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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. i' ' These wonderful little tablets contain no \ IV <|/V/ / habit forming drug—nor produce ill after effect but \ 1\ I JJI / when used according to directions afford almost instant relief _ \ 1 Itnj Your druggist knows why these effective tablets I IS have been increasing in popular favor for over 30 years. Ask 1' | " ') j^l ßunabout them—a box c.j 'sonly a few cents. !P-2) 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. Australia’s Artesian Basin. The artesian basin of Australia measures 509,000 square miles in ex tent, and is said to be the largest known in the world, comprising 870,- 000 square mites in Queensland, 90,000 in South Australia, 53,000 in New South Wales and 20,000 in the northern ter ritory. The Worth of a Name to You Every one realizes how valuable certain names become to their owners; how years of association with quality, reliabil ity and fair dealing have made their good-will worth millions of dollars. Such names, however, are EQUALLY valuable to the PUBLIC, for goods thus identified may be bought with the 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 ROYSTER’S FERTILIZER TPADE MARK - r-s.R' REGISTERED. Order Early and Avoid Disappointment F. S. ROYSTER GUANO CO. Norfolk, Va., Richmond, Va., Tarboro, N. C., Charlotte, N.C., Washington, N. C., Columbia, S. C., Spartanburg, S. C\, Atlanta, Ga., Macon, Ga., Columbus Ga., Montgomery, Ala. 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