The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-06-08
EDMONDS PRAISES
PROGRESS OF SOUTH
Cotton Association Lauded for its
Part in Chsmpioning Cause of
Growth.
News and Courier.

News and Courier.
Columbia, May 7.-Richard H. Ed
monds, editor of the manufacturers
Record and one of the best known
economists of the South Wednesday
telegraphed from Asheville message
to the South Carolina division of the
American Cotton association in which
he heartily commends the work which
the organization is doing. Mr.. Ed
monds had been invited to speak be-
fore the division but left Columbia
before the meeting was held. His
message follows:
''The greatest business achievement
for good of the first half Of the nine
teenth century was the development
by the south of a cotton industry
which represented more capital in
vested than invested in the entire
manufacturing industries of the
United States during the same period
and which largely shaped the policies
and the finances of Europe and
America.
"The greatest business achieve
ment for evil of the second half OF
that century was the complete doml-
nation of the South's cotton produc-
inc interests by the cotton manufac-
turers and financial interests of
Europe and New England to the de-
gree that they enchained the cotton
growers of the South in economic
slavery and poverty to a greater de.
rree of suffering than the slavery OF
the black man prior to 1860.
Tried to Beat Price Down.
every man who during the last
fifty years has sought to beat down
the price of cotton has to the ex-
tent of his ability been responsible
for the appalling poverty of the cot
ton literacy which has crushed the
South, for the bad roads and other
ills fastened upon this section by the
enslavement of the people who raised
the bulk of the worlds cotton.
ssThe progress of civilization may
be measured by the consumption OF
cotton goods and the advance OF the
world will be helped or hindered by
the extent of the supply Of cotton
For half a century the South has
done the greatest business missionary
work in human history; it has I'M
poverished it's soil, drained the vitality
of it's people and borne great poverty
while it enriched the world with its
cotton. 1t is safe to say that tne
South has thus made the worlds s
welfare contribution of not less than
s25, 900, 900, 900, or, say, as much as
| the cost of the United States OF the
world war. Only through working
women and children in the cotton
fields and only through continued
desperate poverty to produce cotton
to sell in competition with that raised
| in India, where labor is paid about
$40 a year, was it possible for the
South to keep on growing cotton.
! ''The cotton crop in fifty years
prior to three years ago sold for one
half Of its intrinsic value. But so
great was the power of the cotton IN
! terests of Europe and for a long
time of those in New England against
fair price for cotton, that prices
were kept below the cost of produc-
ton and the--soil and the cotton
growers ". steadily drained OF
vitality. every man engaged in
fighting for fair price of cotton
and that price has not yet been
reached, may we'll feel that he is doing
religious work which means more
and better schools, more and better
churches, more and better home com,
] forts for millions and better road:
and general advance of the menta
and moral education and religious
life of a section in which live one
third of the nations population.
''To lift from these people, the
pail of poverty, to quicken their lives
in every sense is in itself a mighty
missionary work for God and human
ity.
Tremendous Good Being Done.
Il rejoice. therefore, in the splen
did work Of the American Cotton as
soc;aticn and in bidding Codspeed t
those who are carrying on this @rea
campaign. ! believe am cooperating
=, = work which will redeem the cot