Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-28
AN OPEN LETTER To Gov. John M, Stone of Missis-
 aippi on Cotton
AND HOW TO RAISE THE PRICE
Of the Staple From It's Present Status by One Who Has
 Had Experience.

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 27.-The following open letter to Governor Stone of Mlssis- sippi, who is president of the Cotton Growers association, will appear Friday morning in a numbsr of newspapers in the cotton belt. It is a practical letter from one of Natchez's most prominent, practi- cal and successful business men.
 NATCHEz, Miss, Dsc. 26, 1894. To Hon. John NJ. Stone, Jackson, Miss - My DEAR SIR: 1 learn through the pub lie press that there will b u meating of the Cotton Growers us socation, Of winch you are the honored president, at Jackson, Miss, on January g. also learn that the object of the convention is to promote the welfare of the agricultural class, particularly the cotton farmer, anu to devise some way by which his product may be enhanced in value and made remunerative. Some weeks ago a convention of this kind met in Montgom- cry, adopted resolutions and adjourned without any progress toward the desired end. IL the convention to be held January Q is for the purpose of listening to winuy speeches of adv ce 10 the farmers, telling them what each and every one already knows, and to pass resolutions, 1t might as well not be held.
 What the farmer wants is not advice, but some plan by which the price of his product will be increased by the time his
 
 Nothing can be done 50 far as this crop is concerned. It is so large as to have be- come unwleldy, and even if there could be, it would be of little benefit, as it has al- most all passed out of the farmers hands, or will have by the time the convention could take action. With midding selling today in New Orleans at cents per pound, the farmer of the interior points doesn't net more than 10 Az cents, and unless material reduction in acreage @t.ta NsytiI lax alxv shrink before another year rolls around, bringing with it inevitable bankruptcy to the planters, merchants and all concerned if dependent upon the crop to pay their debts.
 While many of us last spring talked of very few believed it, but will fnd the sta pie nearly 1 cent per pound lower at many interior points and with declining ten- dency, and one knowing how much lower it will go. Many of our conserya- tive merchants think the cotton acreage of the coming year will be as great as the past, as the farmers have the land and the mules, and say that cotton is the only sal able crop and the only one upon which they can get advances.
 This may be all true, but if 1t is true, and we should happen 10 have as favorable a season as the past one, the south will certainly be in wretched condition. Opt ton sold on our streets several times h different years before the war at 3la cents per pound, and know of entire crops that only netted S14 per bale. Now there is a remedy, and it can be worked out by yonr convention, provided they will undertake the actual work and not rely upon resolu- tions.
 would suggest that the convention ap- point committee to draw up charter for the organization of an association throughout all the cotton states, also by- laws for the government of clubs to be formed in every county throughout the cotton belt, making eligible not only farmers, but merchants and bankers.
 Let the cardinal principle be reduction of cotton acreage to the extent of one-third of last year's acreage.
 Let the by-laws provide that the planter or farmer shall pledge himself by oath that he will make this reduction; that the mer- chant will only advance money and sup plies to those that will agree to this basis, and that the banker will only advance to planters and merchants who will carry out this obligation in good faith. Let super vsors be appointed by the various county clubs, one for every police district, to see that the obligations are carried out or bring the offender before the grand jury for perjury.
 It will be necessary for bureau to be es- the various counties, and money will be necessary 1 will guarantee this county to pay at least $500 to carry on this work. Some people may say that the under taking is too great, but 1t is no greater than was the organizngi E. 95 nan the Cross, to which the southern people fiocked by the thousands in few months just after the war. Ifthis be done we may hope to get cents per pound for our next crop. Yours very truly