The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-28
Cotton Producers
Haze Whip Hand &,
After Fifty Years

Since 1865 the cotton producers Of the
south have been driven by the pouer of
those vested interests Of the world which
have dominated the price which the
manufacturing is of the greatest
industries in the world. 1t represents
billions Of capital invested in plants
and II has q dominating influence upon
billions Of capital which finances the
worlds cotton trade. This vast power
tionally perhaps but often Intentionally,
has driven a hard bargain with the cot
ton producers, For 50 years or more
the cotton spectators IN the South and
IN other sections, and the cotton manu-
LECTURERS and the bankers connected
with them, have ruled with a red Of iron
the worlds price fer cotton. The grow
er has been held in the .ecoAornic sIay-
cry Of poverty which has thus beer
forced upon him,
The South has created enormous
wealth. running into the billions and
tens OF billions, for other sections and
other countries without gaining much
OF that wealth for itself.
In the sale Of its cotton at cost. and
even below actual cost, except based
on q starvation wage, the South has
simply been giving to other sections
70 other countries the utmost pow,
y Fl Us productive capacity and per
$500 &fNst ~ ANNP al avs RlQttkSs
It is amazing that the South cotton
growers nave ever been able to stand 90
great 2 financial drain, but they have
/ tYed through this period, and at last
nave awakened to the fact that they
~ " the power to drive instead OF
fury or more the Manufacturers Record
has been constantly insisting that cot
ton was selling below a fair profit 10
the producers, and that the constant eff
fort 70 osat down the price would ulti.
nlately result in a decreased production
which might, by reason OF a trenend-
Gus, shortage, somewhat stagger the
business world. The war saved the
situation for the cotton manufacturers.
Ha there been no war to curtail the
worlds cotton goods production there
would now be such a cotton famine Al
mankind a not known since the cot
ton Industry came TO be one Of the
worlds greatest business interests.
The cotton manufacturers must now
OF necessity stand before the cotton
growers and beg them 70 produce
enough cotton to keep the worlds spin
dles running. and the answer Of the
cotton grower in substance will be.
We have needed that cry for the last
time. We shall produce at home our
own foodstutfs, and In this we will be
helping to reduce the high cost Of liv-
ing for all the world. Certainly you
caH not OBJECT 70 that Ana when we
have raised our foodstufts we viii then
raise cotton as our surplus product, and
we Will sell 1t or store 1t according to
our own wishes and not according TO
the dictates OF money lenders. We say
70 the cotton. manufacturers Of the
weird: II you can have sufficient cot.
ton grown In the other countries TO
meet your needs, you are heartily well
come 70 do so, for we can make more
money for ourselves and for the South,
ana thus for the nation, by c~oncentrat.
ing our work upon diversified farming
than We can do by raising cotton ex.
cept at a price which has not vet been
paid for this great staple
For 90 years we have shaved to fur.
nish cotton TO meet the worlds needs,
and the more we have striven TO IN.
crease production the greater has been
the worlds combined effort 10 make
cotton production Improbable to us,
FROM no spirit OF s~elfishness other than
inst which controls every nan In busi.
meas we now propose to do the driving
and 10 ride alongside or in company
with and on an equal basis with the
cotton consumers. We have been the
hewers OF wood n the drawers uf
water for the worlds cotton trade. Now
we propose TO share equally IN the prof
It's which the world makes through our
production OF cotton. We are no longer
TIED 10 the cotton field by the power Of
poverty, We are no longer under dom
ination Of the local cotton gambler or
the worlds cotton buying agencies."-
From the Manufacturers Record.