Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-30
Acting Upon Advice of Conn.,
missioner J. J. Brown He
Sends Governor Parker
Adverse Reply


can be best conserved by. the con-
tinued operation, of the ginneries at
full time. Governor Dorsey Wednes.
day declined to join Governor Par.
ker, of Louisiana, in issuing a proc
lamation urging all ginneries to shu'
down for thirty days in an effort tt
| stimulate the cotton market.
| Governor Parker is at the head o.
a movement which has been launch
ed in several states to meet the cot
ton crisis, and closing Of ginnerie'
for thirty days was suggested as ar
effective measure to bring this about
Governor Dorsey was urged in
| telegram received from the Louis
| lana executive Tuesday to Join In
the movement He promptly sought
the opinion of Commissioner Brown.
who told the governor Wednesday
that "in order that we might handle
our cotton to best advantage, il
would be wise to gin it and place it
In bonded warehouses. If POSSIBLE,
SO as to use the certificates as col
lateral with which to borrow money
to meet maturing debts"
Mr. Brown said this had been his
position ON the cotton question for
eight weeks and that he saw no rea-
son for changing it now. With ref
erence to the suggestion that the
legislature be convened in extraordi-
nary session to investigate the feas-
lplllty OF enacting a moratorium,
Commissioner Brown told Governor
Dorsey that he would prefer a mora
forum to an order closing ginnertes
for thirty days, although he did not
urge either.
Doubts wisdom of Move
In his reply to Governor Parker.
! governor Dorsey declared that al
| though 1 have great regard for your
opinion, doubt the wisdom of re-
quest1ng the gins to suspend opera
lions. AT any rate, in view of the
| attitude of Commissioner Brown,
Who,i probably as we'll informed on
agricultural conditions as any man.
hardly feel that i would be author,
gest." '"'
Another development in the cotton
crisis Wednesday was the announce
Inent tnat y. S. Wannamaker, presi-
dent of the American Cotton assoc
cation, was sending kilograms from
columbia to the governors of four
Teen cotton states, urging that sDe-
clal sessions of legislatures be con-
Vened Tor the upurpose of passing
I legislation postponing the payment
OF taxes and assuring a uniform re-
I-duct1on in cotton acreage for 1921
of 33 1-3 per cent. Mr.. Wanna
makers message has not yet been
received by Governor Dorsey.
| Parkers Letter
Governor Parkers communication to Gov
| erhIl Dorsey follows:
| Dear Goverhor-Your favor of October
-, together with number of letters anu
| telegrams referring to the present situation
mas been received and carefully noted
a.. In reply, Will say that l am informed
| that quite large per cent Of the cotton
| west or the Mississippi has already been
glnned, and considerable amount of Texas
cotton has been placed on the market.
| I on have noticed from the press for the
| past six or eight weeks that have taken
| the position that in order that we might
| handle our cotton to the best of advantage it
| would be wise to gin 1t and place 1t in ware
houses, bonded if possible, so as to use the
| certificates as collateral with which to bor-
| row money to meet maturing debts and to
| protect supply merchants and the small bank
| crs In carrying the supply accounts of the
| farmers advanced while producing the pres
| emit crop until the market price reaches al
| least cost of production.
| see no reason to suggest a change in
| that policy.
! II note from the letters you sent me that
| some suggest that the Legislature be assem-
| bled in extraordinary session for the purpose
| OF enacting a moratorium law. As to closing
| down the gins for sixty days or the enact
| ment of a moratorium law, l suggest that
| the latter would be much more preferable
II &m in receipt Of hundreds of letters and
| kilograms as well as the ones handed to me
| by you suggesting that you call an extra
| session of the Georgia legislature at once
| and urging me to use my influence to get
IN hn Tho nf
| law reducing the acreage for the 1921 crop
| to five acres to the plow. / do not think
| that a law of this kind would be constitu-
| tional therefore, I would suggest that in
| the event you call an extra session, and |
| believe that it would be wise to do SO, that
our laws giving police quarantine authority
to the state board Of entomology should be
| SO strengthened as to give the board such
| control would be necessary to successfully
| control or exterminate the boil weevil, and
| that our state warehouse and banking laws be
| so amended as to allow state banks to give
preferential interest rates to cooperative
! bonded warehouses, as this would have ten
| dency to strengthen the bonded cotton ware
| house receipts as against those receipts issued
| by non-bonded warehouses, many of which
are unknown outside of their immediate COM
| munities.
II believe that the question Of acreage
| reduction should be within the hands of
| the farmers themselves in cooperation with
| the state board of entomology, and I am
| of the firm opinion that an organization
| Ine farmers Will De perfected With
| In the nexty ninety days that will reduce
| the cotton acreage to five acres to the pillow.
or not more than so per cent of this years
| acreage of cotton"
Governor Dorsey's Letter
Governor Dorsey's letter to Governor
| Parker is as follows:
my Dear Governor: Referring to your
| telegram Of the 25th instant, asking that
join in the request for all gins to shut
down for thirty days. or longer:
II referred your telegram, and also other
| communications in which other suggestions
are made, to the commissioner of agricul- ..
ture Of this state. Copy of his letter set
ting out his views attached.
Though 1 have great regard for your
opinion, 1 doubt the wisdom of requesting
the gins to suspend operations. At any
rate, in view Of the attitude of Commission
er Brown, who is probably al well informed
on the agricultural conditions and needs in
this state as any man, I hardly feel that I
would be authorized in making the request
which you suggest"
wannamaker's Telegram
President Wannamaker's telegram to the
governors follows:
1.-The main source from which the great
majority Of the citizens can hope to obtain
money to meet their obligations, as we'll as
to pay their taxes, which must be paid BY
February 1, is from the sale Of cotton, this
being the main money crop of the south.
1.-The law Of supply and demand is not
functioning. Cotton can only be sold in
a limited way, at prices that are absolutely
confirscatory. being only half the cost
Of production.
Cotton must be held for at least the
cost of production-40 cents, basis mid
ding. We must arrange to market cotton
in central Europe, where there is pressing
demand. We must assure the cotton-con-
Stunning world, beyond a shadow of doubt
that cotton acreage will be reduced 80 1-3
per cent next season.
81 earnestly request that you call an
W.T. re fhn Slaf1t nP
state to convene as speedily as possible for