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AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
view that it was altogether ridiculous to think about others besides themselves.
“Took after your own business and take no heed of others,” is their point of
view, an outlook which is not only narrow and selfish, but is extremely dangerous
especially in a trade such as that of cotton, which has world-wide ramifications.
So ingrained is this sectional way of looking at things, that I have never
had the support that I ought to have had for the surplus schemes I have advo-
cated on crucial occasions in the history of cotton during the past half century
When I put forward the scheme for warehousing surplus cotton, at the Atlanta
conference in 1907, in order that supplies might be safeguarded ‘and prices kept
at a level at which everybody could safely and evenly carry on business, there
was no great enthusiasm for it among those who, one would have imagined
would have been eager to protect their supplies of raw material; while my ad-
vocacy of a plan to put the surplus of the United States cotton crop of 1914
in reserve, at the time the war broke out, was received with such antagonism
that it led to my resigning the presidency of the Federation of Master Cotton
Spinners’ Association, a position I had held for 21 years, and subsequently to
my giving up the presidency of the International Cotton Federation of h
I had held for 11 vears. Since my resignation of the presidency of the En lish
body 13 years ago, I have declined to represent the Manchester and Di 5 et
Cotton Employers’ Association on the federation committee, and there for
disclaim all responsibility for the gross mismanagement that has cha tori oo
the conduct of the federations’ affairs during the past dozen years racterae
I mention these personal facts to show how largely my interests have
bound up in safeguarding cotton supplies and assisting the planter On. ol and
every occasion I have taken the side of the grower when he was th
with loss, and this for no sentimental reason, but because I hav ecognis ened
all times that this was solid business wisdom. Where are we AC ereognized
ask if the grower is obliged to go out of business? % 30. 4 wuld
ut while I have always favored a fair a
I have, like Mr. Stone in the article I have fad claus rom or yg ne pa
of deliberately restricting acreage under cultivation " That Tha Via
was a Bie and foolish policy, it being much better, surely Tn =
storage of any surplus there m i y i i
year to year. Otton the crop varios yy po roortan the crop is from
SO Storage, seeing that cotton is an article that can be on an
is both safe and essential. The planter must see at a gl I
of warehousing would benefit him, for he would tl Jing Som Sek 4 sys
£ be able to frustrate ti
present gambling on the exchanges, and kee his mn di —
paying level from year to year. The nr roo. moni by 8 pond, sang
more confidence, and this would keep the d 4 for be able to work with
tinuous. The consumer of cotton Sn Sox colin Sieany sod on
! 3 > er goods, on his part, would not be f i
impossible price conditions as the ir Ta ll wl 10t be faced with
in the raw material, and of Oochyntions eamied by gambling
article more plentifully, a nny - Toa he EH vo ny the finished
cotton grower. Tt is siability we are al ch would again react in favor of the
there would be no necessity to talk £ wanting, and once we could get that,
It can be taken for granted that the c Sosa by any scotion of the inode
in the future, for the world’s po pire will be more and not less cotton required
will come, and perhaps before opt tions are guutinually growing, and the time
cease to operate. There is nothing Lik Ty ¢ hampering effects of the war will
clothing the great mass of nothing i ely ever to oust cotton for the purpose of
will be ES as the time goes on. and the full product of every cotton field
Mr. Stone is right w avs t i
predict 3a gr ae eps that Agriculture can not be organized on the
cultural production is the weather, bo beat ine Sutstanding factor in agri-
shortage, as it may on the other hors} 1 e weather alone may be the cause of a
exceedingly well. After saving th tno. 28 SIPPIS a, Bhan puts the wouter
to Sean production bv MCR recast ! attempt has ever been made
“And it is just as wel is is the cose. Thar
should have thes Te Shot, this i de case. The farmer has no desire, and he
modity essential to life or to its o 2 ie power, to produce a famine in any com-
reaction to every period of as rderly course. And this would be the inevitable
Ta) conrad So apa distress. A constant surplus of agricul-
safety in the commercial and y necessary to the maintenance of a margin of
With this T agree entirel nl artuaing operations in such commodities.”
not a sufficient erop 0h por ils would be obliged to shut down if there were
fhe constant factor of safety a upon. Therefore, as he says, the surplus is
agree, further, that the planter in agriculture contributes to industrialism; and
stich case is deserving of special consideration.