Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-15
COOPERATION URGED.
FOR7HE FARMERS.

Emphasizing the necessity for CO.
operation among the farmers of the
south in order to successfully meet
the altered conditions in cotton pro-
duction and in agriculture generally,
T. G.. Morton, head of the farmers
bureau of Clarke county. has written
the following communication to r.
A. Kelley, PRECEDENT of the Georgia
Farm Bureau Federation:
Mr.. Il. A. Kelley. President,
Georgia Farm Bureau Federation,
Chamber Of Commerce,
Atlanta, Ga.
At meeting of the farm bureau of Clarke
county, Ca, held this day, the question of
growing cotton in this territory, in the
state of Georgia and all other cotton states
was exhaustively discussed and practically
unanimous opinion prevailed that as meas
ure for the purpose of determination or con-
troll of the boil weevil the growing Of cotton
any scale shuld be suspended for the Pc
riod of at least one year.
AS question of economy the south can
not afford to grow cottn at all, even thugh
the grower raises all his food and feed prod
ucts.
For half century cotton has been re-
garded by farmers, merchants and bankers
as the only money crop of the south.
Cotton as a money crop in its largest
sense has served the farmer only as me-
dunn of annually paying debts contracted fro
supplies and labor, equipment as wen as
rent required to grow it and in countless
instances it has not even fully performed
that function under normal conditions:
Today, under the boil weevlil conditions,
cotton will not make q yield and Will not
bring return to the farmer, under limited
area of planting and intensive cultivation,
that will even approximate the cost III uol
lars and labor expended by him In prepare,
ton, seed, Fertilization, cultivation and all
other EXPENSES necessary to gather and mar
ket the crop, Notwithstanding the farmer mas
nroduced his own food and feed stuffs
This being true, why engage in an enueaV-
or which promises certain loss peiore ING
first furrow is turned and why Tor the wei
fare of the south encourage ltE Ao
There are many other crops Whlcn can We
crown in this section and throughout the en-
Fire south that can be marketed at a profit
facilities for which viii unquestlonaDly Oe es
tablished when production warrants ca ast
| hogs and dairying are essential anu ploi Ia
| ble both in the way of money return anu
| the unbnilding of lands, SO sadly needed
The certain profits from Intelligent diver
! sified farming will prove Slea' Ill Iii ho
tbe farmer merchant and banker; u WIZ NC
| the mortgage litter in years to come. Ane
| ilpag inary profit from growing COTTON nov wv
| is a myth-cotton means actual loss 10 'ne
| nrcducer-it can only increase the Lurden OF
| debt under which tie cotton farmer is ,e2W
| bowed down, and it can therefore afford no
| relief to the merchant or banker.
There can be no profit in growing cottol
until there is sufficient and steadfast coop,
Grafton on the part of farmers TO control
| the orderly marketing of that COMMONLY
| and to base the selling price on an average
cost OF production, plus cost OIL marhellhS
direct and a reasonable profit.
| At the present time the law OF supply
| and demand docs not reyail in the cotton
| market nor fhas the farmer any voice IN
fixing the price of his product.
The piece of cotton is absolutely con,
| troiled by manipulators in Liverpool ana
New York. .o-
| Cotton at this time is bringing about $50
per bale less than was paid for 1t about
! the first of October this year. and at that
tue there was more unsold cotton and cot
| ion m the fell than there is today.
| Cotton should now be worth more than
ON October Isl, based on the fundamental
law of supply and demand, and yet the
| faru.er is mulcted out of S25 per bale If he
urst sell on the present market. The price
laid the farmer for raw cotton since the
Period Of REIMBURSEMENT set in has in no
degree been consistent with the prices OF
the finished products nor Is it consistent
| with the prevailing prices of other products
| to be TO prospect that the price will again
! be commensurate with the producers cost.
The farm bureau of Clarke county re-
| quests that you address the organized
| county farm bureaus of this state on this
| subject.
| We suggest that your, office address a
| letter accompanied by an appropriate ques-
| tionnaire to he filled out, giving the con-
| sensus of opinion of each county bureau,
| with the ultimate view of recommending to
| the governor of this state and the gov
| errors Of all other cotton states that they
| ufge their respective legislatures to enact
| such law as will bring about the suspension