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MAKE COTTON SUBJECT INSTEAD OF
KING AND SOUTH WILL FORGE
RAPIDLY TO FRONT
|K. H. edmonds, editor of manufacturers rec
ord, DECLARES COTTON HAS BEEN A CURSE TO
THE SOUTH, AND THAT REAL PROSPERITY WILL
* NOT COME UNTIL IT IS MADE SECONDARY CROP
TO FOOD AND FEED ST CFFS.
Editor Constitution: The
present price of cotton is with
out any justification. There is
a great shortage in the world's
cotton supply as compared
*vith the world's actual needs.
The law of supply and demand
must ultimately change the sit
uation and bring about higher
juices if the cotton growers can
withhold their cotton from the
market until the buyers are
compelled to come in and pay i
lair price.
It was to be expected that im
niediately upon the signing of
the armistice there would he a
hiatus in business and more or
less uncertainty in all trade
conditions. This we are now
seeing. The change to better
conditions should come about
in the near future. Fundament
ally, there is no justifil'ication
for inactivity in trade or de
pression in business, -just as
soon as the business condition
can right itself, there should be
ample employment for every
man in the country with a
quick revival of general busi
ness prosperity. There shoubl,
therefore, be no depression in
cotton or of general dullness.
Indeed, even if the general in
dustrial interests of the coun
try were not prosperous, the
[fftion of cotton is so unqiue
that the price should be very
mm li higher than it is and ev
ery bale be absorbed, and that,
too, entirely without depend
ing upon Germany and Aus
tria.
It would be a great mistake
from the moral point of view
for'ps to seek to open up trade
relations with those accursed
nations of robbers and rapers.
Perhaps the time may come
when we shall have to sell them
cotton again, but certainly we
do not need to seek their trade.
Other cotton consuming coun
tries can easily absorb every
bale of surplus cotton over and
hove the actual requirements of
American mills, and we should
prefer that our allis shall have
their mills in full operation
with an ample stock of cotton
on hand before a single bale
goes into Germany or Austria.
Deny All Advantages to Huns.
Not until Germany has re
stored every piece of of cotton
mill machinery to the wrecked
mills of France and Belgium,
not until every cotton mill in
B those countries destroyed by
Rermany for the express pur
pose of giving its own mills an
advantage over them is in full
co-operation, should Germany
be allowed to have a hale of
American cotton.
This, however, should not in
the slightest militate against
a high price for the south's cot
ton. The requirements of oth
er countries entirely outside of
Germany and Austria justify
the absorption of every bale of
cotton which we have raised
during this crop year, and of
every hale carried over from
previous years. If, however,
southern farmers become fright
ened, or if southern bankers fail
to stand by the cotton growing
interests, prices may be broken
down to still lower figures to
the growers individually and of
the south as a whole.
It behooves every business in
terest in the south to unite in
bringing about an increase in
%he production of foodstuffs
and feedstuff's amply sufficient
to take care of the entire needs
of this section for the coming
twelve months, he ought to
make this the banner year for
and livestock, and for
kail varieties of products which
'enter into tin* maintenance of
man and. beast, putting into
cotton only the surplus land
which cannot be dvantageously
used for foodstuffs.
The south has in its power
this year to teach the cotton
consuming world a much need
l'd lesson, and to show that it
holds the dominating power in
this industry and that it pro
poses to use that power for its
own welfare with justice to the
rest of the world.
For the last fifty years, with
the exception of the last two,
cotton lias never commanded a
fair price to the grower. The
whole world has come to be
lieve that it is the duty of the
south to raise cotton and sell
it at the lowest possible point,
and the bugaboo lias constantly
been held up bv Washington au
thorities as well as by specula
tors that it is the south's duty
to sell cotton at a low price in
order to prevent the develop
ment of cotton growing in oth
er countries. Doth statements
arc absurd.
Cotton a Curse to tin? South.
