The Washington times., 1915-08-11

cotton, whether destined to neutrals or
to belligerents on either side. The Col
quit game is simply to hold the German
and anti-prohibition votes. and to add
to them enough Of this support that can
be aroused by twisting the lions tall to
make up a majority. Texas politicians
who have been in town lately. despite
that they have generally expressed an
tagonism to Colquitt, admit that his
campaign looks dangerous.
Congressman in Trouble.
The other avowed candidates are
Congressman Robert L. Henry. who
likewise is making cotton an issue In
another way. He stands on the record
he made in introducing and pressing his
remarkable measure last session. that
looked to having the Government take
the cotton crop off the hands Of the
planters at 10 cents the pound and hold
1t till 1t should bring that price. The
plan never had q chance in Congress.
of course; but 1t served the purpose of
the planter was Mr. Henry. The third
candidate IS S. p. Brooks. Of Waco,
president Of the Bailey University. per-
haps the largest dcnominational insti-
tuition in the South.
AL over the South there are Con-
gressmen In trouble over the cotton
question. and Senator Hoke Smith, Of
Georgia. is looked upon as the prophet
of all this disafrection. He has been
position tS the national Administration.
insisting that this country ought to
compel the allies to open the seas to
American cotton. The effect Of this
Propaganda, II it should have any st
ton to protest against the present mild
measures Of the allies. and force them
to declare cotton contrahand. That
would make the situation very much
nfr1, hal,
itself.
Blind To Law and Precedent.
But all that makes no difference to
, the men who see political advantage, or
| ina ginc they see 1t. in fighting the fine
| old ghost Of British domination" 1t
| recalls the good old days when a lot of
! people in this country solemnly as
serted. and some Of them actually be-
lieNed. that Golden club gold" was
| financing every effort for tariff revision,
These antiBritish extremists don't say
Of them goes so far as to say he would
have war with England; they merely
demand that our weak surrender to
England shall not continue. Needless
to say also, they pay little attention
to precedents. international law. and the
| like. They wave aside the laws Of
| blockade and contraband that were
made by the Government in civil war
times; which is easy enough consider
ing that the Federal treatment of cot
| ton In that period has never been highly
popularized in the South.
This wave Of anti-British sentiment
! appeals to much the same elements that
| once made the South populistic. 1t hits
! hardest at the men now in Congress,
who know that their positions will COM
| pei them to sustain the Administration
! at least In a reasonable attitude. Con-
gresham Sims. who has announced
himself a candidate for Senator in Ten
nessee, is fat-footedly. supporting the
Administration: avowing that cotton
thus far has Jared exceedingly well at
the hands Of the allies, and roundly de-
nouncing people who take the Hoke
| Smith position.
May Be Difficult for Wilson.
Rufus Hardy. veteran Congressman
from Texas. Is doing the same thing. A
glib young man who promises to save
cotton is already campaigning for the
nomination In place OF Hardy. He is
tacks on the Administration and on
Hardy for supporting 1t; and he is max
ing real difficulty. for Hardy absolutely
refuses to play the demagosue. There
| are counties in western Texas where
| the German vote is an actual majority.
and Texas is also first among cotton
| States
Despite the Hoke Smith leadership ir
this attack on the Administration, e.
ports from Georgia indicate that tho
movement it not making much headway
there; but Alabama Is accounted
hotbed of insurgency.
| Much will depend on the market con-
ditions affecting the 1915 cotton crop
and perhaps more on the course Of
diplomatic discussion between this coun-
try and Great Brita in. If cotton ii
placed on the contraband list by thu
allies. the President is going to bt
brought under the fire at once of th'
pro-German elements all over the coun
try and the cotton extremists in thu
South; and his course will be an ex
tremcly difficult one to chart.