OF IT.
kind ever launched In the United
States. accomplished for the South
more than anything else at that time
could he done, namely, Il restored
conddCu when business In the south
was chaotic. placed n standard price
OF ten cents pound on cotton, and
prevent the flooding Of the market
with tll lsands OF bales when there
was ab.olutely no demand, which
would l.lye resulted In a calamity for
the sou aern states.
because OF the large area over which
this movement spread, and the lack Of
organization between the cities IN
which the "buy-a.bale" movement was
being agltated, anything like an ae'
curate estimate OF the number or
bales disposed OF is impossible, but
Il has been roughly estimated at be
tween two hundred and fifty thousand
and three hundred thousand bales, for
which cash was actually paid. Those
who were closely In touch with the
movement admit, however that this
estimate may be greatly under the eN-
act number OF bales sold.
Unfortunately for the cotton grow
ing states. the European war began TO
be- felt In this country just at the time
when cotton was beginning TO ar.
rive at the cotton markets. When the
sailing OF all vessels from the United
States stopped. preventing the ship
ping Of cotton TO England and other
countries Of the continent. the cotton
exchanges Of New York. New Orleans.
Savannah. and other cities closed, and
trading came TO an abrupt end.
Situation Serious.
In the meantime cotton continued
TO come in from the plantations, and
was accommodating on the market with
startling rapidly. The situation was
far more serious than any that the
South had had to face since the
reclamation period following the close
OF the Civil war. Everyone realized
that something must be done, and
done quickly, II disaster vas 10 be
aycrted. The foremost question In
the minds Of business men and states
men alike was what could be done,
and how could II b. accomplished?
At an hour when the outlook was
darkest. an Atlanta manufacturer
wrote letter TO an Atlanta paper,
setting forth the plan Cf selling cot
ton by public subscription. tie sug.
qested that the staple be sold ot ten
cents a pougd-the figure generally
agreed upon'as the lowest at which
cotton could be raised-and that II
be sold in bale lots. The purpose OF
this plan was threeiold; II would place
a standard price on cotton, remove a
large portion OF the distress crop
from the market. and would prevent
a ruination OF the market from too
much OF the product being offered at
one time.
The editor Of the Atlanta paper TO
whom the plan was first made known
was quick TO realize the possibilities
OF campaign waged throughout the
United States. Accordingly. he. called
a meeting OF Atlanta business men
in his office at which the "buy'a-bale'
movement was formally launched.
This occurred during the first week
OF September Since then II has
spread to almost every state in the
Union. and an immeasurable amount
OF good was accomplished in many OF
the large cities OF the East, West and
North. where business men gave their
time and money TO the cause
There were two methods by which
cotton was disposed Of in the "buya-
bale" movement. One was the out
right purchase for cash, and the other
was the taking of the staple by the
country merchants on old aud new
accounts. A great many of the whole
sale dealers and manufacturers also
took cotton from southern merchants
on account.
Atlanta Plan Adopted.
According to the Atlanta Plan.
which later was adopted by all cit.
a.. 4tl,,,,s. A hal laN