I have no hesitancy in savin*;
that it would have been infi
nitely better for the south if it
had never raised a bale of cot
ton. This, the most ropay crop
ever given by Providence to
mankind, has been a curse to the
south. It fastened slavery
around the neck of the south,
and out of this came a condi
tion which resulted in the civil
war. It has caused tin* south
to think in terms, to base its re
ligious and educational activi
ties on cotton, and to raise cot
ton merely for the purpose of
buying foodstuffs from other
sections. At times it lias look
ed as though we of the south
have cotton bolls for brains and
a cotton string for a backbone
because we have permitted the
r"st of the world to absolutely
dominate the cotton trade and
hold the south in slaverw by
lowe-priced cotton.
Cotton has enslaved the south
mentally and financially to a
greater degree of injury than
was tin* physical slavery of an
tebellum days. Every man who
has sought to beat down the
price of cotton has by that very
act helped to forge the chain of
slavery of poverty around the
people of the south.
lit hling a practical monopoly
c ftl.is, the most important sin
gle agricultural product known
to mankind, the cotton growers
have lived in poverty almost un-
'RadthtA torturing, pom—’
such as Headaches, Backaches, Neuralgia,
etc., are serious handicaps and also most annoying,
painlu! and depressing. They can be relieved
promptly and effectively by the use cf DR. MILES’
ANTI-PAIN PILLS.
*7 had for a long time been troubled with a severe pain at
the base of the brain , sometimes being almost unendurable.
I began using DR. MILES' ANTI-PAIN PILLS and soon
saw a?, improvement end at the presen t time cons ider myself
entirely relievedW. F. Chadwick , Montello, Mass.
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known to any other agricultur
al region of civilized countries
in modern times. Producing
far less per acre in value of
wheat and corn the western
farmers have grown rich on
their agricultural activities.
The southern farmers have been
held in the chains of poverty.
The laborer on cotton planta
tions has never received wages
sufficient to give him a decent
living.
If, for the last fiftv years the
south has received a fair price
for its cotton, the cotton grow
ers, tenants, laborers and land
owners would have advanced in
wealth to such an extent that
the condition of the south
would be infinitely better than
it its. Out of their prosperity
would have come a larger devel
opment of education and relig
ions life, better schools, better
church buildings, better roads,
and better homes on the farms
and in the far-away country dis
tricts.
Most of the dwellings now
used by the poorer tenants on
southern cotton plantations are
mere hovels unfit for human
habitation. It is not possible
for men and women to live as
most of the tenant farmers,
white and black, have lived and
yet make the moral and mate
rial advancement to which they
are entitled.
I P eaking Down I’rice of Cotton
When New England cotton
buyers have sought to break
down the price of cotton they
have helped to forge the chains
of slavery around the neck of
the negroes for whom New Fug
laud philanthropists always ex
press such profound interest.
Every effort made by New Eng
land cotton buyers, or, for that
matter, by southern cotton buy
ers to beat down ihe price of
cotton, is an effort to enchain
in slavery the white cotton
growers as well as the negroes.
If the south would forever
break these chains of slavery
and stand free before the world,
it must place itself in a posi
tion to absolutely dominate the
production and the price of
cotton. No theory that it is in
cumbent upon the south to raise
cotton for the good of the* world
is worth a moment’s considera
tion. The south owes it to it
self to produce agriculturally
the things which will give to
its people the largest profit
which will help them to develop
tlieir educational and rligious
activities.
Had tin 1 south never raised a
bale of cotton it would have
concentrated its attention upon
foodstuffs and livestock, and if
would today be the center of
the livestock industry of Amer
ica ,as it can yet be whenever
its people; Avill thoroughly make
up their mind to center their
agricultural activities on diver
sified agriculture and cattle
and hog raising.
All of the experience of the
past shows that the best inter
ests of the whole south would
be served by turning attention
of southern farmers into inten
sive cultivation of foodstuffs
and of livestock production,
putting to cotton only the acre
age they can cultivate after
they have provided all of the
food and feed needed for their
own use and for the use of their
livestock.
Decline in Price May Be Bless
ing.
The recent decline in the price
of cotton may yet prove a bless
ing to the south if it drives this
section away from the worship
of cotton, a fetish which will
forever curse us as long as we
how before cotton and cause
this section to produce the
things which in the end will in
crease the fertility of our soil,
enrich our farmers, give higher
wages to farm laborers and
bring a well-rounded prosperity
to the life of the whole sect ion.
