New-York tribune., 1920-10-07
Mig ghtriiders Use
Torch to Force
Rise in Cotton
Merchants i'm Four Southern
States Ordered tc, Close
Doors Until Price Re-
turns to 4O-Cent Level
Many Sections in Panic
Houston's Refusal to Aid
Farmers in Holding Crops
Received With Bitterness
Special Dispatch to The Tribune

ATLANTA, Ga, Oct. 6.-Like the Ku-
Klux Of old, night riders are now raid
ing Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina
and Texas in an effort to end all opera
tions in cotton until the price has
travelled back to the old 40-cent level.
In the effort to do this, ginners gener-
ally and number of mercantile es-
adjustments have been ordered to clcse
until the staple goes up in price, and
in several cases the torch has been ap-
piled, large losses resulting,
The campaign grows out of the
great drop in prices on the market,
which farmers here believe due to
manipulating in Wall Street, and not
to any economic reasons. 1t has been
given impetus and bitterness has been
added to the situation by the an
nouncemcnt of Secretary Houston that
the government would not lend aid to
the farmers to hold their cotton. This
has resulted in a number of enthusi
astic meetings held in the South and
the call for big gathering in Wash
ington to take the matter up with Sec
retary Houston.
Threatening notices have been posted
in number Of Georgia towns on gin
neries, ordering them to close. In
some cases the notices were polite in
tone, but there is no doubt in the
minds of the owners as to the conse-
quences if they refuse to obey.
1t may safely be said that the farm
ers are prepared to 90 y almost any
length to prevent any operations in
cotton at the present price. They con-
tend that the cost of production is at
least 80 cents, and to sell at present
prices means bankruptcy for eve rybody,
business men as we'll as farmers.
Notices demanding the closing Of
ginneries until cotton prices are
Stabilized were found fastened on the
other four miles south Of there and
on the ginnery at Dewey Rose. Ga, and
they have caused considerable comment
here.
The notices read: eve, the citizens
of everywhere, kindly ask that this
gnnery be closed until November,
1920, unless further notified. Please
The writer of the warning, judging
from the writing, punctuation and gen
cral appearance Of the notice. appeared
to be a person of fair education.
Near panic reigns IN parts OF Ala
bama as the result OF night riding
operations there, which have resulted
in the destruction by fire of the gen
eral mercantile establishment of Tay
Tor & Barnett, of Hancoviile, and
threats that others will share its fate
Considerable cotton was lost in this
fire, it is stated, and it is feared other
fires will result in even heavier cotton
damage.
Stores at Garden City were placed
under guard, as were the gin houses
near the two towns. Operators of gins
in Cullman were ordered to cease oper-
ations and they have oDeyed Thus
far Cullman merchants have not been
warned TO close their doors.
The Hancevile business house de-
stroyed had been under guard until the
night before, when the proprietors
withdrew the guards. Loss Will run
into the thousands OF dollars.
At Anderson, S. c., the sheriff has
been appealed to as a result OF addi-
tional warnings to cease operations
while cotton remains at It's present
price
The latest warnings in this county
give ginners until October to cease
operations, and it is said these have
been received by. more than half the
large ginneries in the county, includ
ing those in this city. In one gin the
magnetic was removed from a gasoline
engine and a note left saying: Good
care will be taken of it," The owner
repaired his machinery and resumed
operations.