Newspaper Page Text
TWO
What the South is Doing to Save Its Cotton Crop;
Holding Movement Spreading Fast Through Dixie
MEMPHIS BUYS 1,000 BALES—WILL TAKE CARE OF MEMPHIS’
TERRITORY.
Over a thousand hale* of cotton were taken off Uxe market yester
day at the "huy-a-hiUe" meeting. If every man in th« South were able
to put up and would do no, and hold the cotton a winy from the mar
ket until the price ia 10 centn, our difficulties would be solved.
The "huy-n-ahnle" movement may not result In the transfer of a great
number of bales, but it ls one of tho thing* that will impress upon the
grower of cotton who 1» able to hold It for a price, the necessity of
doing so.
This cotton siiuation lias brought some tremendous lessons home to
us whh-h later on w* should use to our great profit. Hut the tiling that
concerns the South most now. and which concerns ttie Memphis territory
probably more than any other in the South, Is how to geg a price some
thing near the cost of production of cotton or how to get money or credit
to carry cotton along until 11. reacting a better figure.
It the people of the United States and the world were Impressed
with the fact that the South did not Intend to grow a big crop next year,
this would he a great factor toward stimulating the present prices.
The American mills intend to run full time nnd If they can get. cot
ton around rt cents or 7 ceirts some will buy enough cotton this year to
run tlieSn through next year. If they are successful In this, then next
year the American market for cotton would be filled.
The manufacturer* are not. In business for their health. They would
take every legitimate business advantage of the situation. If they can
hammer cotton down to f> cel its they will do so. They know that if they
can get cotton cheap and are; able themselves to carry the cloth any
length of time, they will get good Prices for It.
If they can Impress upon the confused rrilnd of the cotton trails tho
fact that the acreage next year would he reduced, the present crop would
go at a good prlco.
In order to get the northern and eastern hankers to make comfort
able advances on cotton, If we desire to hold It, they must, be sure that
Ule market ii«<t year will not he glutted.
The plan to warehouse 2,000,000 bales of cptton In Memphis ts credit
able to the energy of some of our people, but if Memphis cati take care
of Its old customers snd do tts part toward caring for ttie cotton grown
tn the ordinary Memphis territory, then Indeed will Memphis have done
a gTeat work.
If a man <0 miles from Memphis ships cotton tiers and another ships
It from n point which ordinarily does not send cotton to Memphis, surely
the care should be for the man close to home.
If Memphis takes care of ttie cotton It can, and Clarkedale, Green
wood, Ilyershurg, Covington, Jackson, Forrest City and Helena, will take
care of all the cotton they can, and the merchant In the small towns
take care of all he can, the planter who Is able to keep upon his farm
part of his crop, and If this were done In all the Houthern territory;
then would the solution of the difficulty be secured.
The committee appointed to confer with eastern and northern bankers
can do a great work. Th# gentlemen who organized the “huy-a-ahale”
movement yesterday are doing their part.
If all of us work with a determination to do the very beat we ran for
ourselves nnd for our neighbors during the extraordinary condition that
now exists, within a short time we will begin to enjoy the result of our
•ffort.
Journal Puthaa Movement
Buy-a-Bale of Cotton.
Hata off to the patriotic newnpa
pern of Oeorglfi. i.nd the Houth, the
newepHpet a wirh a mind for wide
thoughts snd a hen rt for public serv
ice,
They have sr*Mprd the mean in*
end the opportunity of the ftuy-a-
Bale-of-Cotton movement; they ere
support In* It, urging It forward, ex-
P’HinhiK It. nroiisln* snd organizing;
public sentiment In Its behalf They
hfivu constituted themetslvos the n<l
- guard of the grout campaign
to anvc and upbuild the Interests of
the Smith In this cruotui hour.
From Texas to ths (arollnss,
newNpnper* that sre close to the peo
ple ami loyal to thalr cmnoninitlea
arc Mpreadlng the Huy-a-Bale alogsn.
They realbie th* ; iW*l of public m
llmaiaiim rightly directed. They
know that SOnieiiiln* must he (ton*
forthwith to rsllsvs the cotton att
ention. Thev nee tlmt thin move
ment ha* definite and Immediate
|„,n*lhilltlcs for good; nnd eo they
are cm miratylng It with all tha
energy and ratonrert at their cotn
m. 'u ni.