Cot-ton as a subject ruled ab
solutely by the south could he
made to aid in bringing pros
perity to this section; but cot
ton continued as a king domina
ting abject slaves will forever
hold the south in the slavery of
poverty.
This is the crucial time for
the south to assert its freedom,
to break away from the power
of cotton and enrich itself by
producing other things. In do
ing this cotton growers who can
afford to do so are fully justi
fied in withholding every bale
of cotton from the market until
they secure a living price for it.
At present prices, it is not pos
sible for the south to pay a fair
living wage to its laborers and
a fair profit to the land owners
in growing cotton.
Richard If. Editions,
Editor Manufacturers’ Record.
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confidence that a reputation so valuable, once gained, MUST
be maintained.
WEen you put your time, your money and your labor into
making a crop, why not protect them by insisting on
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Baltimore, Md., Toledo, 0.,
JAM ES ERNEST ADAMS
WHITES PROM
FRANCE.
January 3, 1919.
Dear Father and Mother:
l will answer your kind let
ter received today as I was
more than glad to hear from
all. 1 am well and having a
good old time, plenty to eat, a
good place to sleep and not
having to work hard. We have
new trucks and 1 was put on
one, one to carry the mail New
Years Day. Wo make one trip
a day to Tool after the mail and
1 like the trip fine. We are still
in the same place in the woods
but there is some talk of mov
ing soon. I will he glad when
we move out. of this place for
wo are getting muddy.
1 had an enjoyable Christmas
but hope I will enjoy the next
one better. 1 have seen a lot
of France since coming over
hero. 1 like here very well so
far. hut then* is no place like
good old l . S. A. to me.
Father, 1 have sent, a (in-man
helmet home and hope it will
get through alright. Well fath
er, what are you doing these
IMB DIDN'T Alii
DIfiESTiGN WAS BAD
Says 65 year Old Kentucky Lady, Wlso Tells How She Was Relieved
After a Few Doses of Black-Draught.
Meadorsvlll®, Ky.—Mrs. Cynthia
Higginbotham, of this town, says: “At
my age, which is €5, the liver does
not act so well as when young. A few
years ago, my stomach was ail out of
fix. I was constipated, my liver
didn’t act. My digestion was bad, and
it took so little to upset me. My ap
petite was gone. I was very weak...
I decided I would give Black-
Draught a thorough trial as I knew it
was highly recommended for this
trouble. I began taking it. I felt
better after a few doses. My appetite
improved and I became stronger. My
oowels acted naturally and the least
trouble was soon righted with a few
old days? Did you get
the crop gathered and a good
price for your cotton? Tell Toy,
Bob and Willis I sure would
like to see them. Don't think
it will be long 'till I get back.
Mother, 1 am sending you an
Xmas present and Lillie one
and Carrie Ola one, too. Lay
get married December 31. I
bet he did. Hello, brothers, how
art' all of you? What are all
doing these days? doing to
school, I suppose. I lope to see
you all soon and do good 'till
I get back to sc** you. Hello
to dim Tom and tell him to be
a good boy for 1 have a lot to
fell him and also Lucius. I
would like to see Cora-Lee, Vio
la, Rertie, Annie and Beulah.
Hello sweet girls. Wishing you
all good luck and a happy New
Year.
Lovingly yoor son,
dames Ernest Adams.
Trike That Extra rorty Winks
The observation tin t “It’s nice
to get i!i> in the morning, hut it’s nicer
to lie in tied’’ is no longer n shameful
confession of laziness. The British
ministry of munitions investigating
the health anil oflieieney of its workers
found that ton-early rising is harmful-
dosea of Black-Draught"
Seventy years of successful use has
made Thedford’s Black-Draught a
standard, household remedy. Every;
member, of every family, at times,
need the help that Black-Draught can
give In cleansing the system and re
lieving the troubles that come from
constipation, Indigestion, lazy liver,
etc. You cannot keep well unless your
stomach, liver and bowels are In good
working order. Keep them, that way.
Try Black-Draught. It acts promptly,
gently and in a natural way. If you
feel sluggish, tak# a dose tonight.
You will feel fresh tomorrow. Price
25c. a package—One cent * dose
All druggists. J. 69