New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-25
Bankers of South
Urge Planters to
Diversity Crops
Withholding of Financial
Aid from Those Who Do
Not Raise Cotton Denied
Bv GORDON DORRANCE
Rnltim0re. .IiIne %.

NOR sOHlc WcShS IHNAc A"'S ''
bruited about disquieting ru-
mors that, flying in the face OF
urgent national food-needs, the South
would still grow cotton, and less food,
or at the least diversity no more
than in the average course Of normal
times. "Disquieting," for the South,
YOU know, was the planter of the
country, and these rumors limited
that it was not "onto its job Moro,
that Southern financial institutions
were fathering this movement, were
actually responsible, in fact, since
certain reports had it that they
were discouraging Investigation OF
crops by refusing to make loans on
other crops than cotton. Especially
were they refusing advances to negro
farmers on general crops"
Proved true, no one gainsays how
reprehensible Of method and how
sweepingly unfortunate in their ef-
fects such policies Of Southern banks
would be. Dollar-wise patriotism
would Join with selfish sectionalism
for the worst interests Of the nation,
that looks to every man to do, and
give, and be his best.
A consideration of the charge lends
interest to a close inspection of the
fact. Confronting General James X.
Wheeler, president of the Common
wealth Bank of Baltimore, with
brief digest of the one, / learned
much in respect to the other. Ac-
cording to this banker: I'VE have
had too many rumors, rumors which
are palpably unsound in fact, and
preiudicial to the South in having
circulation. Though we are not pre-
cisely in the cotton belt / may say
most emphatically that there is no
such state of things obtaining to my
knowledge. Among our best custo-
mers is the negro. When worthy, he
NAV count on having all of the credit
that it is possible for us to give him,
no less than the white farmer who
wants to borrow to make his acres
give a bigger and more varied yield"
Waldo Newcomer, president of the
National Exchange Bank, adds chat
during the late fall and winter /
talked with several men from the
South, two from Georgia and one
from Alabama, and they were all at
that time enthusiastic over the pros
pects in the South, due to the fact
that plans were being made for such
Investigation of crops, as it was
sure to be of advantage y
Food Profits
With a Guarantee
The vice-president of the Cont
mental Trust Company Of Baltimore,
w. J. Casey, has just returned from
trip far South. The head Of this
bank is S. Davies Warfield, chairman
Of the Seaboard Air Lines board Of
directors, and the institution knows
its territory. Incidentally, Mr.. Casey
visited Georgia, an oldtime cotton
state. There he found that in the
Augusta section, for example, "the
increase. in the foodstufPs acreage
cannot be less than 40 per cent above
last year for their entire district.
The banks are advertising to in
crease all crops Of foods, and one
Georgia financier of my acquain-
lance, who is also a very large plan
ter, has agreed to guarantee to all
his negro tenants that, if they will
now plough up their seeded fields of
cotton to plant foods, they will make
rot less from the new planting than
they possibly could from the old. I
dc not see," finished Mr.. Casey, chow
the banker can add much to such en-
enlargement as that"
And this: Every authority on the