There I* no spirit of small jrst
*nsy among those faithful workers
(if the press. It Is happening In
many esses that competing newspa
pei ntn the mime town nre striving
side by side to develop the liuy-n-
R*le campulgn. They nre serving tho
People, serving the highest economic
Internets of thetr community.
No newspaper that Is true to Its
nrtsston In society c«n afford to
bang back from this great enter
prise.
No newspaper wiwtliy of public
Confidence will do less titan Its tit -
final when public welfare In at stake.
Let the work of Southern news
papers ao splendidly begun be press
ed forward with unanimous *n
(leanror.
MANUFACTURERS RECORD EDITOR
iMoonaet "euy-a balk’ move
Rome, Qa. — Unqualified Indorsement of
the "buya-hsia-or-cotton ‘ movement Is
given by Richard 11 Kdmonds. editor of
Iha Manufacturera' Record, ami tut au
thority on ttia Kouth's economic and fi
nancial problems. In a teloaram to the
Items Tribune-Herald Mr. Edmonds
aays
"Tit* Manufacturers' Record heartily
cotigrattilstre Secretary AVheellng. of the
Rome , luunlier of commerce, on the aug
geetloti contained In Ills proposition fir
the solution of ths ootton problem, unit
to* effort to arouse sufficient Interest
throughout the Houth to suable tide sec
tion, ihrough tndtvuius! purchases of u
hail, of eo4ton, to large > fin.tee Ilia
rrnp If the South would only display
Its faith in lit own host product, a
seapls that Is as field ten yesr* from
now s* It Is on th* dev It 1* picked, and
will carry out Mr Wheeling - suggestion,
«*• some other plan of Ilk* nstur*. a
gyeni good will lie short') art'ompUahad.
"Th* South’* prims staple can lie kept
Indefinitely. Wheat, corn and other pro
duct* rapidly deteriorate In vslue. If
kept for many months, but cotton l*e -
tieelly never deteriorates lit the face
of the** facts, the South Invariably loses
talth In Its own product In an emergency
like this, amt her lormers rush their cot
ton to market Each seems to be anx
ious to see how quickly he can unload.
Never was there a time when the equa
tion wood nno-o Justify th* South In
having falih tn the future of its cotton,
and anowlrtE by Its works the reality
of Its faith and Its own Invincible
strength of chsmrter Public sentiment
1 <Mikt change th* whole situation almost
overnight. If counts* Instead of fear as
to th* tnereaaed UiLu. value of cotton
would take possession of the people of
ttie South Mr Wheeling's plait. If car
r!#d Into effect, would undoubtedly help
to create this spTtt of faith and cour
age "
NEW YORK COMMERCIAL EDITOR
WRITES THE HERALD ON THE
COTTON SITUATION.
Mr Thomas J Hamilton.
Managing Editor, Ths Augusta tlersld.
Augusts. Ua
Dear Sir; Your courteous favor of ths
14th Inst received A* you know th*
relationship of ttie New Turk Commer
cial to ootton has b**n a very Intimate
.41* throughout a long pi—"tod of year*
AVe have sought st all times tu present
tarts and statistics In a maimer that
4Wu ld be fair to all concerned, and as
veil perhaps further know we have not
hesitated to condemn some of the prac
tises in vogue on ih# New York Cotton
ESchang* during tits past.
The advent of the European war has
been a particularly unfortunate thing at
the moment f<w the Southern tanner and
our sympathy goes out strongly to him
AYe have written and publlahed a go>ut
deal tn the way of oui own views re
specting the beet method for him to
pursue In order tu occur* the best price
for his present snd future ,*ops. and
tn addition hare published oplnons pro
and ,on ftp** others more or less quali
fied 10 disc life this Important subjx-t.
Hint,dins out of It all eppeera to 1* the
fact that tt I* t lesrl) op to the farmer
and the banker* of the country to sc
ordH- thetr affairs as not to dump on to
u limited market an amount of cotton
that will break the price to 11 ruinous
tinals. If the South will consider that
rotten has an actual value of any 10
cents nnd will stand strongly for that
price, xectirlng such financial nsHlstnnre
ns will erinhle them to hold their cotton,
and provided conditions are In a badly
wrought up stale when our next planting
s*nnon arrive*, If the farmer will cur
tail his cotton acreage anil devote n part
of his effort to raising other things than
cotton we believe that there will he no
serious catastrophe result. We shall lie
very glad Indeed to receive your views
or to serve you In any manner possible
at any time.
