The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-12-11
50 CONGRESSMAN HAVE
FORMED COTTON BLOC
SENATORS AND REPRESENTA-
TIVES FROM SOUTH HAVE
UNITED FOR ACTION.
FOR LOWER FERTILIZER RATE
Reduction in Tariff on Calcium Ar
senate Used in Boil Weevil War
and Change in Crop Reporting Sys-
tenn Are Demanded.

and Change in Crop Reporting Sys
tenn Are Demanded
Approximately 90 senator's and rep.
resentativeS from southern states have
met In caucus at Washington anc
/ formed what will be popularity known
as cotton bloc" and appointed sew.
eral committees to report on legisla-
ton and executive action required tc
aid the cotton farmer
The conference approved Henry
Ford's proposal for the lease of Mus
sci Shoals and agreed to insist upon
legislation to bring it about
A committee also was appointed to
| see the appropriations committee and
urge appropriations for establishment
OF additional agricultural experiment
stations in the southern states, such
stations to specialize in the fight on
the boil Weevil
Tariff Cut Favored.
The conference also decided formal
ly to request President Coolidge to
reduce the flexible clause of the tariff
law by so per cent, the present tariff
on calcium arsenate, which is used in
eXterminating the boil weevil Event
ual elimination OF the entire tariff will
be sought by the cotton states sena-
tors and representatives. The present
tariff on calcium arsenate is Is per
cent.
A resolution favoring a change in
the method OF making cotton market
and ginning reports also was adopted,
Such reports III the past, it was con-
tended at the conference. have been
more or less unreliable and have had a
bad effect upon the market. The gov
eminent will be urged to systematic
its reporting machinry and furnish
more detailed and accurate cotton CEN
sus figures. The committee named to
work out a program for better cotton
reports comprises Representative Ran
kin of Mississippi. chairman; Senator
Harris, OF Georgia; Representative
Almon, of Alabama, and Representa-
tive Wingo, of Arkansas.
The action taken at the caucus was
in line with recommendations of a
special committee appointed at pre-
liminary meeting. The committee on
program and procedure comprised
Representative Black. OF Texas; Till
man and Driver of Arkansas; Low
rey, OF Mississippi, and Senator Har-
ris, of Georgia.
Cheaper Fertilizer Rates.
The conference also Endorsed cheap
er import freight rates on fertilizer
brought from abroad and cheaper
rates from ports to southern farms.
A committee consisting of Senator
Sheppard OF Texas and Representa-
tive Vinson OF Georgia; Bankhead. of
Alabama; Lazaro, OF Louisiana, and
Hastings, of Oklahoma, was named
to study this question.
Representatives Buchanan, of Tex
as, and Lowrey, OF Mississippi, and
Senator Hefin, of Alabama. we're
named to go to the appropriations
committees of congress and insist up
on the establishment OF additional
agricultural experiment stations in the
cotton belt
The preliminary conference OF the
cotton bloc was attended by repre-
sentatives OF the department OF agri-
culture. the farm loan board. the bu-
reau OF mines and the geological sur
vey, who sat in" during a discussion
of the plans for combating the boil
weevi and putting through congress
legislation to help the cotton pro-
Queer
Members attending the conference
do not themselves Suse the word
bloc" and say they do not intend to
use any big stick" methods in con-
gress. Nevertheless, since congress al
ready has farm bloc, labor bloc, a
soldier bloc and a reclamation bloc
it is inevitable that when the cotton
states members combine their organ
ization will become known as the cot
ton bloc.
Crisp Calls on Coolidge.
A bill that has been presented by
Representative Crisp. of Georgia, pro-
vides for transfer of all kinds of ar
senate to the free list, while a meas
ure drawn up by Representative Vim
son provides for the placing of calcium
arsenate on the free list.
Representative Vinson also intro
duced bill authorizing acceptance Of
Henry Ford's offer for the govern
ment nitrate plants at MusSel Shoals,
where the automobile manufacturer
proposes to manufacture nitrates for
fertilizer
President Coolidge assured Mr.
Crisp in conference at the white
house Friday, that he would order the
United States tariff commission to
make an investigation into calcium
arsenate. which the southern cotton
bloc" desires be placed on the free
list to make it cheaper for southern
farmers who are using it extensively
in the war on the boil weevil.
Representative Crisp spent some
time with the president, discussing
the southern farm situation. The pres
ident expressed a desire to be helpful
in very possible way in aiding the
southern farmer.