The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1920-05-21
EXTRACTS FROM SENATOR '
HOKE SMITHS SPEECH IN
GAINESVILLE, ISA1., APRIL 3RD
Senator Smith Replies to
Attack of His Opponents
for Protecting Cotton
Farmers in 1915.

see that some of my friends in
Gainesville were displeased with
my course in 1915, when I insisted
upon the freedom of the seas and
the right of citizens of Georgia to
ship their cotton into every neutral
port of the world.
In the Russian-Japanese war
Russia sought to stop cotton ship
ments to Japan. England protested
against this action and made Rus
STA yield. 1 knew our people had
the right to sell their cotton in any
neutral port of the world; knew
that this right was established by
international law. My constituents
had suffered so much from the loss
of markets for their cotton in 1914
that ! was bent upon obtaining for
them their well-estahlished rights
to the freedom of the seas and the
freedom of the use Of neutral ports.
President Wilson took exactly the
same position and our State De-
partment March 81, 1879 notified
Great Britain that her interference
with shipments of non-contraband
goods to neutral ports violated the
most sacred rights of this country"
/ kept up constant fight all
through 1915 and into 1916 in favor
of the freedom of the seas for the
shipments of cotton to neutral
ports. Great Britain felt the justice
of the criticism. British courts and
British statesmen for a century in.
sisted exactly upon the same prin-
ciple ! was urging. Finally their
representatives came to Washing:
ton, and advised officials ef Guy
government that Great Britain 9p
Pr about the 23rd Of July Weula
place cotton on q contraband list.
They knew this also was illegal,
and wanted to know how they could
make up to the United States for
the losses which their conduct
would cause; they were told it could
at least in part be done by buying
cotton heavily Immediately follow.
ing the order making cotton contra
band.
/ am sure this suggestion was
CARRIED out. Hhe day a9ter tile ais
floudcemeilt that Great Britain had
put cotton upon the contra band Hat
the price of cotton went UP on the
Liverpool Exchange; the day" fol-
lowing it went up on the New York
Exchange, and in a few days it Was
publicly known that British intsFs
ests were buying cott9n heavily IA
the New York Cotton Exchange.
Then representatives Of German III.
terests came to Washington to find
out why cotton advanced, although
put upon the cotton contraband list.
They concluded it was because
British interests knew peace would
soon be made, so they began buying
e9ttan hasgilE alse, aud cur eroN
Of 1915 sold higher than it did be-
fore Re the European |, var began \ q,
- pecember, 1915, Sir aRichapd
the Financial Agent Of
British interests, showed in Wash
ington a statement which disclosed
the very heavy purchases they had
made Ia August and September up.
on the New York Cotton Exchange
and from the sale Of which, later
on in the season, they had cleared
over four millions of dollars.
I know the fight l made for the
ersedoai Of the seas, bath sh4gug5
Bhe press 6f The eQuptry, where Iii
many }1st9nesa I paid out Of ny
oWn pocket for publications, and Ga
The foar Of the Senate, where !
poke deliberately upon the subject,
contributed substantially towards
.estoring the price of cotton, and
he knowledge of the service rem
Tered the people l love cannot be
aiken away from me by slanderers,
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