The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-08-03
coTTON-sUsJEcT or ELOQUENT
TRIBUTE

Those familiar with Henry Grady S
tribute 10 cotton thought that all was
said hat could be said in the way OF
clothing it with language both sub
lime and beautiful.
Rarely have words been strung to-
gether more happily and ornately. In
deed. his tribute to this fieecy staple
is almost unsurpassed in any language
either in ancient or modern times.
Most of US thought that the subject
had been exhausted and no other trib-
ute could approach it in lOftiness of
thought or beauty of expression.
But when a tax was recently sought
10 be placed upon this great article
of commerce, Mr.. Thomas He1in, con-
gresham from Alabama, rose in his
place and paid It tribute that de-
serves TO take its place next beside
the Grafton of Henry W Grady
Mr.. Helm said
MI. Idi1iIdU. COtIOlk 10 L1C AiAOSS
serviceable product in the kingdom of
agriculture No other one product
contains the three essential necessi-
ties of life-food. clothing and shelter.
(Applause). 1t is the most useful pro-
duct in time of peace. and on account
of its vast and various properties, it is
indispensable in time of war 1t is
now playing the most important part
in the greatest war that the world has
ever known (Applause). Cotton has
treasured in its fiber the heat of the
sun, and imprisoned in its snowy locks
the secret of the lightning's power.
When touched with nitric acid it hurls
implements of destruction more pow
erful than the thunderbolts of JOve.
(Applause). Our gunpowder and ex-
plosive shells derive their tremen.
dous power from cotton. In this boil
of cotton is the substance to which
our soldiers must look for their uni
forms and shelter Cotton furnishes
wings for our airplanes and sails for
our ships at sea. (Applause). 1t flies
in the flag above the soldier 1t goes
with him in his uniform and it
spreads its white wings above him
when he sleeps upon the tented field.
(Applause). Cotton is the power be-
hind the bullet, and it the healing
balm in the bandages of the Red Cross
and hospital corps. 1t soothes and
comforts the wounded soldier and
wraps its mantle about him in it's long
last sleep. (Applause). The oil Of
and contains a substitute for glycerin,
large quantities OF which are used in
the manufacture of powerful explos-
ives. The seed contains food for man
and beast. and it has in it choice ele-
ments of plant food. which when ap-
piled to the soil makes the earth to
blossom as a rose. (Applause). Cot
ton is the poor mans friend. It
clothes the naked and its seed feeds
the hungry 1t blesses and serves the
people in many ways The govern
ment as never before is dependent on
cotton. 1t is a national necessity and
an international factor in the strug-
gle now going on in Europe In this
world struggle in which we have been
compelled to fight to preserve our own
rights and liberties, cotton is TO per
form the most signal service Zap
plauce), and any man who would bur
den it with tax and handicap and in
jure those who produce it. in his
shortsightedness and recklessness, is
weakening the arm of this government
III the prosecution Of a war in which
our very existence as a free country
is at stake. (Applauce). The rust.
the cotton worm and the boil weevil
are doing enough to decrease the cot
ton production and to cause the cotton
producer to turn TO other crops and TO
abandon his efforts to produce cotton
on large scale. Gentlemen, the cot
ton producer needs your help and your
encouragement, and not your persecu-
ton in the form of unjust taxation.
(Applause). He is producing cotton
now under great difficulty and at tire
mendous cost Do not add to the bur
den that he is already carrying. Dur
ing the trials through which he is
passing in his efforts to produce cot
ton. product so necessary to the
successful conduct of this war, if you
cannot give him your sympathy and
good will, be Just and patriotic enough
To Lot him a1nno - EAnnIo...=A