The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-25
80 CENT COTTON
OR STARVE, SAY
THE PLANTERS
Thousands of Bales Held in
Storage All Over South:
None for Sale.
NIGHT RIDERS ACTIVE
Governors and Newspaper
Correspondents Tell of
Conditions.
SPECTATORS BLAMED
Farmers Charges Denied by
Brokers Here, Who Say Eco
Monies Set Prices.
NIGHT RIDERS ACTIVE
SPECTATORS BLAMED

A general survey OF the cotton mar
ket and OF the recent and existing con-
ditions within the cotton raising States
indicates that not until the planter is
starved out or the purchaser OF his
cotton is compelled to pay 80 cents a
| pound for it will the South be restored
to its wonted calm. The NEW YORK
HERALD has received from Governors
Of cottor States and from editors in
those districts statements that are
unanimous in insisting:
That the cotton planters are being
encouraged by their State officials to
gin their cotton at once. but to store
it until they can get at least 80 cents
pound for 1t.
That many thousands of bales OF
cotton and number Of gins and ware
houses have been burned. but that
there is as much reason to believe that
the fires were OF accidental origin a.
the result of the torches of night
riders
That the cotton Spectator is to
blame for the fall in the price Of cot
ton and not an honest effort on the
part of the Government to restore
costs to normalcy.
That the activities of the night
riders (and even of the Black Seventy
five in South Carolina) have been ex-
aggerated by Southern correspondents
of Northern newspapers.
On the other hand. prominent mem
bers Of the New York Cotton Ex-
change say that 20 cent cotton is due
entirely to economic causes and not to
speculations. Then, too, the cotton
brokers insist that the South does more
Specializing in cotton than the North
anyway, and that the anger OF the cot
\ ton planter because of the drop in his
product from the inflated and unnatu-
raj war figures. to prices that come
nearer TO reason is not at all different
from the ire OF the Western farmer
who wants war prices to last indef-
nitely
There is a definite effort being made
in all cotton States TO protect the
planters and the ginners from assaults
by night raiders. Various States are
taking various steps to these ends.
However, It seems as though the burn
ing OF cotton and gins and warehouses
has come to an end because the farmers
have reached agreements TO refuse ito
sell a pound Of cotton until forced 10 by
the need for immediate cash. Their
common goal is 30 cents pound. They
insist that It costs them that 10 pro-
duce Il.
Last year the country produced TO-
se6, 900 bales OF cotton. Whether this
will be equalied or exceeded this year
depends upon the adjustment of prices,
the return OF the negro to the cotton
fields and the ability of officials to main
tain order.
1.-THE farmers Of Arkansas. as a rule,
are rapidly picking their cotton, having
II ginned and storing in Insured ware
houses" telesraphs Gov. Brought OF
Arkansas 10 THE NEW YORK HERALD.
by my proclamation issued on October
II they have been promised protection
against night riders violence or incen-
diarism. We feel that the price of cot
ton has been unduly depressed and mas
much as this years crop Of approxi-
mately 100000 bales In our State has
been raised at an exceptionally high
cost that farmers are justified in hold
ing the bulk OF their cotton. Any form
Of night riding will be vigorously dealt
with in Arkansas"
Gov. Parker OF Louisiana telegraphed