The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-09-30

chase any more IN terms Of other
commodities on the average than III
1913, when the price was II cents In
the fall Of 1919 a great world cons
ference was held III New Orleans. f
was mainly fostefed and encouraged by
the cotton trade other than the farm
ers. although farmers were invited to
attend and participate and did so. 1t
was quite largely attended By spinners
and cotton manufacturers from Eng
land and other foreign countries, and
from New England and the Southern
States. The writer had the pleasure
Of being present and heard one Of the
great English economists begging our
people to increase the acreage in cot
ton, heard spinner and manufae-
tureF bemoan the fact that the world
was crying out for cotton and that We
were still advocating the production
of food and feed in the South as a
safe system of agriculture. The
writer has been soundly criticised by
these interests in the past for striv-
ing for a better balanced agriculture
in the South even though that better
balanced agriculture meant less acres
of cotton and. ultimately. a better
production through improved soil fer
tility and better profit through the
production Of the home supplies. From
that time to the present the British
government has given very great
publicity to the millions in money
they are PUTTING into great scheme
of developing new areas in cotton pro-
duction During the last planting
season the South was flooded with a
great deal Of propaganda on the
large profit to be derived from rails
ing cotton, much Of which had very
little foundation in actual fact. All
Of this was aimed at the problem oil
increasing acreage and production in
the South. AT New Orleans it was
practically promised to the farmers
that increases in acreage and pro-
duction would result ii no lowering
Of price at least that ives the Fair
inference. They sai1 the world was
hungry for cotton that there would
not be enough cotton # ma&irTnl
crops were produced for the next five
years. Now, want to ask why, on
TOP III all that kind Of stuff does a
truthful report on Gotten glowing con-
ditions, which says there is prospect
af only a little over a months i'm
rease IN the supply, result IN drop
il prize Of SIS 4 bale and a pros
uective loss Of .$60,0OO000 to the
tanners Of the South. 1t can not be
demand and supply On else the world
has Ted to the Southern farmer re-
Tarling the demand
You may argue that there has been
gradually increasing money strin-
geacy, that people are buying less,
saat merchants are buying less and
Chat there is general downward ten
lency Of prices. Let US admit that
there may be something of that kind
in the air. 1t IS gradual thing and
does not lend itself to such sudden
and violent drops. It would also af-
feet the spot market as well as flu
lures. Let us even admit that this
may happen; nevertheless, if the cot
ton farmer is still forced to market
70 per cent. of his cotton in the
months September, October, Novem-
Der and December, he is inino condition
to weather the storm, but is an open
prey to all who may profit by fleec-
ing him this fall and holding until
more normal conditions and better
demand" later.
What happened to the farmers
wool2
A drop Of two thirds in actual
value in the midst Of the marketing
season without any appTeciable
change in retail prices Of woolen
goods. The farmer has had to bear
an unwarranted burden in the wool
market not borne by labor. manufac-
tlrer Oh merchant. How will we build
up the wool production Of the coun-
try UNDER such conditions? Only BY
organized effort on the part of farm
ers to do as | am suggesting for cot