The courier-index., 1919-10-31

state legIslature Tn states where {, the initiative and referendum is in effect, or must be referred to the people.
 1t is expected that the attend. ance at the meeting of the State Teachers Association this week will be the largest in ith history. The prospects are that there will be 5000 or 4,000 teachers enrolled. | The program that has been ar ranged is undoubtedly the strongest that has ever been presented in the state. It IS notable fact that the teaching profession is being rapidly elevated to the high plane of efficiency to which it has ever been entitled, and which has long been denied it.
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 The excessive rains of the last three weeks have produced con. dition approaching disaster in the Arkansas cotton crop. On account of the high prices prevailing there had been tendency on the part of some farmers to pick their cot ton while it is wet, and for the ginners to run it wet through the saws. The consequence is that the fiber is ruined for manufacturing , purposes, and cotton that would sell in good condition for 40 cents a pound is reduced to 10 cents. 1t has been estimated that the unavoidable damage to the cotton crop of the state by reason of the rains is about $10,000,000. The l avoidable loss, due to picking and l ginning wet cotton, will amount to millions more. Authorities say it will amount to as much as $50 to $75 a bale.
 Warnings through every availa- | ble avenue for reaching the farmer and the ginner have been sent out in the last few days warning them to wait until the sunshine and wind of four or five favorable days have had a chance to dry the cotton be- fore it is picked It will be off color and dark, but the fiber will not be cut to pieces as it would if i it were ginned wet.
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 | Education along this line is one of the phases of the work that is to be undertaken by the American | Cotton Association, which is to be organized here this week. Better growing, better picking, better bal ing, better ginning, better market ing, better fnancing-these are among the questions that are to be taken up in an educational way by the association.
 Much interest has been aroused all over the state in the proposed organization, and advices received at heaquarters indicate that there will be a large and representative attendance.
 Gin compression is also one of the improvements advocated by the association-preparing the cotton for the market as it leaves the gin. This policy was approved by the World Cotton Conference at New | Orleans.
 {, A leading manufacturer made | the following statement recently to | President Wanamaker of the A. C.. A.: "We are entering a period of almost unthinkable prosperity. The manufacturers realize the wisdom of the steps taken by the A. c. A.. in pushing the building of ware houses. The south is losing $5O,- OO0,O00 annually on rotten cotton. We heartily approve of the meth ods being made to secure gin com pression. This would mean an enor- nous saving in many respects" l J. Skottowe Wanamaker. presi- dent of the association, says:
 "The only possibility of showing an increase in production is to pay the producer profitable price,
 which means a price for in excess
 of any price that has been paid in the last decade, which means req
 sonable price above the cost of
 production; a price that will enable the people of the south to remove
 illiteracy, change rural conditions, Improve the roads, and bring to the
 producer fair division of the
 profits made on cotton.
 "The only way to absolutely in-