The Brookhaven leader., 1886-03-11
Interesting to Farmers.

Interesting to Farmers.
Tie following communication
from a prominent business man OF
Memphis was read before tile Inter
State Industrial Convention which
met at Jackson, Tcun Feb 2ith.
1t i an able document and should
he read and pondcrcd by every far.
mer in Mississippi
The manipulation bv spectators
of the cotton crop Of lSSj-S6, which
so depressed prices that they have
fallen below the actual cost Of pro.
duclion, forces upon the planters OF
the South the necessity OF relieving
themselves, rs far as in their power
lies, from the influence IT So ruin"us
svsttm as that which now controls
the chief cXportable product of the
country; and, with this end in view,
we. the representatives of the agri.
cultural interests OF Tennessee, in
convention assembled, call upon cur
brother planters OF all the Southern
States To protect themselves by
unired action.
"EmboLdcned hy past successes, the
speculator has already fixed a stan
dard price for the cotton crop of
lSS6-S7. This he has done before the
seed has been put in the ground or
even the plnws have been started
| Cotton futures Cor the month OF Oc-
tober, November and December,
1886. and January, 1887, ere to-day
quoted in New York at from S 90 to
| 8 .7j, according To the month. This
means not exceeding 81 cents for
middiing cotton in New York, or s /
cents at the principal cotton ship
ping ports Of the South, including
such cities as New Orleans, Charles
too, Savannah, Mobile, Augusta,
Gal,esto and Memphis. Mid
ding cotton at these cities selling
for 81 cents means not mole than
# cents to the planter, who must
pay freight. insurance and regular
commission charges, which generally
average ltum ! t. cent cr pound.
Now in view of these conditions
so ruinOus If our interest, we appeal
to the intelligence Of the cotton
grower, and ask him, can he pay
the expense Of farming and make
even bare living Ivy selling cotton
at II cents per pound The an
swcr Is already given in the mega,
tive. The next question following
this is, what is The remedy We
answer, diversified crops; plant one
third less cotton and more grain and
grasses; raise hogs and homlny.
Let cotton be a surplus crop; III.
stead of producing 100000 bales
make only 100000 bales. BY this
means we may realize living price
for our labor and ut the same time
live independently OF the specuat-
ing sharks who profit by onr losses.
In addition to this the Legislatures
of each of the Southern States
should be petilioned to make deal
ings in future delivery, unless the
cotton is actually in hand to sell
and is actually delivered at the time
OF delivery to the contracting pur-
chaser, felony punishable by fine
and imprisonment not less than
$1,000 and two years in the pcnlten-
liary.
The time is now propitious for
united action, and we appeal to the
press Of the South TO aid us IN our
efforts by giving every publicity to
this protest and appeal. which we
feel cannot but result bencIicialIy
to the planter if promptly acted up
on and lived up to honestIy.'
The matter OF this communica-
ton was adopted unanimously as
he sense OF the convention, together
with an amendment including deal
ing in futures in provisions and
brcadstuffs.