A'eTy truly your*
WM. MOSELEY,
Publisher.
TOWN AFTER TOWN IN THE
SOUTH ENDORSES "BUY A
BALE” MOVEMENT.
West Point, Ga. —The largest meet
ing of the business men of AVest Point
of recent yeßrs was the one held Mon
day afternoon to consider llie cotton
situation h* It Is today. Phil llage
dom was made chairman of tho moot
ing and AV. Trox Bankston, secretary.
A motion to appoint n committee of
five to draft resolution* allowing the
attitude of tha business men of AVeat
Point on the cotton proposition re
sulted In ttie clmlr naming B. li. Hill.
\V. U. I.enter, J L?. McKcinle, VA’. Trox
Bnnkston end J. T. Johnson.
The following resolution submitted
by l)r. C. K., Pntlllo, on motion of AV.
Trox Hnnketon, seconded by AV. O. La
nier, was unnnlmously adopted by the
meeting;
To have all dealer* and consumers
demand that all articles possible be
packed in eaoke and bags of cotton.
JACKSON BUSINESS MEN
ARE PLANNING TO BUY.
Jaokton, Ga.—The buy a hale of
cotton" movement will he taken up tn
Jackson aertoiialy by the business men
this week and It ta thought that many
bales will he bought from the farmers
at ll> cent* a pound. Cotton is com
ing Into tho local market* at a rapid
rate and well-informed bualnca* lead
erg realize that the situation must he
met and handled at once. There la
ample warehouse room tn Jackson t >
ator* several thousand hale* of the
k pie nnd those who help out by pur
chiiHlug a hale will find no trouble In
storing It.
One business firm he* advertised
that It will give 10 cents a pound for
cotton to Its customers on account and
this luis had the effect of stimulating
the market considerably. The plnn of
having every huslneas man possible
buy a bale of cotton from farmers bus
been widely discussed and indorsed
throughout Butts county.
DeKALB COUNTY FARMERS
TO PLANT MORE FOODSTUFFS
Dacatur, Ga. —A large crowd of mer
chants, farmer* uud bankers mot
Tuesday tn th* DeKalb county court
house to discuss the cotton situation
A\’. K AYitham was the principal
speaker.
Sentiment t* faat eryatallrtng upon
the fact that the 1915 crop must be re
duced If the present situation 1* to he
r 'medlcd. Th* farmer* of DeKalb are
planning to reduce their acreage In
cotton ami raise more food crope
Mr. AA'lthnm stated Hint every bank
In which he vvaa interested or had In
fluence would refuse 10 land money
hereafter to any farmer who iltd not
raise hi* rat tuns ut home.
CU"HBFRT WOMEN BUY COTTON
WITH LIBRARY LOT FUNDS.
Cuthbert, Ga.—The Uuthbert Wom
an* flub Tuesday called a special
meeting to dlscuga way* and means of
helping th* farmers to sell thetr cot
ton at a fair figure These seventy*
five women took of their fund* rnt»e 1
to buy a lot tor a public library the
sum of $2Mi with which th*y will bu>
five hales of cotton nt 10 cents per
pound. They mean thla aa a begin
ning for they have organised them
selves Into a committee of the whole
club * » induce as many others in town
to do the same thing.
400 BALES SUBSCRIBED FOR
AT BUCHANAN MEETING
Buchanan. Ga— At a mass meeting
here Tunsdsx the "hux -a-bale-of-cot
ton" plan wa* Indorsed and a commit-'
lee of slxly-ftv* appointed to canvaag
the lountx. Four hundred bale* were
sub*, rlbed for.
OCTOBER 10 WILL BE
COTTON DAY IN WAYCROSO.
Waycross, Ga. —ln organization for
an active "buy-a-bale-of-eotton” cam
paign, Wayeross people today have
started a movement that Is expected
to aid materially farmers of this sec
tion. Hlxty-one bales of cotton were
kold today within two hours, jiroducers
agreeing to deliver all cotton October
10, which will he made a cotton day
for Wayeross. No one Is asked to tako
more than one bale, but several have
ordered more. Ten cents a pound Is
the stipulated price.
THOMABVILLE BUYING
TO HOLD FOR 12 CENTS.
Thomasville, Ga. —The merchant*
and business men of Thomasville havq
decided to adopt the plan of buying
several hales of cotton apiece and
holding It at their places of business
until It sells for 12 cents.
