The Washington times., 1920-10-12
D|X|E.FACES
COTTON WAR
Midnight Warnings Terrorize
Ginners and Planters In
Southern States.
SHERIFF APPEALS FOR AID
Farmers Fear to Bale Staple as
Price Discomfort Brings
Shadow of Ruin.

ATLANTA, Ga, Oct. 12.-Coun-
ty officers in a number Of counties
in Georgia, Alabama, and South
Carolina are moving today to put an
end to threats being posted on cot
ton gins by night riders, warning
operators to stop ginning cotton,
and merchants to stop buying the
staple until the price reaches 30
or 40 cents pound.
APPEAL TO GOVERNOR.
In Georgia. Sheriff Baggott, of
Douglas county. has offered a reward
Of 5000 for the arrest OF the guilty
parties, and the sheriff OF Carroll
county has offered q reward OF $500.
Sheriff Baggott appealed to Gov
ernor Dorsey. asking him to offer an
additional reward. The governor
answered that he has no power to
offer a reward for the arrest of those
guilty of misdemeanor, but said:
Burning or otherwise destroying
. gin house, however. II 4 felony. and
IL the threats are carried out. I. shall
be very glad to offer the highest re-
ward possible under the law"
No gin houses have been harmed
thus far in Georgia. but many OF
them are being strongly guarded.
In Alabama warnings have been
posted on many cotton gins In Cal
houn county, and a mass meeting has
been called for Wednesday night, un-
der auspices of the American Cotton
Association, to devise protection for
the owners of the properties. A num-
Der OF gins will close down until pro-
lection IL afforded. At Moulton.
where warnings were scrawled on
every cotton gin. with matches sug-
gestively attached, the gins are idle.
Similar conditions prevail in several
counties Of South Carolina.
The slump in cotton has had
marked effect upon the economic life
of this entire section and for that
reason the efforts to restore the price
to it's war level meet with widespread
sympathy. The farmers see ruin for
themselves and this is reflected in
industrial plants, mercantile estab-
lishments and financial circles. Busi-
ness in all lines is being contracted
due to the farmers inability to meet
their obligations.
Political contenders also are influ-
enced by the decline and there Is
growing dis .isfaction with the Ad-
ministra alton, which Is blamed for the
drop. This feeling. it is said. was
reflected IN the recent Georgia pri-
maries, in which two anti-Adminis-
tration candidates. Watson and Hard
wick, were nominated.
COTTON FIELDS POSTED.
In some counties the might riders
also have posted the cotton fields with
| notices that no cotton must be picked.
Many mercantile establishment like
wise have been ordered to close their
doors until the price of cotton ad-
vances.
The posting of cotton fields with
notices warning against picking the
staple has had an especially terrifying
effect on the negroes, who believe II
means a revival of the Ku-Kluxisn
which was prevalent in reconstruction
days. The negroes are strengthened
in their belief by the reorganization
of the Ku-Klux Khan.
1t s chartered under the laws OF
Georgia and has numerous lodges in
this and other States.
| The Klan. however. has nothing ~
do with the might riding" campaign,
being purely a fraternal organization.
according to Its membws. The
negroes. however, refuse to believe
this, and in some sections 1t Is said
| 10 De inpOssiple " Est n HVsfo "
enter a cotton field that has been
posted by the might riders"
GINNERs GUARDED.
The owners of the ginneries are
keeping their property strongly
guarded day and night. The guards
have been instituted to shoot to kill
SO far only n few gins and stores
have been burned for defyinR the
warning of the night. riders" but
the insurance companies have become
alarmed. and IT is said there has
been a Wholesale cancellation of poll
cies on gins and country stores.
| With cotton ranging between &c
and 40 cents for several years, the
cotton belt residents have been on
n JOY ride. Tho drop of the staple "a
% cents a pound and under means
the end of their unusual prosperity
The planters and those who shared
their prosperity naturally don't like
IL and are willing to adopt almost
any methods to restore war price'
for the staple.
MERCY FOR HAITIAN SCRlBES