The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-16
EDIT System and Method of
Crop Distribution Through
Nliddlemen Attacked
EDUCATED CITIZENSHIP
/, FIRST GREAT NEED
lndiscriminate Use of CONNER
cial Fertilizers Criticised.
Commerce Of Southern Ports
Should Be Developed

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AZ St' '''S "A''' '-''''
seciauon OF southern Commissioners
of Agriculture. IN their twentieth an
nual assemOIaSe. addressed the Ioil"W-
ping insptrational message to the peo-
kple OF The South, it having been pre-
pared by "a committee Of three mem
bers;
Al norfolk We have attended "A
great catherine, the theme OF which
has been international rcconstruc-
ton, and the part tho South viii play
~ those Establishments Of world eco
Monies and commerce following the
close OF the world war. We have come
/ from this gathering convinced that IN
any scheme of international recon
4 struction the States 81 the South must
play a principal p0Tt-~-a role OF vital
1 concern naaRclaa: ana com numerically.
The South, with It's ~ at money crop
4 Got Iou-~-E YES to tbv nation an
nually wealth To the extent OF bill
lion and a quarter aoft3Fs Ii possesses
Il world monopoly in this iudestruC-
tihIe commodity that Is tire basis Of
American finance. 1t IS the South
that must cloth" The peoples Of the
world, and II Us tbs South that must
noon help feed the peoples Of this ma
ttoH ala AhoSe OF the devastated S1un-
tries OF Europe darInG their period OF
recovery. Any section or the world so
/ favored must command attention in
any scheme If world economies
Should Understand Opportunity.
We feel that tie South should
understand It's opportunity Ia develop
TO the fullest its resources We feel
that 1t Is of national concern that
every step possible should be taken
to econon really produce cotton in
eil-bn RACED system or agriculture,
and tina while the national govern
ment under the present 3dmlnistra-
aon has done lnuCh by the recognition
af cotton as q basis ~ credit through
International regional reserve banking
system. through the cotton futures
act and through the NATIONAL ware
house measure, it should 20 further
and throw every fostering care and
protection around such source or
national wealth. not in paternaiistic
way. but In such A way as TO insure
70 the men who produce this wealth
from the soil fair and just return
for their labor and the use Of their
land, and to protect them by every
legal means from the professional par
asites. the middlemen and the gam
!. blers in futures. We feel that it Is the
duty of the national government to in
sure by proper grading and every
.other intelligent requirement against
the passing Of the raw material into
Apecuiative hands TO he manipulated
to the advantage of the few and TO
the financial injury of the nation itself.
Oppose Credit system
I'VE would. therefore, urge the men
az the South to study the economies
OF our basic sources Of wealth and to
be alive and active in all matters
bending to their conservation. We
would urge upon our peonle 10 take
advantage of the rural credits act and
nther facilities that the oppressive
credit system, OF the south shall b<
rrrnotea forever and instead estah-
l,sh production in 81 rational system
40 a1r,culture with cotton "a a major
cron and bv an independent homo.
:, ting And home building cIfI5ensI5in
~,,,anc5pa,e the naonla in tenancr
nrnaare
..Mrr ro,,,a ur~o ,,,r naonla +o orr,
~. IN n,,rhtv efyort for the aa-
sn-s..rar. 80 ,vroranra AVA ~. ~
.h.snsn,snt ~ ,nteilirenca We fec,
that % far onlv the surface ~ 0o,dar
nnnort,rtt,e. bas heen ,oncbad We
snI .hat ,yror.nca and noiitfcs NJ
st, c,,rser ~ every Iana ira dana
800 and his nIavthtnr arc the
sseatest barriers ~ a aeva,onmar. In
- Ca,,tb snch ne ,be ynr,a ha.
rav.r seen We feel tbat an aancated
.;,,vanshin is o,,r tarst ,rea, need ~
!. ~ sa,,, NJ an State eovernn,epts
~ thew have nermitted N may
peOpte ~ a4'NC az tiae Ssts'te "a MA