The merchants are anxious to do all
that Is possible to help out the farm
ers and will give the best market
prices for the cotton.
They will he given the most liberal
terms and everything done to assist
them In holding on until brighter days
cotne.
ROME WOMEN TO WEAR
GOODS MADE OF COTTON.
Rome, Gjc- Tho Woman’s Club of
Rome, has come to the assistance of
the Home chamber of commerce and
business men in the present crisis In
financial affairs. The organization has
obligated Its members to wear, so far
as they can, only cotton goods. Other
resolutions pledged the members to
take care of all small obligations
promptly, nnd to buy Roods at home
whenever poslble. The club has al
ready purchased a hale of cotton.
WOODLAND CITIZENS PLEDGE TO
BUY 250 BALES AT 10 CENTS.
Woodland, Ga. —The “huv-a-bale-of
eotton movement tvns started hero
Monday and up to now tho business
people here have pledged thomealves
to buy hales Rt 10 rents per pound.
It Is confidently expected that mere
than 500 hales will be bought nnd held
hers before the movement is over.
"BUY-A-BALE” CAMPAIGN TAKEN
UP IN GREENWOOD, S. C.
Greenwood, H C. -The “buy-a-bale
of cotton” movement which started
recently har reached Greenwood, The
agricultural committee, which met in
the chamber of commerce office Mon
dny afternoon, mapped out a campaign
by which It Is hoped to get. not less
tlisn 500 bales, and as many more as
possible, for 10 cents a pound. The
hales will he stored either at the ware
house or at the home of the purchaser.
GREENE COUNTY FARMERS
HOLDING THEIR COTTON.
Grssnsboro, Ga.— There Is not the
slightest tendency among the farm
ers of tlreene county to sell their cot
ion nt ttie prevailing prices, which
throughout the past week has not scone
over 7 1-4 cents, in many Instances
tho farmers are not even ginning thetr
cotton, but after picking are storing
It tn their barns. Others are using
their first cotton to pay rent, while
others are storing It In the local ware
houses.
EATONTON FALLS IN LINEt
WOMAN IS FIRST BUYER.
Eatonton, Ga. —The "buy-a-bale-of
cotton" movement has reached Katon
ton with enthusiasm, and one of Put
nam's most loyal and patriotic women,
Mrs. Kmnm L. Champion, Is the pur
rhaser of the first hale at 10 cents per
pound. Her example will undoubtedly
tune a fine effect In Inspiring many
cdhers tn old Putnam to enter enthu
siastically Into this plan.
STORAGE PRICE REDUCED
BY DUBLIN WAREHOUSEMEN
Dublin, Ga. —Warehouses hero have
reduced the storage on cotton to far
mers. From tire fourth month on the
charge will he only SOo per hale to far
mers holding their cotton.
CONDITIONS BETTER
FOR SPOT COTTON
General Tone Improves and Panicky
Peeling In South Give* Way
t* Confidence.
(New A'ork Herald).
A further Improvement was report
ed in the general tone of the spot cot
ton situation yesterday.
"Buy-a-Bale" clubs are springing
up all over the Houth Hud while scat
tering purchase* of single bales may
seem a trifling proposition when com
pared with the millions of hales In
th* crop, they are being organized nt
the very time when they will he most
effective tn taking distressed cotton
off th* market and tn the aggregate
may prove a considerable factor tn
eustatnlng prices during the period of
greatest stress.
Meanwhile the more important
measures for financing and holding
cotton are making rapid headway.
Th* construction of warehouses 1*
everywhere being pushed forward
rapidly in the South tn order to real
ize the greatest loan value of cotton
and to obtain the full advantage of
emergency currency. In some sec
tions holding companion nre being
formed with a view to buying up con
siderable blocks of cotton aa un in
x estment.
These activities are evidently mak
ing an tinpreaelon on the minds of
growers, ami offer* now coming in
from llie Southwest show a consider
able recovery from recent low prices,
while the spot market at Augusta as
officially quoted yesterday showed a
further advance of 1-l Sc. with wiles
of 4U5 bales reported at 75*0 for mid
dling.
Canadian mills are reported to t>*
buying considerable cotton, and there
have been moderate purchases for ex*
l»ort. hut local dealers state that New
Knglnnxl mitts are still holding off in
th* expectation of lower prices as
picking become* more general, and as
a matter of fact many traders will not
consider the s|>ot eltuation to have
undergone a satisfactory teat until
available supplies reach their maxi
mum •
COTTON AS AN INVESTMENT.
