Evening star., 1919-09-21
BY N. o. MESSENGER.
I o primrose path of dalliance
bids fair to entice the con-
congressman's steps in the

congressman's steps in the
future, but dark and stormy
will be his way, beset by pitfalls and
hedged with ambuscades for his un-
wary feet. And all on account OF
the unions. Here are the farmers, the
last to hurl dire threats at the ma
tional legislators, and the solons oo
not do their bidding. Already they
had the menace of the advocates OF
the Plumb plan for railway sovietiz-
ing, not to speak of the ever-standins
warning of general organized labor to
mind your step"
Senator Thomas of Colorado. in a
vein of grim humor, suggested that
Congress might as well unioniZe and
do a little striking itself. They may
have to come to it at that, it is said'
the strike taking the course of con-
eressmen deciding TO 1egislate in the
hast intere,sh or the country at large
and not for the benef1t OF any partlc-
ufar class, Industrial, agricultural or
financial, or for any section of the
land, east or west, seaboard or inland.
It does appear to many statesmen
on the Hill, the way things are go
ing. that the non-organized elements
Of the population, the great army OF
clerks, artisans, doctors. lawyers,
teachers. ministers, bank employees,
merchants and so on will be at the
mercy of the organized classes of So
ciety. They are thinking it over
pretty seriously at the Capitol.
+ \ +
Among the latest developments in
organising is the proposition made to
the cotton grow
COTTON GROWERS ers of the south
UNION ADVISED. by no less ma
tional figure than
Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia that
they withhold from market their
present crop Of cotton and cut down
their planting next year. with the
avowed intention of restricting the
output and raising prices.
or course, II such step should be
taken by the men who manufacture
the cotton into commodities. 1t would
be against the law. Attorney General
Pnlmer, would reach for his trusty
sherman antitrust act and sally forth
after the malefactors like a farmer
grabbing his gun on the antlers- over
the kitchen door and going after a
chicken hawk threatening his farm
yard. And 1t would jolly well serve
the profteerinE manufacturers right.
says every one, having an eye to the
purchase next year Of cotton goods
and the like. But 1t IL not against the
law for the horny-handed sons of toll
ON the farms to organise to cut down
production and output. That has been
duly looked after; the law Is only ap-
plicable when it como to finished
product.
II earnestly hope that the farmers
will quit raising cotton in America
unless they can
PLAN TO RATION receive vast
COTTON MARKETS. ly better price
for it, said
Senator Smith, addressing the Ameri-
can Cotton Association at New Or
leans, September 8. ''You must stand
together collectively, organized by
counties. and hold your cotton until it
win bring you q price that will COM
pensate for the labor put into its cul-
ture and for the real value Of your
lands. OF devote your time and your
lands to other crops. II you expect to
prosper.
farmers should keep new cotton or
the market entirely during the present
month and from the 1st Of October on
sell slowly. only as the manufacturers
need it. Each county organization
should see that Of the total cotton
raised in the county. not more than
one-twelfth is sold each month. They
should help each other to bring about
this result. You need not worry about
the New York exchange market II
this is done. In thirty days the specu-
lator would respond to your action
and the price would rise. They are
now compelled upon exchanges to
meet future sales with spinable cot
ton and II they see you intend to mar
ket slowly and wisely they will quick
" respond by putting up the prices on
the exchanges. The market will huc-
tuate again this year. Do not be
frightened by fluctuations. Never
sell on q declining market. Do not let
# break your nerve. The price Will
return to Just value. You must
orranize in every county in the cot
ton growing states"
+ 4 +
orxanization is the keynote of this
axhortation to the producers, just as
it is at
ORGANIZATION RESULTS present to
SEEN IN PROHIBITION. the work.
ers Of the
land. It 10 said in the talk in Con-
gress that the results Of organization
were best shown in effecting national
prohibition. It is claimed, whether
correctly or not. by the opponents of
national prohibition that majority
Of the people Of the country are
against It In its present drastic form,
but that . minority succeeded in fore
ing It upon the majority through ef-
Ieetive organization. The farmers
generally, not alone the cotton grow
ers, are being urged to organize for
the declared purpose Of bringing po-
litical and voting pressure to bear
upon Congress in the enactment OF
legislation designed for the particular
benefit of the farmers. regardless of
effect upon other elements of the
population.
r Il X
But this chapter was not intended
to merge into an essay on economics
let's talk