Edward Atkinson was a prominent American economist and social reformer in the late 19th century, known for his advocacy of progressive economic policies and his work on behalf of workers and consumers. This speech, given at a time of great change in the Southern cotton industry, addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the cotton market and proposes solutions for promoting economic growth and social justice. A fascinating document of 19th-century American economic and social thought.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.