Thai American cotton at present
prices wttt be recognised aa a won
derful Investment cannot he doubted
tn view of the record* of the past ten
jeart. and th* requirement# of the
THE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA, GA.
world for its increasing and various
uses. Estimates of the demand from
countries not at war amount to dou
ble their annual capacity, while it
may be stated American spinners will
make their purchases on a largely in
creased scale whenever It becomes
possible to do so, through the usual
channels of the American exchanges.
The demand for American cotton,
which will follow the cessation of
hostilities In Europe can only he es
timated, but that it will exceed all
previous records appears obvious,
when the destruction of fabrics now
going on without replenishment Is
considered. That the South will plant
a small acreage, relatively. In cotton
and a greater area In foodstuffs
should the war continue, is a foregone
conclusion.—New York “American."
A CARGO OF COTTON.
A cargo of cotton left Galveston a
few days ago for Barcelona, Spain,
stowed away in the hold of the Span
ish steamship Miguel M. Phillos. It
was of generous size, consisting of
r.,352 bales. This was the first cot
ton cargo from the United States
since Kaiser Wilhelm drew the sword.
All credit to tho Dons for being the
first to lift the embargo. Spain has
a glorious chance to profit through
the folly of her neighbors and the
more Cotton her spindles consume the
more Joy we wish her.
PLANNING FOR STORING THE
COTTON CROP.
(Wall Street Jouranl).
Voluntary associations ihroughout
the South, such as farmers’ unions
and the Southern Colton Association
have begun organizing counties and
districts to meet this war crisis in cot
ton. The state presidents of the cot
ton association have called meetings
for September 22nd, following the
county meetings In each of the states
on September 19th, after which the
central meeting will he held nt New
Orleans on September 29th. Farmers'
Institutes, bunkers, merchants, Job
bers, railroads, insurance companies,
and all business interests Involved In
Ihe welfare of cotton are urged to In
sure the protection of cotton white in
the hands of the producer.
The warehouse committee advised
that cotton withheld from market
should he distributed In small quanti
ties rather than congested at ports
and other centers, as a means of
avoiding any abnormal fire losses.
Otherwise, any large fire at a con
centrating center would work serious
curtailment of Insurance facilities.
Farmers were advised to establish
bonded warehouses tn various local!-
i ties under such conditions that Insur
ance companies could co-operate In
currying the surplus crop. Fertilizer
and implement Interests were ssked
to support the withholding of distress
ed cotton until fairer values could be
obtained.
That the plan of the Vlrginia-Car
ollns Chemical Company for the
warehousing of cotton. In order to aid
Southern farmers, Is rapidly rounding
Into shape. Is attested by H. T. Mor
gan, president of the corporation.
The reports of the proposed arrange
ments, however, have not been quite
correct.
"Strictly speaking," said Mr. Mor
gan, “we are not going to build any
warehouses at all. To erect regula
tion brick buildings in time to take
cure of the present crop would be an
utter impossibility. Furthermore they
would cose several millions of dollars.
Our plan ls a simple one. AVe pro
pose to fenee off eertaln areas of our
properties In the cotton belt and to
stack the cotton in the open, raising
It from 6 to 10 inches from the ground
to protect It from dampness. It then
will ba covered with tarpaulin.
"AV* win stack from 100 to 600 bales
In one storage unit and surround It
with a ten-foot barbed wire fence.
It will be insured nnd protected
against fire. We have arranged for
Insurance at a rate only slightly
higher than for rotton stored In the
ordinary way. AVe believe the plan to
he feasible nnd hope eventually to me#
tt extend nil over the Houth, although
at first the system will be put Into
erfect only in towns where we have
plants or branches."
Mr. Morgan went on to say that the
farmers, on delivering their cotton,
would receive warehouse receipts
which could he used In th# usual way
as security for loans. The borrowing
value, of course, will he n matter for
adjustment between the borrower and
the lender.
PROMINENT BARNWELL
CITIZEN DIED FRIDAY
Mr. Edward H. Richardson
Passed Away After An Illness
of Nearly Three Months.
Barnwell, S. C—After an Hines* of
eleven weeks. Mr. Kdward H, Rich
ardson. one of the most substantial
citizens of Barnwell county, died at
midnight last night at his home In
Barnwell. Mr. Richardson, who was
about 50 years of age was until a year
ago one of the leading merchants and
supply dealers of this section, and has
dealt extensively in the sale of stock,
lie was stricken with typhoid fever
MnftJ three month* ago. and after a
severe illness, was recuperating when
complications set in. which resulted
in death.
