Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-10
Howard Predicts Higher
Cotton Price and Extra
Session Of Congress

Cotton will advance at least ten
cents a pound by March 1, says Con-
gresham William Schley Howard in
statement Saturday to The Journal
prior to his departure for Washing
ton to resume his work in congress.
He urges the defeat Of the revenue
bill pending in the United States SEN
ate, because he doesn't believe the
present generation should pay all the
war debt of twenty-five billion dol
lars.
An extra session Of congress is
predicted by him, because the pres
ent session will be 80 largely en-
gagged in paying appropriations al
ready authorized that 1t will not have
time to do those things so vital for
the business and agricultural inter-
eSts of the country"
He urges that all soldiers not alb
solutely needed in the army be mus
tered out at once.
He warns that a tariff wall must
be built around the country unless
we wish to be left ito barter with
ourselves"
He declares that the greatest need
of the farmers is an efficient gov
ernmental system of marketing.
And. in conclusion. he praises the
work of Senator Hoke Smith and the
latter's contemporaries in lifting the
embargo on cotton.
Congressman Howard. who has
spent the recess of congress at home.
was delayed few days in his return
by illness Of members of his family.
AS senior member of the sub-commit-
tee on sundry civil appropriations he
has work of utmost Importance be-
fore him. Mr.. Howard will remain
in Washington until the close of the
present session, when he will return
to private life.
Mr.. Towards Statement
Following is Mr.. Towards state
ment:
This session Of congress must
end by constitutional Limitation on
March 4th, and as there are so many
things from a legislative standpoint
space, 1 predict that there will of
necessity be an extra session of con-
gress called shortly after adjourn
ment, as this congress will be so
largely engaged in pairing appropria-
tionS already authorized, and cutting
to the very marrow unnecessary ac-
tivities that were created for a
proper prosecution of the war, that
it will not have time to do those
things so vital for the business and
agricultural interests of the country.
my hope is that congress will not
enact the revenue bill now pending
in the senate. and which passed the
house while our nation was in the
very thickeSt of the fighting. The
levies upon industry and business
are too heavy to permit a Whole
scn1C and essential expansion that is
now so vitality necessary for our fu-
.ture as a nation. This glorious vic
tory won for humanity and for gov
eminent will cast its beneficent eff
fects into the life of the generations
to follow US. and as a matter of JUS
tice 20 those of US who suffered the
GepTivations and shed precious blood
upon the fields of carnage, we
should not be made to pay the whole
debt.
"rhe entire expenditures for this
war will run close to twenty-five bill
lions before we have settled in fall.
Some of this sum is to be refunded
by the allies, but to pay more than
a billion per year in war taxes Is
unne cesSary and unjust, unless there
can be such a reduction in normal
taxes as would Justify the repayment
of a larger sum by virtue of such
economies.
at is to be hoped that every man
not absolutely necessary for the con-
summation of the peace terms will
be Immediately mustered out of the
service, that this manpower can be
used in our program Of reconstrIIc-
ticn.
This war IN my Judgment has
revolutionized business methods. This
nation from an Industrial, CONNER
cial and agricultural standpoint must
establish itself upon a firm founda-
on will be keen. The freedom of
the seas means this if 1t means any
thing. If we build a tariff wall
around our country on account of
our wage scale, the other nations
of the world will undersell us in
all foreign markets because Of the
great disparagement in our wage
scale and that of their own, and we
will be left to barter with ourselves.
Therefore, efficiency and alertness
are absolutely essential to maintain
our place under new conditions.
Great Day for Farmers
1.-The future of American agricul-
ture was never brighter. Foodstuffs
will bring good returns for at least
five years.
"The greatest need of the farmers
from national standpoint is an eff
cient governmental system of mar
keting. This is in the mind of all
well-informed representatives of the
great farming sections of the coun-
try:
itself as soon as the ineXorable law
of supply and demand has a free
rein. Cotton is now selling for at
least ten cents per pound less than
it will sell for by the first of March,
if present conditions point truly to
the market condition.
1.-The world is half naked. The
present crop below normal-the stock
on hand of raws less than at this
time in years. With millions of cot
ton goods made up for the govern
ment's war purposes unfit for the
varied domestic uses, and with COM
mercial stocks almost exhausted by
the cessation of manufacture during
the war, there is absolutely no rea-
son why this crop should not bring
the cost of production and a good
profit to the farmer.
Senator Hoke Smith and his con-
temporaries have rendered the south
a great service in securing the lift
ing of the embargo on cotton. AS
soon as troop ships are released for
service in the merchant marine cot
ton and all agricultural products will
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