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COL WATSON PJ ENCE TO PRC President of the Unit Congress, Planter Invited to Columbia, Aug.2.?In view of th tremendous uncertainty attending the status of the cotton crop the following extraordinary call has been issued to the Southern cotton congress by President E. J. Watson: "To the people of th? cotton belt: "In 1911, in the face of an impending disaster to cotton, with 16,000,000-bale crop almost certain to drive the price to 8 cents or lower, entailing incalculable loss to the producer, at the suggestion of the Farmers union, the cotton growers, the merchants, the business men and the bankers of the South met in Montgomery, Ala., and formed the Southern cotton congress, inaugurating the great fight for the maintenance of a fair price for cotton, resulting by December of that year in a complete victory over the manipulators, and saving millions of dollars to the producers and to the nation, means being employed that it is needless tc discuss. "When the congress was adjourning, as the president of the body, the undersigned undertook to push the fight for justice to cotton in the markets and to be the watch dog and the tower sounding the call for action only when cotton was again threatened with disaster. The body adjourned subject to the call of the president and with the understanding that such next meeting would be held in Atlanta, Ga. "Since 1911 there has been nc necessity for the congress to meet and hence I have issued no call, foi no great disaster has been imminent at any time. "Though the iniquitous methods ol marketing that have been permitted to prevail have not yet been cured by national governmental action, and this had become a vital matter tc cotton growers, almost necessitating the calling of the congress to wrestW with the problem, we have preferred *- >??? nt thp TTnited iu a v> ax t iuc hvuvu v* w?.? States congress in that regard. "Cotton is not alone the South's chief asset; it is the chief asset of the nation, preserving the world's bal' ! . ance of trade in favor of the United States and bringing to America hei ; * golden stream, t. Impending Danger. In the past few days the great European cotton-consuming countries have been plunged into a war, which it now appears, brings the growei and handler of cotton face to fact with disaster. In two days the price of cotton has begun to fall startlingly Cotton is about to move to the markets, the markets are about to be curtailed by millions of bales and ? '" closed. From the standpoint of the financial stability and integrity of tlie nation itself, of the producer, of the banks and bankers, of the merchants and business men, of every commer cial interest of our own textile plants it is vital that the 1914 crop of American cotton shall not be sacrificed tc the irreparable damage of a prosperous and rapidly developing section of the Union and of the nation. "I don't believe in business hysteria and for several days have waited and watched the course of events^ It is clear that great damage has already been done, certainly more than can be undone were there ah immediate suspension of hostilities r V Whether the danger of a total financial loss for one year at least tc growers of cotton is impending is immaterial; the danger is sufficient!? manifested to show that the time foi concerted action between growers merchants, business men, bankers cotton manufacturers and even the national government itself has come Extraordinary Call. "I am, therefore, exercising the authority voted in me by the Southern cotton congress, and after consultation with officials of the Farmers' union, the most important regular organization of Southern cottor o-rnn-Qi-c on,l ivitVi hnsinpss mpn. is suing this call for an extraordinary , session of the Southern cotton congress to be held on August 13-14 1914. In view of the fact that it is important that all members of the congress of the United States should be given the opportunity to confei directly with those so vitally affected the session is hereby called to meet in Washington. D. C., instead of Atlanta, Ga. An invitation to attend the congress is hereby extended to the president of the United States, the secretary of the treasury, of agriculture and other cabinet officers and all members of both houses of the United States congress, the governors and commissioners of agriculture of the cotton States, the president of the National Farmers' union, and the president of each State Farmers' un LANS CONFERDTECT PLANTER.' :ed States, Members o 5 and Business Men be Present s ion, and the officers thereof, and th ! presidents and officers of each c State unions, the governor and com [ j missioner of agriculture in each Stat in the cotton