The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-11
Anderson Champions Cause Of Farmer at Dry Goods Contention
Tells of Necessity for Agra rian Bloc in National House When Farmer Was Hard Hit Following War and Depres- sion

The real "blg" day of the Southern Wholesale Dry Goods convention was ushered in yesterday morning with stirring address from Congressman Sidney Anderson, Minnesota, member of the agricultural bloc" and chair man of the joint House and Senate agricultural committee. in which he paid glowing tribute to the accom- plishments of the federal reserve sys- tenn and especially 10 It's guiding force, W. F. G. Harding, governor, and in forceful manner outlined the origin of the farm bloc and its re- lation to industry.
 A very enlightening review was given of the rising prices after the opening of the great war in 1911, their continued incline during the war, accelerated by the great ex- pansion and extravaganza spree" in America in 1919, stating that prices increased B Ia per cent and loans and discounts 30 per cent as result. It was further pointed out that the farmer was the one to be hit first and hardest, causing a great decline in the export trade upon which the United States had so depended.
 Faced Bankruptcy
 As matters grew more critical with the farmerss more than half of whom faced bankruptcy. something had to be done-Congress was being bombarded with petitions by word of mouth and letter, so that as repre- sentatives of our various consti tuencies, we were not untrue to our trust and assembled 20 Senators and 25 Representatives, separately, and thus was created this sinister and destructive weapon to stifle all other business to the advancement of the farmer as some would have you be- lieve," declared the speaker. It was organized in the effort to give the farmer purchasing power and equi- table treatment. he said.
 Cooperative farming and market ing was treated, not as a panacea of all ills. but to standardize and sta balize the farm product market. and in a way give the farmer his last division of the consumers $1 which now amounts to from 24 to 2S cents
 With an observation that the New England mill operators were becom- ing concerned because southern mills were consuming more than GO DOT cent of the takings of the country. yet paying tribute to their indom- itable and intelligent perseverance and loyalty to home interests. and urging members of the association to continue their loyal support to the southern made fabrics, the best In the country" Stuart W. Cramer American Cotton Manufacturers as- sociation, addressed the convention to conclude the morning program.
 "Buy Home"
 The "buy home" movement wns treated and urged upon the delegates to counteract the injustices visited upon southern textile products in the market reports. It was admitted that southern mills suffered to some extent because of the limited va rieties of southern made goods, al though equal in quality and prices to northern mill products, and 1t was promised by the spokesman of the manufacturers association a greater variety of southern made textile products from which the wholesaler can buy.
 In conclusion Mir. Cramer stated that In his opinion the most impor- tant thing to do just now was for producer and distributor of southern textile products to get closer to- gether, and at this point he asked that as many of the association of dry goods men attend the convention at Washington May 26 to 27. in the name of the president of the Ameri- can Cotton Manufacturers associa- ton, so that problems of mutual in- terest may be worked out.