The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1886-03-03
An Appeal TO Cotton Planters.
Let h9a. Unite Together to. Protect
1,,r,,. e1,..4 4,a,,, the .S,.c,jo,ors -

Let h0l. Unite Together to, Protect
T,hen.selresJront the Spectators: =
MEMPHIS, Tenn. February ?26.--
The Inter State Agricultural Con-
vention, which has been in sessiun at
jackson, Tenn, since "Wednesday.
adjourned this evening. The. follow.
ing resolutionwas adopted. with an
amendment to include breadstuff. and
hag products as we'll as cutton:
The manipulation by speculators Of
the cotton crop of 1885 S6, which so
depressed prices that they have fallen
below the actual cost Of production,
forces upor the planters of the South
the necessity Of relieving themselves,
as far as in their power lies, from the
influence Of 80 ruinous a system as that
which now controls the chief ex-
portu BILE product of the country, and
with this end in view the rCpresen.
tatives Of the agricultural intsresfs Of
Tennessee, In convention assembled,
call upon our brother planters of al
the Southern States to protect them
selves by united action. Emboldensd
by past successes, the speculator has
fixed the standard price for the cotton
crop Of 18S6.87. This. he has done
before the seed has been put in the
ground, or even the ploughs have been
started. Cotton futures for the months
of Octo Der, November and December
1886, and January, 1887, arc tc
day quoted in New York At from
$40 to S75, according to months. This
means not exceeding 81 cents fnl
middling cotton in New York, or s!
cents at the principal shipping port,
Of the South, including such cities a,
New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah
Augusta. Mobile Galveston sN1 lem
pIis. Mid9ARs-eShasna Z -Stssn at thes. citie.
! selling t2T 81 cents mans. Mot move
than 1t cents to the planter, Who must
pay freight, Insurance and regular
com m ission charges, which generally
average from I to cent per pound.
Now, in view of these conditions, so
ruinous to our Interests, We appeal to
the intelligence of the cotton grower,
and ask him can he pay the expense OF
farming and make even bare living
by selling cotton at ~ cents per pound
The answer a already gwen in the
negative. The next question following
up.n this If: What is the remedy! We
answer: Diversified cr6pr; plant one,
third less cotton and more grain and
grassss, raise hogs and hominy, let cot
ton be the surplus crop. instead of
producing six and a half million bales
make only four and a half million
bales. By tli. means We may realize
a-largs price for our labor. and aat TIE
same :stfps live independently 7of
sPseplaAng sharks who profit nv our
losses. In addition to'this, the Legs,
latures-ofeach Of the Sduthern States
should be petitipned to make dealings
for future delivery, unless cotton is
delivered to the contracting purchaser,
a felony punishable by fine and I'M
prisonment. not less than one Thousand
dollaFs and two years in the penitsn-
tiary. The time is now proptious for
united action; and we appeal to the
press If the S"utb To nil US iu our
efforts by giving every ublioi.y to lIsis
protest, All appeal WHICH we feel can.
not but result henefciaIIy if prompt in
action aud lived up to honestly.