The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-07-09
The Mississippi Valley Cotton Planters
Association.
Extract of the Interesting Address of
President Woodruff.
The Cotton Crop and Its Relation to
the Commerce of the World.
Interesting Statistics.
Nicksburg Herald.l

the active interest Tllt a. lis ~ntgHS-
You must bear in mind, however. that thi
assemblaee i only a miniature of even ou
present membership which j. already sprca,
over large territory. ami that il H. NOT iu
cumbeut on members from other communities
r 10 attend the monthly meetings of the Par,u
Association except when general action %
Important and urgent interests may b
required, and then by specialc - and with .b,
further exception provided Tor by the low
laws which requires general annual mcttiu.
OF the entire Association. Ii would be- un
necessary and impractical To require or ask .
general monthly attendance here from sub
Associations which are spread over four rr,7
States Zach sub-AssoCIatiou has itS uwI
monthly meeting which Is FIXED ten dav- be.
fore the meeting OF the Parent Association
and through which they can communicate &,
Us IN time TO lay the same before our regular
monthly meeting, then report on the condition
OF crops, labor, experiments trials of new
machinery or implements. and auv Other
matters worth reporting. These reports will
| be given back To sub-asSociations tugrth,t
with any action taken ttclyat4, s,..,I tI..
proceedings OF the regular monthly meeting
81 the Parent Association, in 4 condensed
form through the medium OF the Planters
Journal, which will be the Official Journal of
| the Association, and edited under It's auspices
| by The Planters Journal Company OF this
city. 1t may be well to add here that the
| Association Is in no wise stakeholder in
"Ihe Planters Journal Company" and incurs
| no financial liability for its issues but "Thc
| Planters Journal Co." will bc a distinct and
separate corporation. The Association how
| ever, through its Executive Committee have
| agreed and promised that the Planters Jour
nal shall receive the cordial, moral and ma
| terIal support OF the Association and its
members, and | congratulate the committee
on being able to command confidence and
capital To the extent OF inaugurating so great
and good a work without incurring one dollar
liability for the Association. The Planters
Journal will be devoted To advancing the
material agricultural interests of our country
by urging the Importance of adopting into our
systems OF farming more science and economy.
1t will give much attention to live stock and
the Improvement OF the breeds thereof and
the introduction of improved labor-saving
machinery and implements, and besides
numberless other important subjects will in
wife full and free discussion through its col
umns by the planters and others on all the
great questions affecting their interests, labor.
machinery, and implements, systems Of cul-
ture, taxes freights, insurance, etc, except
politics Therefore / do not think our Execu-
tive Committee promised too much when they
said such journal should and would receive
the cordial support not only of this Assoeia-
ton but every person interested in the wei
fare, elevation and progress of our country. |
have adopted the plan of opening our meeting
with lew remarks to thus endeavor more
efficiently to direct the minds OF the Associa-
ton and others to not only the importance but
absolute necessity of the movement we have
undertaken, and the gravity of the situation
and interests which compcls such vigilance
and organization on our part
Let us then, by strong and determined will
rapidly organize the Association TO it, maxi /
mum strength, that we may the earlier derive /
Its maximum benefit God grant for all our
sakes, our childrens and our couutry'- sakc-. |
II may continue TO increase and prosper, until /
we gain ut least strength and power 70 that /
extent that we shall no longer be hcwcrs of /
wood and drawers OF water for the balance of /
the world. | doubt ii many of our people .
have ever reflected on or considered the vast
capital and mass of humanity who depend di- /
rcctly and indirectly for their sustcnauce ON 1
our cotton crop. For the benefit therefore. of /
those who have not, | have made the follow |
ing conservative estimate Of thi- industry Of /
ours, the greatest in the world, and in doing /
81 can but express the wonder and amazemeut
which must strike every oue-that Is up To- ,
the time OF the organization OF this As.ocia- /
ton, we asriculturists, representing hundreds .
OF millions of dollars invested, and who are
the foundation and bulwark of this mighty .
interest and trade, We're totally without any
organization by which these interests could be
looked after and protected. II transportation
charged us double ireights We had
tanely to submit thereto if commission mer-
chants and cotton exchange chose to put this
OF tildl CiiifGe on our lIfDuuct-. or dictate TINS
or that regulation concerning cotton, the plan
ter had to submit, insurance companies could
charge what they pleased with 10 say
nav Cotton brokers could add their ! brok-
erage and no Remembrance; press men, bag
giua and tie companies and all others could sci
their prices, and the planters had 10 pay the
fddlers in all cases In other words and plain
English, the planters without organization
were utterly and entirely helpless to correct
any outrage OF imposition on their Interests.
Now as an individual no planter could make
any Roadway against these and other i'm
positions, however much he might remon-
strate but n powerful Association could
correct them, Tor uni0n l. recognized TO be
power all over the world. Like the Miler-'
Association OF the North which By small
contribution from each mill company, legally
fought and whipped out several patents and
other impositions that otherwise would have
seriously embarrassed ii they had not over
whelmed their interest, or like the combina-
ton of the Standard Oil Company, which bv
the shipment of all the oil brought
the Railroads to their knees. Now ! would {
not have any one infer from these remarks
that this Association as an Association or in
intend to make any unreasonable
dem ands, but | do say it will be our province
on any and all occasions to prevent imposition
On our interests, and to assert and stand
squarey up for all commercial rights / will ;
now direct your attention to the estimates al
crops and land are left out of the question
save cotton, and that | use the estimates which
the Financial Chronicle makes Of the growing
crop, which exceeds 100000 bales, but
which we will call 100000 in round num-
bers.
A crop Of 100000 bales, averaging three
acres to produce bale would give US 10000
300 acres at - per acre, Sl20,000,O00.
One mule or horse 70 twenty-five acres, 800,-
300 muler at $50 SD 900 600 !
Implements, harness, etc, and machinery,
$50, 100000.
Showing permanent Investment OF S242, OOO,-
DOO
Averaging three bales per hand, would re-
Iuire ,666,666 laborers, to feed and clothe
which for year with their dependents would
average $50 each, $50, 500, 667.
To feed team at $40 per mule, 100000 mules
$50, 100000. (
Cost of bagging and ties at 81 40 per bale
81 600, 900.
Cost of marketing crop at II cents per
pound would give S25,000,000.
Working capital SAG, 777,777.
Average price expected for pI esent crop, IL
,ents for 1000, 100000, S2200O0,00O.
Recapitulation Now we have-Perma-
lent investment OF Planters, S242000,0O0;
Working capital SAG, III M.
Total capital invested exclusively in cotton I
this estimate being made for
he share system and not wages, $685., III III.
Amount received for total crop, 1920, 000,-
100; which Is divided equally between the
planters and laborers planters therefore re- 7
GIVE $4,000 000-from which deduct feed 1
or team chargeable to planter, $50, 900, 900 T
lalf cost bagging and ties chargeable to plan '
er, 8, 100000; half marketing crop charge l
lble to planter, Sl2.500, 900; 20 per cent in :
oss and decreased value stock Sl4 400, 900; 20
,er cent in loss and decreased implements and Il
machinery SI0,000,O0O. Total, So, 400. 900. c
Repairing fences, houses, etc, at 10 per cent.
N permanent investment, $12000,0 900.
Taxes on permanent Investment, 3 per cent
z ,260, 600
Deduct these amounts from Planters share 4
# crop, $4,000, 600 which shows planters "
rofit ON total investment for cotton alone Is a
bout II per cent, provided we get II cents s.
ar cotton rnata < 900 o00 bsIee ana ~. l.. o