The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-10-14
FARMERS FACING RUIN
As PRICES DECLINE
ENTIRE ECONOMIC LIFE OF
SOUTH is THREATENED
IN THE SLIDE.
Campaign Of Terrorism In Cotton
Area-"Nieht Riding" Forcing Cot
ton Ginneries TO Close Until Prices
React to Forty Cents.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Atlanta. Ga.-The "night-riding"
campaign to force the closing Of the
cotton ginneries until the price of the
staple advances to 40 cents a pound
has assumed such proportions that the
economic life of the section Is men
aced gravely. In the Atlanta district,
which includes Georgia, Alabama.
South Carolina and Florida, might
riders" have posted notices on scores
Of ginneries, warning the owners that
no cotton must be ginned until the
price reaches 40 cents. No verbal
threat Is made. but a box Of matches
is left with each notice, and the gin
owner understands that a violation OF
the warning means a fire.
In certain counties the "night-riders"
not only have posted the ginneries,
but also have posted cotton fields with
notices that no cotton must be picked.
Large mercantile establishments like
wise have been ordered to close their
doors until the price of cotton adj
vances. The result Of the might
riding" tactics has been to foster a
sort of terrorism that is interfering
greatly with the orderly process Of
business. and that threatens to lead to
widespread economic decentralization.
The posting of cotton fields with no
tees warning against picking has had
an especially terrifying effect on the
negroes, who believe that il means a
in reconstruction days. The belief Of
the negroes is strengthened by the fact
that the old Ku-Kluz Kan has been re-
organized, is chartered regularly I'M
der the laws of Georgia and has nu-
merous lodges in this and other states
The organization, however, has moth
ing to do with ''night-riding" cam
paign, being purely a fraternal organ
ization, according to the reorganizers.
But the negroes credit the posting OF
the gins and fields to the ku-klux. In
a number of sections 1t is said to be
impossible to induce a negro to enter
a cotton field that has been posted by
the "night-riders."
Owners of ginneries are keeping
their property strongly guarded day
and night. Guards have been instruct
ed TO shoot to kill. So far few gins
and stores have been burned, but in
surance companies are alarmed and IL
is claimed there has been a wholesale
cancellation of policies on gins and
country stores.
Governor Hugh Dorsey, of Georgia,
and Governor Thomas Il. Kilby, of
Alabama, have issued proclamations
denouncing the 'night-riders' and
Offering large rewards for their arrest
and conviction. The might riding,
however. is indicative of general dis
satisfaction throughout the cotton
belt, and too many persons desire cot
ton to go to 40 cents for the night
riders to be in danger of arrest. With
cotton ranging between 80 and 40 cents
for several years, the cotton men have
been on a financial joy ride. The droI
of the staple to % cents pound and
less will mean the end of this joy rid
| ing. The cotton men, therefore, ar,
said to be willing to adopt almost any
method to keep up prices for the
staple.
The present crop was grown with
the expectation of being marketed al
10 cents. Labor, fertilizer and prac
tically everything that went into the
production of the crop were paid fol
on the basis of 40 cent expectation
With prices dropping, the farmer may
have to take even less than $l2O fol
the bale that he expected to sell al
5000. He sees ruin In the situation fol
himself, and in the South whenever
the farmer is crippled the injury ex
tends through the entire economic life
of the section, as Southern business
is buttressed on cotton, and wheI
cotton is in a slump the effect is Eel
In industrial plants, mercantile estab
lshments and banks.