Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-10-29

oto poutlu VI SCCu Sottoii PCi
acre. Into this cost was figured
rent Of land, preparation of land,
fertilization, planting, barring
off, chopping, hoeing, fighting
weevils, cultivation, picking,
hauling to gin and market, gin
ming, blacksmithing, etc. Forty
four per cent of the total cost
was for human labor. Thus the
balance, or Sc per cent, was an
actual outlay of money out of
the farmers pockets or bank &C.
counts. Fifty-six per cent of "a
cents 10 cents, about the present
selling price, which leaves moth
ing to the millions who produced
it. So the spectators, bear
gamblers, and peanut politicians
are asking us to feed and clothe
ourselves and work eight months
for nothing. A run has been
made on our property. When a
run is started on a bank the
bank can appeal to State Bank
ing Department, which will take
over the bank and give it time to
make arrangements to meet the
emergency.
What would the bankers, mer-
chants, manufacturers, coal
operators, railroads, newspapers,
and all other lines of business do
if their assets had been cut in
half by spectators or manipu-
lators in four months time? They
would either break or close up
shop. Likewise the farmer must
close up shop or break. We do
not want to break; so the only
thing to do is to close up shop.
Do not sell a bale for sixty days.
The mills only have a sixty days
supply of cotton on hand, and if
we hold till that is gone there
will be the widest scramble for
cotton the world has ever seen.
If it is in the farmers hands,
the farmer will get his price; if
it is in the spectators hands
the Spectator will fix the price.
The mills are shutting down be-
cause the farmer who sells is
helping the bear gambler ruin
the market; the mills will not
buy on a declining market, but
will buy on a rising market.
The night riders may think
they are helping the cause, but
they are injuring it. Cease de-
destroying and let the farmers
gin their cotton, so they can bor-
row money on it.
Farmers, keep faith with those
you owe. Turn over the receipts,
or if you do not putin warehouses
turn over the cotton to the man
you owe, if he wants it. In turn
| beseech the business people to
keep faith with the farmer and
extend his notes or lend him
money if he has the cotton. There
is no better collateral than cotton.
The American Cotton Associa-
ton advises ME that the bankers
and merchants throughout Ala
bama are helping in the holding
movement except in a few cases
where they are absolutely not
able to do so.
The world is naked and needs
more than we have grown, but
can not pay for it all at once. The
cotton farmer is not a profiteer.
He has never received more than
as cents for his cotton; and you
can weigh shirts, handkerchiefs,
bed sheets and dress goods, and
you will find that he pays from
three to ten dollars pound when
he buys it back.
There is the strongest holding
movement on in the South in its
history. The farmers are simply
fighting for their rights, and if
they win and sell their cotton for
40 cents as against 20, they will
save one billion two hundred mil
lion; if they sell at 20 cents the
bear spectators will take all the
profit.
To the business men and farm
ers of Alabama: Which side are
you on?
Senator Conner, who has loan
ed two hundred thousand dollars