Besides hi* widow, Mr Richardson
is survived by a son, Mr. Terry Rich
ardson. and a daughter, Mrs, F. H«
Huggins.
funeral service* will be held Sun
day morning at 10 o'clock at the late
residence, the Interment to take place
at the family burying ground, a few
miles from Barnwell
A LONG VIEW.
Ted Brown, an American, was tour
ing Scotland and one afternoon
mounted a high hill In company with
a Scot who begun bragging of the
extensive \ lew.
•'! suppose you can «ee America
from here on a fine day," said the
American, Jocosely
“Oh, ay, farther than that," replied
the other.
"Farther than that”"
' Ay! on a fine nieht we cun see the
[ a une."
While Holding Cotton Southern Farmer Is
Given World Opportunity to Realize
Twice As Much As Cotton Would
Have Paid Under Normal
Conditions .
While War Continues in Europe, United States Must Peed the
World and the West Cannot Do it Alone. President of the
Southern Cotton Congress Tells of What is Being Done to
Bring Relief and Urges Southern Fanners to Plant Wheat
and Oats As Soon as Their Cotton Crop is Gathered, and
to Grow No More Cotton Until World is Again at Peace
WALTER E. DUNCAN
Staff Correspondent,
The Auguzta Herald.
Columbia, S. C. —"lf we can some
how, anyhow, tide over and hold out
until December or January, the South
ern farmer has before him to grasp
If he will the most magnificent op
portunity—the opportunity of the cen
tury, as unusual as the European war
because it grows out of conditions
caused by the war.”
So. Hon. E. J. Watson, commissioner
of agriculture of South Carolina, pres
ident of the Southern Cotton Congress,
and a national figure, expressed him
self to me Thursday,
Right now the Southern farmer Is
feeling the pinch of the war-depressed
conditions, Mr. Watson pointed out,
because he has been blind to his own
Interests and has kept doggedly on
raising cotton, cotton, cotton to the
exclusion of almost everything else.
AVliat the world is going to need now
is not so much something to wear as
something to eat. Consequently, the
wheat grower of the AVest, where con
ditions are diametrically opposed to
those existing In the South, Is rolling
In money. There ls an Insistent world
demand for lilb wheat which will grow
the more and more Insistent as long
as the European nations contest for
supremacy and soldiers called to the
colors trample under foot the fields
they were cultivating when the toscin
of war was ounded.
But the Western farmer cannot
produce another wheat crop until
next fall. In the meantime, this
year's crop completely exhausted,
the world will be clamoring for
bread. War has paralysed farm
ing in western Europe. The wheat
fields of Russia, of Germany, of
Austria, of France, those that are
not to be turned into battlefields
must go untended. The orient
may be able to feed Itself, but the
rest of the civilized world will look
to th# United States for food.
With only the Argentine to help,
the wheat growing belt is abso
lutely Inadequate, both an account
of restriction In acreage for so
world-wide a demand and because
of climatic conditions which make
it impossible for the Northwest to
raise more than one crop a year.
BUT THE SOUTH HAS NO
SUCH RESTRICTIONS OF CLI
MATE, AND CAN PRODUCE,
FROM VIRGINIA TO TEXAS, A
WHEAT AND OATS CROP BY
NEXT SPRING. BY THAT TIME,
IN MR. AVATSON’S OPINION,
THE GRAIN MARKETS WILL
HAVE REACHED THE HIGH
EST LEVELS IN HISTORY, AND
UNLESS THE SOUTH HELPS
NOW TO FEED THE WORLD,
AND IF THE EUROPEAN AVAR
CONTINUES, A BREAD FAMINE
IS A PROBABILITY.
Look Ahead Now.
"Tell the farmer to get ready right
now to plant wheat and oats,” said
Mr. Watson. "Never mind about fer
tilizer. There's enough fertilizer in
ttie ground to raise a magnificent
wheat crop. It will be the farmer*
salvation. What if he must suffer in
convenience, even privation, while
holding his cotton? The world must
have itz grain crop, the world must
have bread, and If the Southern farm
er will get out his cotton, plow up his
fields and sow wheat and oats, har
vest these crops next spring und then
plant corn, by this time next year he
will have realized more than doubla
what he would have gotten for his cot
ton had there been no war, AND
STILL HAVE HIS COTTON.”
