The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-07
EARMoNY AT roar VALLEY.
Her Business Men Organize for Mutual
Advantage.

FORT VALLEY, GA, Feb. 6.-Saturday
evening the farmers, merchants and manu-
fscturers of Fort Valley and vicinity met
in convention to formulate plans and agree
ments whereby the business Of each may be
made mutual to the interest of the other
The meeting was most harmonious in every
particular and there seems to be little doubt
but what it will result in great good to this
section and to any other section where the
same friendly feeling is entertained between
the different classes and professions.
A poll OF the farmers resulted in the in
formation that there would be at least 25
per cent. less cotton planted than was
PLANTED last year, and that farmers we're not
using near so much commercial fertilizers as
they used last year, and what they were
using was being paid for in cotton seed.
Every thing pertaining to the future pros
perity of farmers, merchants, maDufAct~
urers and professional men were ably dis
cussed pro and con, which resulted in the
adoption OF the following resolutions:
WHEREAS, In order to depress the price of
cotton-our chief farm product--there is being
published and circulated in the markets OF the
world by designing spectators, information
which is erroneous, hurtful and unfounded in
fact to the effect that the acreage in cotton
will be largely increased this year; that the sale
of fertilizers will far exceed that Of last year;
and that planters are holding back much of
g,
It our duty planters merchants and citizens
70 contradict such reports and cOunteract such
scheming by procleimiug facts, and taking
timely warning ourselves to protect our inter
ests, We therefore, deny that the acreage
will or can be increased over last year to any ap-
probable extent from the following facts:
Planters and merchants have all lost money
by the poor crops and low prices of the past
two years. Many planters have been compelled
for the want OF credit to reduce their farming
TO a smaller scale, and many have baen broken
up entirely to meet obligations of the past year,
while merchants have Jared no better. High
prices of meat and other eatables render it i'm
possible for commission merchants to supply or
planters to obtain sufficiency of these essen
tails to meet the wants of the most conse va
tive much less the extravagant or aggressive
and imaginary tenant.
We deny that there will be any increase in the
use Of fertilizers this year we are informed by
manufacturers that their output will be 80 900
tons less than last year, in addition to the fact
that agents are demanding better security than
formerly. which many planters cannot give A
large percentage of the fertilizers used this
year are being paid for with cotton seed at q
to 80 cents q bushel, farmers preferring 1850
pounds of good commercial guano 10 six
bushels Of cotton seed to the acre, which ac-
counts for the present good demand for
fertilizers which would be greatly reduced
were it not for the high price of cotton seed.
We deny as planters that we are holding cot
tons of last year, since owing TO low prices 1t
was impossible for us to do so, and stat that
the amounts in the hands of farmers and stocks
years past.
Believing as farmers, it to be detrimental to
our interest las shown by the present price of
meatsl to raise cotton to the exclusion of pro-
visions; be it
Resolved, That we will endeavor to raise all
the food products that we need, and what cot
ton We can sfterward; be it further
Resolved, That we avoid going in debt; avoid
extravagant prices for both provisions and fer
tilizers; that we use our utmost endeavor to live
at home and board at the same place this year.
and to urge upon our colaborers in agriculture
throughout the south to do likewise.
These resolutions were unanimously
passed. Then there was a resolution offered
by G. G.. Gray, president of the Exchange
Bank. and one of tho largest merchants
here, that our farmers merchants, manu-
facturers and professional men form mutual
benefit clubs throughout Houston county
and urge our colaborers in every business
and profession throughout the south to do
the same thing, having only one bylaw, viz
Any man who attempts to inject any sec
tarianism or politics into any club shall be
ostracized and branded as poisonous dts
organizer so that the world may know him
far and near.
The purport OF these clubs will he to aid
one another and to hedge against the schem-
ing spectators,
They also denounced the Hatch bill as
deleterious to the financial prosperity OF the
southern farmer and directly in the inter
est of the western grain spectators, and, if
it passes, will urge the New York and New
Orleans Cotton exchanges to test its consti-
tutionelity before the supreme court OF the
United States before another cotton crop is
thrown upon the market