belt, and the presiden , of each State Farmers' union, eac } State bankers' association, each Stat i cotton seed crushers' association, an ! each commercial organization ar i J hereby earnestly requested to appoin oo monv Hoiop-atoc as thpv mav deer , i proper to attend this extraordinar '1 session of the congress, and all col j ton farmers, bankers, business mer i merchants and members of trade an 1 commercial organizations are invite i to attend, whether regularly appoinl s! ed as above provided or not. i "The date fixed is at the time whe cheap round trip excursion rates ar s! on 6ale to Washington. Due ar 1 nouncement of the hour and place c j meeting will be made through th > | press. > (Signed) "E. J. Watson, "President." .! ^ >| Smith Urges Protection. ' I Columbia, Aug. 1.?Senator E. E , Smith, who passed through the cit 11 last night, gave out the following: .{ "The appalling fall in the price c . cotton that has taken place withi: > I the last few days as the result of th I threatened war in Europe shoul . give concern and anxiety to ever person of the South. If the pric , I now indicated should be maintaine ; I through the next few months the dis i aster to the South would be beyon t' calculation. It would go even furthe | than that, because the United State ?| looks to the South to furnish cotto II to Europe in sufficient quantity t turn the balance of trade to America [ Without our cotton crop the balanc > of trade every year would go again? ; us in favor of Europe. The matte ,! is, therefore, of nation-wide impoi [ j tance, and it behooves the people c [; the South qot only to take action t J protect themselves but to protect th ; entire United States. That soma ?; thing must be done is plainly appai .! ent. The war coming as it may a I this time, when the bulk of the col ton crop is to be marketed, the si1 ' I ~ uation is filled with the greatest grav ity. It is hardly possible that such war could last more than thre . months, but that would be Ion l enough to bring disaster upon ever . Southern cotton planter. . Advises Conference, s j "In view of this distressing situa . tion 1 would advise that if the pros pects for peace are not brighter i i the next few days a conference b I called at Columbia of the farmers s: bankers, merchants and other bus: i ness men of the State with a view c > providing means for holding off c s the market the cotton that will soo i be forced upon it. .: "I have heretofore attempted t | point out to the farmers the disas ? trous effect on the entire crop of thi "distress" cotton. The federal gov t ernment is keenly alive to the situa tion. I am sure we can count on th hearty co-operation of President Wil j son and Secretary McAdoo in an .: plan that will avert this appallin : disaster to the South and the natior i This matter has given me consider | able concern, and I felt a desire t . direct the attention of the people t this threatened disaster sooner, bu >! in view of the fact that we are in th midst of a heated political campaig r I have refrained. But I do not no^ ' feel that this is a sufficient reason t .! restrain me any longer. Time to Vnite. ' j "A few days since Che newspaper " reported that in view of the grav crisis which confronted England he ! people had forgotton their politica " differences, which were very acut< Let us follow their example, and i ' this grave crisis which confronts th " l the industrial welfare of our peopl 1; let us forget our political difference "iand give our best thought to som plan by which those who produce col 'j ton and those who are dependent up on it may receive proper return fo '! their labor. ! 1 "I would greatly appreciate it i 1! those in the State who are intereste j in this movement would write me a ?j Columbia, giving me the benefit c :' their suggestions, so that a rneetin ' may be called and plans outline which may be promulgated through " out the cotton States." August ivonn. i "Why do you feed every tramp wh I conies along? They never do an II work for you? 1 "Xo," said the wife, "but it is quit > a satisfaction to me to see a man ea i a meal without finding fault with th ; cooking."? Louisville Courier-Join nal. WHEN TT llJuli^==- I e if Le it h ^ e d e it * You want to make a d good impression you put nn vnur hftst clothes and make as good an appearance as possible. ;J You should use the same iS 1 :* tactics when vou ero after new business by using j I I?%_f/\_nofo Qfn fmnprv . ^U"ii/"i/ak^ k^tuuviivi j When you want something neat and nice at a //! 11.1* _ )) "live and let live pnce come to The Herald OfL fice. We print anything. o o t You are going to want legal blanks before long. ? * i 1 Let us nave your oraer I >ir if d it if I JIOW 1 ' irf' '% % :M ? * ' -..-.- ->. ?