Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-09-03
Trailing
The News 5
of The Day

crop report proves, in the mind of
many cotton men here, in meas
ure the extent to which the cotton
grower of the South is at the mercy
of the gambler of Wall Street.
The estimate showed a probable
crop this year of 11,230,000 bales,
an increase over the July estimate
of 214,OO0 bales.
Using the increase in the esti-
mated crop as a preteXt, the bears
got busy and cotton dropped
cent a pound. The man who
wants to sell his crop, or who had
to sell it, there being many of
the latter class at this season of
the year-was the victim, to the
profit of the gambler who put into
his own pocket the money stolen
out of the pocket of the poor ten
ant or small farmer.
Nothing was said about the to-
tai crop being under last years
yield of over 100000 and of
world peace preparing the way for
early world demand for our staple
to reclothe Europe and let the
spinning mills return to the busi-
ness for which they were built.
No. The government agents said
there would be little more cot
ton produced than appeared likely
in July, and therefore it. was worth
cent less per pound!
Every cotton planter, large or
small, should get behind the Amer
lean Cotton association, which
contemplates taking the market
ing of cotton out of the hands of
the Wall Street gamblers and put
ting it where it belongs, in the
hands of the producers. Then
and then only, may the cotton
grower get what his product is
worth WHENEVER he chooses to
selh
The president has decided to
ask representatives farmers of the
country to the vital conference on
labor and economic conditions
which he proposes to hold at the
White House Immediately upon his
return from his nationwide speak
ing tour, which starts tonight,
Labor leaders, fnanciers and man
ufacturers are to take part in the
conference.
1t is well that the president
followed the suggestion of certain
of his advisors and included farm
ers in the conference. If there is
one class of industry in this coun-
try vitally interested in labor con-
tditions it is the farmer-and the
whole country is dependent upon
the farmer for sustenanee. The
farmer has a right to be heard
and to have vote in passing
judgment on the solution of the
problems with which the nation
AaS TO zeal flgnL now.
When General Pershing is greet
ed in New York next Tuesday it
will be with the full rank of Gen
eral. The Senate yesterday pass
ed the bill bestowing that honor
upon him, and as the house had
already passed it, the bill went to
the president today for signature.
Glen <. Plumb, author of the
Plumb plan for tri-partite control
of the railroads of the nation, in
a speech this week made a state
ment or two worth thinking about,
despite the unpopularity of his
own scheme.
"The railroad experience Of the
last eighty years." he said, "shows
that no road ever paid of an in
debtedness except by creating
new indebtedness of the same or
greater par value.
To-day we are still paying for
the use of locomotives long since
sent to the scrap heap. We are
paying returns on the shades of
ties that have been ashes for gen
eratiOns. Rails that have been re-
placed half dozen times still de-
mand from US the earnings paid
for by our ancestors. The prop
erty investment account of the
railroads is nothing but a whited
sepulchre, full of corruption and
dead mems bones"
Near the Times-Recorder Office
is a garage, which is equipped
with 'free air" service. About
twice a day somebody tampers
with the air cock and there is a
great noise as of escaping steam
until someone runs and shuts off
the expensively leaking air. Which
is just the opposite of what trans
pired the other day at Ord, Neb.,
according to a news dispatch.
Here's the StOry.