Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-11-26
FROM
GOVERNORS URGES
HOLDING OF COTTON
Executives of the Cotton
States Favor the Adoption
of a Fixed Program

The governors of eight cotton
states on Saturday Joined in proc
lamation to the farmers of the south
urging them to hold their cotton for
a minimum price of IS cents a pound
and otherwise to follow insofar as
possible the program outlined by
the Cotton States Advisory Market
ing board at its general conference
held IN Atlanta on November z:
This program consists in holding
cotton for a minimum of 80 cents;
selling only then such cotton as they
are obliged t.. sell for pressing OBJ
legations. increasing the acreage of
food products for the next year.
The marketing BOARD also called
on the Federal Reserve banks to es-
tablish liberal policy in accepting
commercial paper secured by cotton
warehouse receipts.
The text of the proclamation is as
follows:
1--WE, the governors of the several
cotton states, recognizing the JUS
tice and wisdom of the action taken
by the cotton states official advisory
marketing board in the cotton con-
ference held in the state capitol of
Georgia on November z, 1918. as
shown in the following resolution as
adopted:
"Whereas. The recent heavy break
in cotton prices is wholly unjustifed
disturbance incident to the heavy
break in the market has temporarily
paralyZed the agricultural and bust
ness interests of the south and en-
tailed heavy loss to the cotton pro-
Queer by reason of the price being
below the cost of production.
Therefore. be 1t resolved: That
the farmers, merchants, bankers and
business men organize and unite with
the determined purpose to withhold
from sale all cotton until a price
can be obtained that will cover the
cost of production, plus a reasonable
profit. That when such price is OBJ
tanned and wherever possible borrow
money to meet such obligations ana
in this connection We urge that the
federal reserve banks throughout the
country be lust as liberal as is con-
sistent with good business in re-
diScounting notes secured bv Gotten.
We further heartily recommend to
the farmer of the south that bV rea-
son of the great need for increasing
food and food crops that they ma
terially increase their acreage CT
these crops for the year 1919. and TO
accomplish this end by reducing their
cotton acreage. We urge that the
widest publicity be given the actlol
/ of this conference and that the au
thorities and agencies IN each state
be especially charged with the duty
of organizing each state into county
and school districts for. the purpose
of carrying out the action embodied
in these resolutions.
BE it further resolved: TO urge
the farmers and dealers not to sell
cotton for less than thirty-fve cents
a pound. basis middling.
1--WE do, therefore, Jointly call upon
the citizens of the cotton states 10
carefully consider the foregoing reso-
Iution as adopted an6in so far as iS
nanh IF are re
uuested to lend your aid to the end
that a price may be obtained 1or
our chief staple equal to the COST OF
production. plus reasonable pronl.
The proclamation is signed Dy CIV
ernors Dorsey. of Georgia; Hobby OF
Texas: Manning. of South Carolina |:
BrouRh, of Arkansas; Beckett. OF
North Carolina: Bilbo. of Mississippi:
Henderson. of Alabama, and Cats OF
Florida.
Coincident with the issuing of the
! Joint proclamation by the governors,
another assurance Of confidence was
sent out by J. j. Brown, commits
sioner of agriculture for georgia
AID chairman of the Cotton States
Official Advisory board: he urge
, and refuse to sell their cotton until
the price is restored.
His statement follows:
'The bears are in our midst seek
ing to diScredlt your past eIiOi 70
against their federal price-fixing
scheme. And now they try to fright
en- you-for what? Why, to make
you sell and break the market, oil
YOU opposed federal price-fixing
of cotton because every southei il
senator and congressman advised the
cotton farmer TO keep cotton away
from federal price fixing.
Every commissioner of agE1cuI-
ture, marketing director and farm
ers' union president of the cotton
states in Joint conference with these
congressman in Washington had am
pie evidence that the best interest
| of the south demanded that we re-
sist federal price fixing on cotton,
and they, therefore, opposed 1t with
all their might.
Legal federal price fixing Of cot
| ton is dead.
1.-THE bill introduced by Congress
man Cox, of Indiana, to price OuE
cotton at fifteen cents per pound Will
now never be reSurrected.
1.-The export restrictions have now
been modified and speculative snort
selling has been prohibited: and these
changes will strengthen the marker
Hold your nerve, act as your
sons did in the front lines in Franco
tell the pirates they shall not
pass"
until late in 1920. 80.