The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-09-11
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
NORTH cARoLINA FARMERS INVITE THE

By vote of more than 900 to l, farmers Oh
North Carolina in convention at Raleigh Wednes-
day called upon the national administration TO
come and further fasten the yoke of federai con-
troll around their necks.
Specifically, this vast assembly Of cotton grow
ers of the state, sailing under the banner OIL tue
Farm Bureau, went on record as favorlng spe.
cial session of congress prior to December l III
order to pass federal legislation that VIII Keep
them, these same farmers, from planting more
corn and tobacco and sweet potatoes and such
than will be good for them. 50
They demand compulsory crop control imposed
upon them not by themselves, nor by any act Oh
coordination cooperation as between theH-
selves, but foisted upon them by federal lava
federal law, we take it, that will punish them with
fines and jails if they plant more than the govern
ment bureaucrats stipulate.
One does not know, nor has one any way accu-
rately intelligently or fairly to judge whether
this is really the conviction of these more thah
900 farmers of North Carolina or not.
Circumstances are such that in their judgment
this may be the most expedient and opportune
action to take and in spite of their whoopings-up
and unique unanimity, it may be to them as II
they were swallowing dose of castor oil when
they meekly and abjectly bend their heads for
this federal halter.
The late congress made liberal provisions to peg
the price of the states cotton this year and to
make generous loans in order to stabilize the mar
ket at IL cents and, at the presidents command,
this action was taken by the law makers on the
ground and with complete understanding that, in
exchange for this federal concession, the cotton
farmers would be compelled to submit to some con-
troll plan later to be enacted.
Thus, we repeat it may be that these North
Carolina farmers were moved to swap the birth
right of independent and self-determining action
for this mess of government pottage offered to
them in the form of an attractive subsidy on con-
diton they would submit to this political inter-
vention and regulation.
Security is sometimes preferable to liberty and
financial emoluments from the government more
to be desired for the moment than individual free
dom.
At any rate even the farmers of North Caro-
lima have fallen for the sop and, doubtless figure
they have made a good deal with the New Deal.
In the meantime and without prejudice toward
this action of our important fellow-citizens The
Observer begs leave to submit that, all unwilling
ly, both our political leadership and our farmers
as being politically led in this matter may be weav-
ing the rope that will yet hang the South and its
principal farm crop.
AS attractive as may be the monetary advan-
tages and allurements of federal subsidies for
oyerproduction of cotton, and Immediately bene-
fetal as may seem to be the enticemepts Of COM
pulsory federal control now being invited by our
farmers, the logic of the situation argues the ulti-
mate unwsdom of this policy a medium OF per-
manent salvation.
rae law of supply and demand may be outwit-
ted today, but it is never enduringly put to sleep
The principles of economics are not duds. They
always explode without exception and usually with
out delay. They are as inviolable as the law Of
gravitation.
And it occurs to this newspaper that the ex-
periences in this control experiment for the past
few years witness to that age-od and inylncibe
truth and verify that conclusion.
Restrictions of the southern cotton planters
market began in 1929 when cotton was selling for
Is cents a pound
After eight years of this experiment in restric-
ton and plowing-under and artificial control, cot
ton is today selling at nine cents pound.
There havt been FIVE years of cotton curtail-
ment and market regulations under federal con-
troll and at the end of this period. the world has
the largest cotton crop of all time on its hands.
For seven years prohibitive tariff barriers have
been imposed and at the end of this long juggling
with market manipuations tariff restrictions and
production controL-the cotton farmer wakes up
to see his world virtually destroyed
And yet our North Carolina farmers send unan-
mous voice up to Washington for the federal gov
eminent to keep up this same old game of trying
to threaten world markets by specious processes
of compulsory production control'-Charlotte OBJ
server