The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1920-09-30
Presents Problems of
the Cotton Producer

The organization o + the Louisiana
Division of the American Cotton Assoc
citation is, as the reader knows, still |
under way. w. NJ. Crnlnpton, field agent /
for the association. is now engaged i'll
organizing Lincoln Parish. In the fur
therance of his work lie has contrib
uted a comprehensive article to the I
columns Of the Ruston Leader, which
is clipped and here reproduced, and the |
reader is urged to hear in mind what |
is here said against the time when the
organi2.atio Of Bossier Parish will be
undertaken, Mr.. Grumpton says: i
The Southern cotton farmer is to-
day face to face with problems that
seem insurmountable. Every one real
ICES that something must he done, and
| quickly, in order to relieve the millions
of bales of distressed cotton, and III
order to prevent a repetition of the
disaster of 1914 and what seems to
| lie of 1920.
Immediately following the close of
/ the war in November. 1918, cotton
began to decline in price until as
] INV II lttS uiOliISuE ldl bClOe Lie
cost Of production. This was caused
/ by a combine of European spinners,
4 who We're sorely in need Of raw cot
ton. who lad very little money with
which to buy this raw product and
who used every effort to bear the mar
ket so as to buy as cheap as possible.
4 At this time was inaugurated what
was known as the Hold your cotton
and reduce your acreage movement 4
and I; convention Of representatives
from every cotton producing state was
called. in order to further this move
inent Briefly stated. the result was
I. that iii less than two weeks prices
4 began to advance and within four
weeks had advanced more than $40 to
the hale and the holders of the cotton
managed to close ont ut a profit. The
success Of this temporary organization
led to the organization of the Amer
lean Cotton Association. composed of
farmers merchants. bankers. profess
! Aoilal men, and all other classes whose
prosperity depends either directly or
indirectly ON the success of the cotton
: farmer. This movement has grown
: until now every cotton state is organ
: lied or is being organized South Caro-
, lima has more than 10000 members and
$3.OOO,00O worth of warehouses; North
Carolina about as many; Georgia. Ala
lama, Mississippi and Texas are going
toward membership of 10000, OF
/, which Lincoln Parish is expected te
furnish 1900.
The 1920 crop is the most expensive
the South has ever produced. Price;
tare 80 far below the production cos
7 that to sacrifice this expensive crop a
i this price would mean absolute bank
ruptcy to many Of our Oldest institu
> tons. This low price exists solel,
! because the Southern farmer Is tn
only class III the world who are no
G organized and iii position to protec
o themselves. aud because Of the erol
nous amount OF low grade cotton tina
I has been carried over from year t
\ year. and which the mills cannot use
hut that the hears of the cotton ses
/, changes and the spinning interests hOl
!, as a club to beat the market down.
: The South holds the solution of thi
problem in the hollow of her lnint
le There is not enough first-class cotto
y on the yards of the spinners to ri
~ them sixty days, so if we hold thi
q eottoE-in the seed if possit,le-sell
;. gradually and as needed organize on
III selves into working units of this Soutl
wide association and follow the plan
ais laid down by it, there will nevs
again come Il time when we shall $
calmly lily ANA take any price that
til arbitrarily put on the product that b;
ur taken twelve months Of hard VOL
tx to produce.
ii. A campaign is being waged to-day
lie fill the membership quota in Lilco
VII Parish This is your opportunity
nd join in this movement. to protect you
he selves from the unjust and r1ino
We raids that keep the South from reapil
to that degree Of prosperity to which
MI is entitled When you ire asked
a cooperate with the parish commit
It; do it gladly and help to put over Il
ar movement, that means 50 much to y
st. as an individual, Lincoln Parish, a
on. the entire cotton South.
ed
-, a. .AsesnA Rcya s,avaL1