Plant no Cotton in 1915.
"I do not urge merely cutting
the acreage next year," Mr. Wat
son continued. “The time for that
haa passed. The South is facing
the oriels, and with all our other
troubles we are burdened by over
production. AVlth the European
nations at war, eight and a half
millions of our present 15,000,000
bale cotton crop must be thrown
back upon the farmer. It is folly,
it ls ulcidal, even to consider
planting ‘any cotton at all next
year. AVhy should wo attempt to
raise another crop when we do not
know yet what we are going to
do with that which we already
have? Even a third of a crop
next year will aimply prolong our
troubles. THE SOUTH MUST
BEGIN NOW TO FEED THE
AVORLD, EVEN THOPGH IT
HAS NOT YET LEARNED HOW
TO FEED ITSELF."
Should Be Restricted by Law.
Mr. Watson believes that the proper
j appeal to the Intelligence and the pa
triotism of the farmers will, in view
i of existing world conditions, keep them
I from raising another cotton crop In
1915. Crippled financial conditions
will help retard those who are dls
| posed to perpetuate thetr tribulations,
I lor the banks will not be in position
to make advances on which to raise
, cotton next yesr. To restrain the ne
gro and the white tenant farmer who,
! listening to no reason, would fly In
i the face of providence and stick to his
ready money" crop, Mr. Watson fa
vors the enactment of state laws
which will hold him In check.
"Never before In our history have
we faced such a crisis," declared Mr
Watson. "It is one that calla for the
best that is in every man, for courage
and for co-operation. We are not out
j of the woods yet, and we won't be un
j til we>ral*e a grain crop while we
hold over « half or two-thirds of this
I year's cotton crop.
A Ray of Hop*.
' But I cannot see it any other way
than that this la a Godsend, a bleas-
I ing—a divine visitation upon the
| South, out of which tremendous good
will result,” continued Mr. Watson.
"As a matter of fact, in my
opinion, the last monster cotton
crop has been grown The farm
er la tn for a lesson now that will
1 teach this generation and the chil
dren of the next never again to
depend uiwn cotton. Conditions
which arose almost overnight as it
were accelerated all the teaching
o fthe past ten years of the doc
trine of diversified farming, proved
everything, drove home these
truths.
"And another thing,” continued Mr.
AVatson, "next year we are going to
save most of the $28,000,000 we spend
annually for commercial fertilizers.”
Grain Elevators to Go Up.
One reason, Mr. Watson pointed out,
why the Southern farmers have hesi
tated to grow wheat is because there
are no grain elevators. He told me
that at present he Is working on a
proposition which he has hopes will
develop, as a result of which there
will be before next spring three gram
elevators in South Carolina—one at
Anderson, one at Columbia and one tit
Charleston.
Endorses Buy-a-Bale Movement.
The rapidly spreading “Buy-a-Bale”
movement has Mr. Watson’s hearty
endorsement.
“There will be between 8,000,000 and
9,000,000 bales to be taken care of in
the South, either by the farmer or
somebody else, "said Mr. AVatßon, "and
the 'Buy-a-Bale' plan will help won
derfully. Besides what it actually
takes and holds off the market, the
moral effect of a widespread movement
of the kind will be productive of un
told good. I SHOULD, AS PRESI
DENT OF THE SOUTHERN COT
TON CONGRESS. LIKE TO SEE A
'BUY-A-BALE' CLUB IN EVERY
TOWN AND CITY IN THE SOUTH.”
What Man Can Do.
Going back to the subject of grain
crops, Mr. Watson told me about a
small farmer living within twelve
miles of Columbia, whom he induced
to this year plant his 15 acres in corn
and oats instead of cotton. The next
result is that he got SSO an acre for
his oats and $45 an acre for his corn—
and got it in cash without any trou
ble. His crop was raised at a total
cost of $10.60 an acre.
The Southern Cotton Congress.
Mr. Watson told me of the work
of the Southern Cotton Congress. It
has encountered tremendous difficul
ties, in Washington the men who are
working for government relief are be
set by the special interests of every
particular section of the country.
“At first it was disheartening even
to talk about the government recog
nizing cotton warehouse receipts as
security on which national banks
might isue emergency currency,” said
Mr. AVatson. “It was necessary for
us first to educate men to the fact
that cotton Is not simply a commod
ity, but a security, a basis of credit —
the one staple grown that does not de
teriorate with time. My pockets were
full of cotton grown up in the north
ern part of South Carolina 52 years
ago, and that helped prove a convinc
ing argument.
