The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-10-13
FARMERS FACING
A HEAVY LOSS
PLAN TO TAKE CASE DIRECTLY
TO WHITE HOUSE AND PLACE
1T BEFORE PRESIDENT WILL
SON. DELEGATIONS FROM
SOUTH MAKE STRONG PRO-
TEST AGAINST COURSE OF
SECRETARY HOUSTON.

against the currency QellaClon pull
CIV of the treasury department on
the ground that farmers generally
faced heavy losses unless the down.
ward trend of prices of farm pro-
ducts was checked were taken here
today by special meeting of agri-
cultural interests called by the A
merican Cotton association.
Senators Overman of North Caro-
lima and Harris of Georgia, who are
connected with the movement, call
ed at the White House to prefer a
request for the conference with Mr..
Wilson and his cabinet and were
told by Secretary Tumulty that they
would receive an answer from the
pesident tomorrow morning.
The senators laid stress upon the
necessity of prompt action as the
regular full conference of the feder-
al reserve board and governors of
the various reserve banks also is
scheduled for tomorrow. The ques-
ton of interest rates, it was said,
would be considered at that confer
ence and the agricultural tepresen-
tatives, gathered here declared they
wished to present their views on the
whole question of crop financing
before action was taken by the fed
eral authorities.
Speakers at the meeting before
adoption of the resolution proposing
to take the problem to the president
personally, repeatedly denounced
the deflation policy of Secretary
Houston. Farmers stood to lose bill
lions unless the government acted to
check the fall Of prices, they de-
clared, adding that IN many cases
market prices were now below the
actual cost of growing. The result
would be greatly decreased produc-
ton next year, they said, if means
to remove the situation was not
found.
McSwain Takes Hand.
A charge by Former Senator
Marion Butler of North Carolina
that there was conspiracy" of Of
ficials to force down the price OF
agricultural products brought a
protest from John J. McSwain of
South Carolina. 81 can not believe
one Of them capable of conspiring
to rob his fellowman" said Mr.. Nc
Swain. 81 believe, however, they
made an error of judgment. Let's
reason with them and see where
they have made a mistake"
j. ]. Brown, agricultural commits
sioner of Georgia, and Senator E. D..
Smith of South Carolina also pro-
tested against a statement by Mr..
Butler that the country was about
to face a panic as result of the
deflation policy, Senator Smith said
there was "crisis but no panic"
A general committee composed of
representatives of each agricultural
organization attending was. named
to draw up a statement to the pub
lie presenting the plight of the
growers in a declaration of princi-
Piles to be adopted by the conven-
ton. A resolution calling for the
pooling of low grade cotton under a
selling commission to handle exports
sales went to a special committee on
cotton.
Senator Smith suggested that the
farmers find GUS their legal rights
under the reserve system and de-
mand them.
eff 40 cents cotton is profiteer-
ing, if So wheat is speculating, who
says it is?" he demanded. "Who in
America gives any One the legal
right to fix the price of anything"
The senator said he did not see
any authority in the federal reserve
act for contraction of credits.
"I don't believe the law gives any