The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-09-05
WORLD CONDITIONS
IN COTTON INDUSTRY
Worlds Cotton Conference Fathers
DeHunc;aeioa OF Southern
Growers?

DeHunc;ation Of Southern
Growers?
Columbia, Sept. 1.-The American
Cotton Association today gave out
the following letter from DIR. 0. D.
Wanuamaker:
have just been reading PAM
oh e...:t--a / ''":o-.S Cc.->--.--.ss =:
the Cotton Industry" written by Ic.
William Whitman, and issued with
-she compliments Of the arrangement
committee of the world cotton con-
ference. Mr.. Whitman is called, on
the cover, former special agent in
Great Britain of the United States
Department of Commerce. The
pamphlet is especially commended
to the attention Of all in any way
identified with the cotton industry,
in a foreword signed by the chair
man and the secretary Of the world
cotton conference.
4 have taken the liberty to get in
terested in this pamphlet, even
though l am in no way whatever
identified with the cotton industry.
MY interest has been aroused by the
obvious fact that the contents of the
pamphlet are so selected and present.
ed as to show not only feeling OF
utter indifference to one great group
of those identified with the cotton
J industry, the producers, but even
contempt for their views and desires.
This indifference to the interests OF
the producers of cotton is something
. to which the South has grown quite
accustomed and l should not think
it worth while to remark upon 1t but
for the fact that this pamphlet goes
out as part of the publicity of the
world cotton conference. had sup
posed that the great conference was
to represent all interests equally,
and that it's object was to endeavor
to discover the facts in the whole
business of cotton and to reach con-
,clusions on the basis of these facts
when discovered. But this pamphlet
already knows the facts in regard
to production and is quite outspoken
in it's expression Of amusement over
these facts. What are the facts?
"Curiously enough, cotton has al
ways been the political 'crybaby' of
American agricultural politics. Pleas
for it, plans for it, special legisla-
.tion and every conceivable, kind OF
paternalism are put forward. Regula-
lions of every conceivable kind, de-
signed to hamper everybody in the
trade except the planter, have been
urged with an obstinacy grown
schronic and thunderous in it's insist
sence. Wet-nursing till. dotage is
vwhat it's politico-farmer frinds seem
ito want for the fiber-in the bale.
'teAna yet only last year, when the
value of cotton to the planter was
compared as between 1914 and 1917,
not in terms ofImoney equivalent per
pound, but in amount of consumable
goods that cotton will purchase, it
was found that the cotton grower
was much better off than the farm
er who raised wheat and corn"
In reply to the charge Of wet
.nnrsing; it seems strange that the
writer failed to think how much
.mora aptly this accusation would fit
The New England manufacturing es-
Establishments, bottle-fed on tariff pap
from infancy even to mature and
mighty development.
AS to the assertion that cotton pro-
sducer was better off than the farmer
who produced corn or wheat in COM
pariscn of 1914 with 1917, the
writer was careful to refrain from
figures. If he desired to furnish
facts for the consideration Of all in
any way identified with the cotton
business, why did he not also note the
situation that when the farmer sells
his cotton, even if he gets an aver
age of 80 cents pound for it, he
must Immediately buy under cloth
ing at prices justifying price of at
least IS cents for raw cotton? Has
he forgotten that one of the leading
Officials of the National Spinner's
Association stated some time ago in
a public address that the manufac-
:turers could have paid 80 cents
pound, basis middling, for every
pound Of cotton since 1914 and still
make a fair profit? Does he know
that another leading manufacturer
stated that the mills could have paid