The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1921-02-02
GOV. RUSSELL TALKS
TO COTTON MEETING
Big Crowd Hears Executives
Views on Vital Topic
FavOrs Reduction.

canvass the various school districts
Of the county, was held as called at
the Hampton Auditorium.
Governor Lee M. Russell had been
invited to speak before the gathering
and arrived at 1900 O'Clock, being
introduced by Hon. H. v. Wall
At the beginning of his talk the
governor stated that the meeting. was
not called for the purpose of discuss
ing political issues, but to talk over,
man to man, the more vital things
of seNery day meat and bread sub
jects A. B. C.s of business. He
stated that there were always two
sets Of men to be considered in any
question the progressive, forward
looking man who is always on the
outlook for anything that will better
his present condition, and the old
fashioned fast disappearing fellow
who goes along in the same old rut
from year to year and always hopes
for better times but never does any
thing to help the community.
Cooperation was stressed by the
speaker as being the only remedy for
the present evil. He favored fre-
quent gatherings of the people to
talk over affairs pertaining to the
welfare of the county or community.
In commenting on the talk of
hard times" Mr.. Russell stated that
there was more of this talk now
than ever before, but, that in reality
the people were just as we'll off as
before the war. He cited China's
starving millions to prove that the
United States was favored spot, and
spoke fiowingly of the staunch cit
izenship Of Mississippi and Lincoln
county in particular. The people in
the hill counties, said he, were much
better off than those in the Delta.
Planters of the Delta section have
plenty of property but no money, and
they could not borrow on the secur-
ity. He ascribed the reason for this
condition as the one-crop system.
The people were advised to keep
posted of the affairs of the county
and nation; to read papers and good
magazines; to keep in touch with the
Board of Supervisors and county
Superintendents of Education; to CO.
operate in all things possible.
Unless the farmers of the South
organize" said Mr.. Russell, they
will be helpless in the hands of the
big moneyed interests" He stated
that by cooperation and carrying out
the plans outlined by the cotton con-
Yention the cotton growers can iegi-
timately control the cotton situation
and name their own price for their
product.
Inc governors speech was entirely
free of politics, and was attentively
heard and warmly applauded by the
large crowd that comfortably filled
the Auditorium. At the conclusion
OF the talk a rising vote of thanks
was given the speaker.
After the governors departure. he
having to leave as soon as his talk
was finished in order to catch the
noon train for Jackson, the business
meeting was called to order by Mr..
b. e. Summers, chairman of the Lin
coin County Acreage Reduction Com
mittee, and reports heard from COM
mittees appointed to canvass the
school districts for signatures to the
pledges for acreage reduction. On
account of the lateness in getting
these pledges in the hands of the peo-
pie only few were ready to make
reports and it was decided to have
another meeting on Saturday, Feb.
IL, at 1900 o'clock at the Court
House, at which time all the com
mittees were asked to have their re-
ports ready. The reports made at
this meeting showed willingness
on the part of the people to sign the
pledges. The blanks can be secured
from the secretary, Mr.. w. D. Davis
at the Brookhaven Bank & Trust Co.
In general discussion at the close
OF the meeting one farmer stated
that he believed the situation could
be controlled by the business men
OF Brookhaven. 1t was pointed out
that the men who usually attended
meetings of this kind were mostly of
the class who favored the move. and
that the other fellow could only be
brought to see the reasonableness of
1t by judicial use of pressure.
A partial canvass of some of the
principal farmers present showed
that approximately 421a per cent Of
Lincoln County land in cultivation
last year was planted to cotton. Al
reduction such as proposed by the
pledges would really not mean much
OF reduction after all, and we can
still make as much cotton on the re-
duced acreage by proper cultivation
as we did last season.
The Meeting as Seen by Spectator.