The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-11-05
LESS COTTON MUST BE PLANTED.
A Reduction in Acreage of One-Thtrd
Reconmended-Pickin Ginning
and Classification Discussed.
Four Glasses Demanded
Atlanta Constitution, Oct. 80.


ATLANTA Constitution, Oct. 80.
Forty cotton growers, representing
four Southern States, held a conference
at the capitol yesterday, and discussed
practical questions connected with thelr
occupation. The Cotton Acreage Con-
gress was the name adopted. The ses-
sions were held in the Senate chamber.
Col. J. O. Waddell, president of the
Georgia Agricultural Society, called the
congress to order at o'clock. He stated
that the purpose of the convention was
to devise some plan by which the acre
age of cotton can now be reduced, the
annual crops now being greater than
the worlds consumption. TO this over
supply of course is due the low prices,
and, as every one knows, the planter IS
carrying on an Improbable business.
With him the question is how can more
money be made out of cotton. Many
believe that the only way IS to plant
less and reduce the crop. South Caro-
lina's agricultural society first proposed
that a congress of this kind be held to
discuss the reduction of the number OF
acres planted. Georgia's agricultural
society took up the question and coin
cided and suggested that such con-
vention should be called for Atlanta.
Col. Il. p. Duncan, South Carolina,
was elected chairman Of the coLgress
and Col. James Barrett, of richmond,
was chosen secretary.
Col.ILyons, ,!of Gainesville, opened the
discussion ii a speech urging reduction
of acreage. 1t would not do TO attempt
to cut down 80 per cent. the first year,
lie said, but the reduction should be
made gradually and extended over
series Of years. -,
Mr. Brown, of Ala bama, stated that
in the black belt of his State it would
| be a hard matter to get cooperation On
any plan to plant less.
Mr.. Smith, of Butts County, made
short speech advocating the suo'trea-
sury plan.
Col. Livingston made the speech OF
the day. 1t was full of good points, and,
although not meeting the views OF all
in certain statements, was III the main
a most interesting and practical talk on
picking and ginning and preparing tor
market. In my early days cotton was
handled better than it Is now. These
days the rule seems to be, pick in
hurry, gin in a hurry and sell in
| hurry. Payday used to be on the lst
Of January. Then it moved back 10
December 25, after while to Novenl-
Der |, then to October Is, and now 1t is
September l. | reckon i'll five years 1t
will he August l." The president of
the Alliance accounted for this movable
payday on the ground that shorter
credits are given all around now, and
the merchant has to settle his bills
earlier than in the past.
Taking up ginning, he said: 81 wish
this body would pass resolutions coz
de:nning public gins. The question
With the ii. plic ginners is not how well
they can gin cut how fast. And they
cut so in price thai meuwho know no"
to gin cannot afford to d,, u.
"Why, lot of these puUlIc glnners
don't know any more about their busl-
ness than hog does.
II have been ginner all my life
and my father was a glnner before
me.
1.-The South this year has lost three
fourths of cent OH every pound OF cot
ton in the handling" Colonel Living
ston traced the usual method of hand
ling cotton from the picking of trash,
ginning while wet, poor covering, rol-
| ling from the bale INTO the mud, rob-
bing in the samp!ing and waste at
every turn from start to finish. All OF
this comes out Of the planter, too. The
present method of handling cotton Is
wicked aud outrageous.
"What do you think Of 25, 900 bales
of cotton from samples in New Orleans
in one season? Why, the handsome
cotton exchange building in New Or
leans was built from samples"
Colonel Livingston demanded new
system of classification. Instead of hav-
| ing from twelve to seventeen classes,
four would be enough, he declared, and
let them be known as first second,
third and fourth. The average planter
connot tell anything about cotton when
it goes under middling. More money
was made on last years crop than has
ever been made on any other crop since
the war Why, Il merchant III my
town made ST. on one bale. He bought
il for 81 and sent the bale TO Augusta
and it brought 10 cents" The speaker
urged the cotton growers to get nearer
| to the manufacturers and to try to sell
direct instead Of through middlemen.
He stated that he could sell 10 ,OGO
bales right of to an exporter II the cot
ton could he stored and delivered on
weekly or monthly contracts. Another
SUGGESTION OF Colonel Livingston's was
that the counties have sales days and
that the classification in each county he
done by sworn experts. There is ! cent
lost in classification, and that means
$50, ,OO', 900 on the crop. TO employ
| disinterested experts III every county
would cost cnly a small part of that
sum.
Colonel Livingston went on to say
that there is difference of cents :'e-
tween the price in Savannah and in
LIVERPOOL, and the cost ofcarrying cot
ton from one port to another is only II
cent. Somebody is making q cents
simply for the handling.
Mr.. Gregg. of South Carolina, intro
dured the following resolutions:
| Whereas, The Southern States OF
america have reduced the price Of short
staple cotton below a remunerative pro-
duction; therefore be it recommended
bv the committee of cotton growers.
l. That we hereby pledge ourselves
not to plant more than twelve ACRES to
the plow. =,
,. That we will not rent more land
for planting in cotton than twelve acres
to the plow, run by tenants.
3. That We will Use our Individual
efforts to enforce the above resolutions
in our respective States.
After Short discussion on these reso-
lutiops, Col. Lyons offered the follow
ing, W hich was adopted.
Whereas, This cotton acreage con-
veution, assembled in the city OF At
lanta, October %, 1891, realizes the ne
cessitv V OF taking some action in regard
to u reduction of the cotton crop n the
several cotton-growiDg States; there
fore be it 49,.
Resolved, By this convention, that
they recommend that each OF the cotton
STATES call a convention in the near
f,,tr., ond adOpt resolutions looking to