Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-02-16

and take a report of the action of the
meeting, as well as to initiate move
ment for a cotton growers marketing
exchange. On motion, Chairman Mar
shall named John Council and R. P.
Stackhouse as delegates.
DR.. Bahnsen made an enthusiastic
appeal to the farmers for action, tell
ing them if they were to get results
from the movement inaugurated they
would have to keep behind it.
C. B. Lewis, of New York, Georgia
specialist for Collins Publicity Ser
vice for Banks, who was casual at
tendant at the meeting, became very
much interested and offered few re-
marks on the outsiders viewpoint. He
said:
81 have been impressed, during my
visits to many cities and towns over
the state of Georgia, with the growing
sentiment everywhere in favor of a
united stand in the matter of market
ing the 1918 cotton crop. as well as
cooperation with regard to reduced
acreage for 1919.
This meeting is of far more i'm
portance than at first thought it may
/ De considered, for this is only one of
! hundreds of meetings which have been
and are being held over the entire
/ South. 1t signifies the foundation of
an organization for the self-defense of
] cotton growing and cotton marketing
interests The South today is in a
better position than ever before with
regard to marketing cotton. 1t is and
it has been holding it's 1918 crop,
which is an evidence of gnan-
cal strength not previously existing.
Just as surely as the holding move
ment is continued. just so surely must
the price rise to meet the fair de-
/ mands of cotton growers.
There doubtless may be cases
wher ca comparatively small number
of farmers may not be financially able
to hold out during the short time be-
fore cotton reaches satisfactory sell
ing figures. 1t will be to the advan-
tage of this organization to formulate
some plan whereby in those few cases,
financial assistance can be rendered
in such a way as to keep that forced
sale cotton in local hands, instead of
allowing it to go into the open mar
ket. Possibly local individuals or a
group of local men can arrange to buy
up the few bales which might other
wise find their way into the open mar
ket at sacrifice prices. Such action
would relieve the embarrassed indi-
vidual and would also steady the
holding movement, resulting in more
rapid advance to the desired market
fikure. by preventing any evidence of
weakness.
The appointment today of the two
delegates to the Cotton States conven-
tion at New Orleans, to be held the
coming week is one of the most con-
structively important results of this
meeting. That indicates, gentlemen,
that the cotton holding movement is
not mere local sentiment, but that it
lis a broad and comprehensive force
which can be relied upon to cement
the entire cotton producing South in
to united and powerful cooperation
which cannot but succeed in accom-
plishing its worthy purpose.
THE unanimous endorsement of the
resolutions adopted at Macon is a pri-
mary and all-important contribution
to the movement now general all over
the South, which has as it's object the
presentation of a solid resistance to
those who are DESTROYS of buying cot
ton at less than fair selling price.
There are some among those who
nave spoken here today, and there
may be others who have not expressed
themselves. who have already followed
the wise course of reducing their acre
age during 1918. The committee Of
five, whom I understand the chairman
is to appoint, for the purpose OF
checking up on the pledges for reduc-
ed acreage, should be allowed a reas-
enable amount of ieeway in consider
4 ing such exceptional cases, so that mt
; hardship shall result from the fore
sight of such cotton producers who
have already anticipated this move
ment. The object of this meeting and
|, of the reduction movement itself, is
the benefit and prosperity of cottor