The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-01

ropes Pecu1ar connection with
Recent Manoeuvre that Depressed
Price of Cotton and Gave Rise to
Suspicion of Attempt to Rig the
Market.
New York, Nov. Farmers Union
officials of fourteen states emphatical-
ly repudiate the recent attack on the
administration of President Wilson
made by H. N. Pope of Texas, Presi-
dent of the Association of State Presi-
dents of the Farmers Union. Mr.
Pope achieved passing notoriety a few
months ago by waiting on President
Wilson at Washington and demand
ing that his neutrality policy with ref
erence to commerce on the high seas
be disregarded in way to give cot
ton market not opened to other
farm products.
ME- Pope's latest pronunciamento
against President Wilson is a PAM
phlet attacking the Adamson Law,
ostensibly published from official rec
ords Of the Association Of State Presi-
dents of the Farmers Union. This
Association is composed of officials of
the Farmers Union, all of whom have
telegraphed the Democratic National
Committee that the organization has
no official knowledge Of Pope's attack
on the President and that 1t was is
sued without their authority.
Among the State Presidents and
other officials of the Farmers Union
sending messages to this effect are:
o. W. Taylor, Oklahoma; ]. E. Rog-
ers, Arkansas A. P. Thornhill, Vir-
ginia; o. P. Ford, Alabama; H. O.
Alexander, North Carolina; E. L.
Harrison, Kentucky; L. M. Rhodes,
Tennessee; J. L. Shepherd, Florida;
Charles L. Wetzler, Colorado; Walter
Smith, Indiana; M. McAuliffe, Kan
sas; J. ". Mccall, Washington-Idaho
Division; A. G. Davis, National Secre-
tary-Treasurer, and Austin. Hill, presi-
dent Of the Illinois organization. Mr..
Hills telegram, characteristic of all,
follows:
I'VE know nothing about this PAM
phlet The Farmers Union people
in Illinois are not against Wilson; he
has done too much for them in the
way Of legislation. Any person who
is representing a farmers organiza-
ton and putting out literature against
Wilson is traitor to the Farmers
Union and should be expelled from
the same"
This emphatic reputation Of Mr..
Pope's activities is now followed by
the revelation on what has been de-
nounced as a conspiracy to rig the
cotton market and plumber the farm
ers of the South Of millions Of dol
lars.
On the evening of September g.,
1916, the following telegram was FLED
for transmission in the Office Of the
Western Union at Fort Worth, to be
relayed from New Orleans, THUS Civ
ing the message the appearance Of
having originated at New Orleans:
Western Union Special
Fort Worth, Texas.
Sept. 6. 1916.
MGR. New Orleans, La.
The annual meeting Of the Associa-
ton of State Farmers Union Presi-
dents which has just closed here fixed
IL cents per pound as the minimum
price of cotton and urged that all
bankers, merchants and business in
terests of the South cooperate in
maintaining this price in order that
the Cotton Industry Of the South
might be placed upon staple basis.
HENRY N. POPE.
Immediately upon the printing. Of
this telegram in the newspapers and
its posting on the cotton exchanges
Of the country, the price of cotton
which was then in excess of 16 cents,
declined forty-three points and mill
lions Of dollars were lost to cotton
farmers of the South.
Mr.. Pope repudiated this telegram
on September IL, SIX DAYS AFTER
it's transmission. In the interim,
the brokers who were short on cot
ton had time to cover during one Of
the most sensational breaks in the
market in recent years.
The records of the Western Union
at Fort Worth show that this tele-
gram was filed for transmission and
Pope's name signed by J. A. Arnold,
who alleged that he was publicity
man for Pope's organization. J. A.
Arnold is VIGOROUSLY known in Texas
as the paid agent of the railroad and
brewers. Court records Of that state
show that, in a presentation institut-
ed by the Attorney General of Texas,
Arnold's corporation employers plead
ed guilty to violation Of the Texas
statute which prohibits the use Of
CORPORATION funds for political pur-
noses. The court record shows that
the railroad and liquor interests paid
money to Arnold, then acting as Sec
retarv of the State Association Of
Commercial Club Secretaries. and
that Arnold used this money for po-
ntical purposes.
On September IL, 1915, this tele-
gram was sent from Fort Worth to
New Orleans, addressed to a member
Of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange:
Uniformed Henry N. Pope, now in
Forth Worth, understands fully all
circumstances connected with special
referred to and filed by his publicity
man. J. A. Arnold. We are, inform
ed Twelve cents per pound as the
minimum price for cotton should
have read-Twelve cents per pound
as the loan price for cotton That
correction is being issued by Mr..
Pope and those concerned at Fort
Worth"
On the same date, September IL,
Mr.. Pope sent this telegram to the
New Orleans Cotton Exchange:
Fort Worth, Texas, p. M, Sept.
- '16. New Orleans Cotton Ex-
change. care w. H. Schroeder, New
Orleans, La.
F,>%-