acreage in cotton. It may be pointed out that one effective way to offset the losses from low-priced cotton is for the South to invest more and more in cotton mills, that benefit from these prices, and the logic of the situation would have cotton growers invest their available capital and saving in cotton manufacture. The true aim of the South should be not only to produce the cotton, but the clothing for the world. And every country in the South should have cotton mill industries organized with local capital and should develop and educate its labor for the high grades as well as coarse. Summing up, the general conclusions and recommendations are as follows: 1. The cotton growers should have a wide, permanent organization with a general convention once a year. 2. A standing committee composed of, say, two members for each cotton growing state, should be appointed to investigate and report each year upon the existing and prospective conditions of supply of cotton. 3. A similar committee should be appointed to investigate and report each year upon the existing and prospective conditions of the demand for cotton. 4. There should be established a comprehensive and carefully organized storage warehouse system. 5. The great agents for increasing the price of cotton are _peace_, prosperity and civilization. 6. The arch-enemy of the cotton growers is _war_. The permanent cause of cotton must look to the peoples beyond the sea, especially China. The fate of China hangs upon peace or war—peace or war depends upon America—America’s influence depends upon her navy. THE MASTER-HAND. BY GARNET NOEL WILEY Sometimes at half-mast, all my hours A drooping banner seem to lie In listless folds, along the calm, Still blue of boundless stagnancy. Grieving, I think, because somewhat Within my soul is near to die. Enow the master-hand of Love Plucks at my banner’s guiding string, Until it flutters in the breeze, And pulses like a living thing. Joyous, I think, because somewhat Within my soul hath need to sing. THE BOY IN GRAY. By Will N. Harben, Author of “Abner Daniel.” One day in midsummer I went to visit the old plantation of the Lansdale family. The moment I entered the cooling shade of the tall trees on the lawn something seemed to tell me that I was on a spot hallowed by human suffering and misfortune.