The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-10-04
Sydney Clare Replies
To Captain Wilcox

Fitzgerald, Ga, Oct End. 1920
Editor Leader Enterprise,
Dear Sir
Captain Wilcox's defense of the
Fitzgerald cotton market is what he
ought to do from buyers stand
point. Some years ago Capt. Will
cox's high regard for honor was i'm
pressed on me and from that time on
l have entertained the very highes,
regards for him, but I am going to
make a statement which seems to be
generally shared by people interest
ed in farming, is that Fitzgerald pays
the lowest price for all farm products
OF any market in the South. from cab
bage to cotton. Since the advent Of
the boil weevil the growing of tobac-
co has been advocated AS a farm
owner | built number of tobacco
barns, during the season of 1919 only
one Of my farmers making good. In
the season of 1920 none of nv farm
ers made expenses in tobacco. statis
tics show that the average price paid
in this market was 19c being &c be-
low the grand average of the tobacco
section of the South If this is true
it needs no further explanation |
Will draw Capt Wiltox's attention to
the fact that all tobacco buyers rep
resented in this market are million
aires, all producers on the verge of
bankruptcy, there is a reason.
1t is not my intention to enter in
to controversy with Capt. Wilcox,
in the first place | respect his opin-
ion, and again | lack interest and
energy to carry it further Capt Viii
cox's opinion from tomatoes to to-
bacco would have no public value,
the market report if true must be ac-
cepted, but he can disabuse the public
mind that the Fitzgerald cotton mar
ket has only one and sixth BUYERS,
have some cotton in town. when. cot
ton was quoted in Atlanta at 40 IL
cents middling and "A IL cents good
middling the best price | had offered
here was Soc and 39c this would indi- |
cate difference between these mar
kets, Off the paper quotations were
correct) of about SC, then it has been
stated that buyers here don't pay on
actual grade, don't make this charge.
it is public opinion and probably is
not true. Capt Wilcox can explain
this, not to me but to the public. he
can do this by letting someone exam
Inc his list of purchases for this sea-
son, who will select twenty-five bales,
the Farm Bureau will select two ex-
pert cotton graders who will grade
the cotton at different times and com.
pare them with the grade at which
they were bought by Capt. Wilcoxs
company, the price will then be COM
pared with the Atlanta quotation of
that day and if the same then | will
have the findings advertised at NV
expense in the local news papers. the
facts set forth in bold letters so that
any unjust insinuations may be right
ed. What | think Capt. Wilcox ought
to answer in the interest of his firm
and to remove what is possibly an
unjust suspicion from the mind of the
farming public; i. e., Resolved "Fitz-
gerald Pays the Lowest Prices for All
Kinds of Farm Products of ANY Mar
ket in This Section of South Georgia"
| would suggest that Capt. Wilcox
will not mention me in this matter \,
1t would be of no public interest, but
conhne' himself to the cold facts now
involved in the part he understands,
(cotton), first throwing open his
books, allowing some of his cotton
to be regarded and then compare the
prices paid with Atlanta quotations
OF that day, if it is shown l have
been led to form Unjust opinions |
will not hesitate to make public
amends.
SYDNEY CLARE