“AVlth the secretary of the treasury
convinced and agreed that emergency
currency could be issued to 75 per cent
of the value of receipts for cotton
stored in bonded warehouses, our bat
tles were only begun. The banking
conditions In the South are such that
even though we had the bqnded ware
houses, through emergency currency
we could get only, at present, what
would be a drop in the bucket, and
tills emergency currency Is, under tho
law, only a four months’ proposition.
The emergency currency must then
he retired after four months.
“It Is meant to move crops; not as
a means of holding crops for better
prices.
Where Money is Plentiful.
"So then we realize that we of the
South must turn to tho AA'est for
money—to the AVest whose food crops
make money plentiful. Heavy ship
ments of gold to Europe and the or
ganization of the Federnl Reserve
Banks, soon to come, preclude the
possibility of the South getting money
from New York. Even the $212,000,000
that Southern banks now have in New
A'nrk ls soon to be diverted into the
Federal Reserve Banks. New York Is
still fighting against the federal bank
ing because she knowa she is going to
be drained. But Chicago ls the money
market of the wheat belt, and Chicago
banka are rolling In money. AYheat
prices are up and climbing higher.
“And Chicago banks, with pienty of
money and tn splendid shape, can get
all the emergency currency they ask
for. The Southern Commercial Con
gress ls therefore at work on a plan
to get relief for the cotton farmer
from the great Western money center
Here is An Investment
It’s Your Chance!!
Cotton for Sale at Six Cents per Pound ! I t
We have it in first class condition.
One hundred bales old crop Cotton which we will
sell at 6c per pound.
Can you raise cotton at Six Cents?
This price is FOUR cents under average cost of
production.
First come, first ser\-ed. Telephone us your or
ders.
B. T. LOWE & CO.
Telephone No. 2501. 737 Reynolds Street.
(We can store the cotton for prospective buyers at
25c per bale per month.)
f
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13.
and at the present time the great
money market of this country.
"We propose, in a word, to ask the
Chicago banks to issue their full quota
of emergency currency and loan the
Southern farmer their surplus on his
cotton as collateral. This arrange
ment, if successful, will bring us relief*
and at the same time make it possible
for the Southern farmer to hold his
cotton off the market until the war
ends in Europe and normal conditions
are restored.
A Necessary Adjunct.
"Of course the money would have to
be loaned through the banks of the
South, and even though cotton would
constitute security, the farmer cannot
take his cotton to the bank in towns
a»d cities where there are no bonded
warehouses, get his money on It, and
leave the cotton In the bank. So,
therefore, tho national warehouse sys
tem was proposed. This is simply
that the farmer warehouse his own
cotton, bond himself and his own barn
—ls he cares to store his cotton then
and insure it—then Issue his own 19*
celpt, take It to the bank and get the
money on it. The farmer then, in S
way, becomes the United States. With
national standardization of cotton, the
plan is entirely feasible and perfectly
safe.”
The national warehouse system bill
has passed the senate, has been fa
vorably reported by the agricultural
committee of the house and is now up
to that body. Mr. Watson is doing
everything In his power to push it
through and get the bill signed by
President AVilson.
"It's a long corridor that has no ul
timate termination,” remarked the
absent-minded professor, as he pad
died patiently around in a revolving
door. /'
BLANCHARD & CO,
UNDERTAKERS
& EMBALMERS
1368 Broad Street.
Phone SISB.
Efficient Service Guaranteed
SPEED is the purpose of the type
writer.
ACCURACY is a requirement ot speed. •
STABILITY insures continued efflci- •
ency.
THE
Underwood
Has them all (See the Records).
"The Machine You Will Eventually
Buy.”
J. KNOX FELKER, Manager
Augusta Branch, 826 Broad Street.
PHONE 708.
Plant Now !
(Get Willet’s Fall Cata
logue.)
Onion Sets (Bermuda,
Crystal, Wax, Pearl,) Tur
nips, Carrots, etc.
Grains Wheat, Rye,
Barley, Oats, (our grains
are machined cleaned and
are worth double farmers’
stocks.)
Legume Bur Clover,
Vetch, Crimson Clover, etc.
N. L Willit Seed Ce."
AUGUSTA.