The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-05-27
SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.
Mississippi Valley Cotton Planters Ass

citation.
The Mississippi Valley Cotton Planters
Association held its first annual meeting at
Vicks0urg on the 18th. The Association en-
braces the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Ten
nessee, Mississippi and Alabama. Its objects
are to spread ideas OF cooperation and
unitedly oppose any evil that may bear on
theiy class. 1t has been organized one year,
and is now on firm footing Delegates from
all the States embraced were on hand to the
number of four hundred. President Z. {.
Moorhead opened with an address, he re.
tie Labor Convention called afterwards,
which, being composed largely of political
trieksteFs, was turned into political meet
ing TO the diStaste of the citizens. The As
socia iOsl, starting at that time, thought
to be the offspring of the Convention, and
had struggled to remove the impression. The
ideas OF the Association were-dlVerSlty OF
crops, labor and labor saving machinery, and
the 6rst years work had borne percepuble
results. The levee systemhad been memorial
fZed, but the yellow fever at Memphis had
thrown damper ON the work. Tue Asso-
citation would make war upon all moaopoleS,
the COZ on-seed ring, and dealers in futures
On immigration Tennessee was foremost,
Arkansas next, and Louisiana luke warm
while Mississippi, by the action OF the last
Legislature, in not eNpendng dollar on-lm-
migration, has record of keeping the
state back ten years. At the con
clusiOn of a business-Hke address,
the Association proceeded to elect officers.
Mr.. +. G. MoOrhcad, of Mississippi, was re-
elected President, with the following Vice
Presidents: Hon. II. r. Luca- Louisiana;
Hon. 5. +. COckrill Arkansas; Hon. j. Wesley
Wick Mississippi: Hon. J. b killebrew, Ten
neSSee. and DIR. Thomas Il. Taylor, Alabama.
Resolutions were reported and unanimously
adOpted-Indorsing the Mississippi River
Commission and ITS OBJECT, ana earnestly re-
questing Representatives in Congress to pass
a bill that will look to the commencement of
the work as soon as the weather permits; de-
clarin immigration to be the greatest need of
the South and of the Nation, and recommend
ingthe establishment of bureaus in the several
States as the best means by which their re-
sources can be made known. The GUAR vas
directed 10 appoint com mittee OF ten, two
from each State represented, to cooperate
with bureaus Of the respective states and as
siSt in the collection of data calculated TO in
duce immigration, and earnestly recommend
ing that liberal appropriations be made tor
the general purposes; also, committee OF
three, whose duty 1t shall be TO examine ana
report, at the December meeting, on the Ia
Dor question, suggesting such legislation Us
may be deemed necessary and proper, and
also the means by which such legislation can
be most speedily obtained. After reviewing
at length the injurious practice OF sell
ing cotton seed instead OF returning
the same to the soil, a resolution was
passed that the Association recommend
that the sale of the same be discontinued or
curtailed, or that it be exchanged tor cotton
seed meal, committee to be appointed to
confer and ascertain on what terms the cN
change can be made; and further, that If Is
deemed impolilc to sell cottOn-seed under
any consideration on cotton futures. 1t was
also resolved that the Association denOunce
the sale of futures as inimical to the planting
interest, and that it is a spc les of gambling
transaction which falsely represents the crop
prospects and causes ruinonS fluctuations,
that the factors do not participate in them at
all. committee was appointed to open cor .
respOndence with all inventors or owners I
of agricultural nr--lncry to enter into
competitive trial at Vick~burg, said commit
tee to decide or recommend such as are avail /
able, and to award suitable prizes or diplO- /
mas. The present system of steamboat trans /
pOrtation was declared burdensOme, and the [
encouragement of barge lines was recon- I
mended. The action of factors in New Or /
leans in abOlishing the One-fOuTth per cent. /
brokerage against the producer is commend !
ed, and the present system of averaging sales |
is declared to be detrimental to the producer. |
1t was resolved that as this AsSOcia- /
ton has extended its cOuTtcseS to |
all Cotton Exchanges, and as the /
interests of the two are paramount, they F.
ask as a right to have equal representation in
the various state Exchanges, and also in the .
National Cotton Exchange, and the President ,
was requested to recommend for membership .
at least two eminent planters of each State. I
Hon. Edward Atkinson, of Boston Mass, was /.
elected an honorary member of the AssOcia- (
ton, in recognition of his services for the ,
same.