The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-28
COTTON'S RUINOUS SLUMP.
A Scheme Suggested 10 Put the Next
Crop up 10 Six Cents.

The New Plan oontemplates an Associ-
alton With Planters, Bankers and
Merchants as Members-The Acreage
TO DO Reduced one-Third-Money and
Supplies to be Advanced Only to
Those Entering Into the Agreement.
Violators 20 be Prosecuted for Per-
jury.
New Orleans. Dec. 27-The following
open letter to Gov Stone OF Mississippi,
who is president OF tho Cotton Growers
Association. win appear Friday morning
in number Of newspapers in the cotton
belt II is a practical letter from one OF
Natchez's most prominent practical and
successful business men:
Natchez. Miss. Dec. IS 1894. To Hon.
John NJ. Stone. Jackson. Miss. My Dear
Sir: learn through the public press that
there will be a meeting OF the Cotton
Growers Association. of which you are
the honored president. at Jackson, Miss.
on Jan. O.
] also learn that the object OF the con-
vention is to promote the welfare OF the
NoAfNNaNNAetA AAeH1f dAAAtAAAAA1 NOAADh
farmer, and to devise some way by which
his product may be enhanced in value and
made remunerative.
Some weeks ago. n convention Of this
kind met at Montgomery. Ala. passed
resolutions and adjourned without making
any progress towards the desired end If
the convention TO be held on Jan. Is
ha aF 80 - Ia.
speeches of advice TO the farmers telling
them what each and every one already
knows and TO pass resolutions, Il might as
well not be held.
What the farmer wants Is not advice.
but some plan presented by which the
price of his product win be increased by
the time his next crop Is ready for mar
kot.
Nahing can be done so far as this crop
/ Is concerned: Il Is so large as 20 have
become unwieldly, and even II there could
be, It would be OF little benefit, as II has
almost all passed out Of the farmers
hands or will have by the time the con.
venton could take action. With middling
| cotton selling to-day In New Orleans at
/ 8 cents per pound, the farmer at many
/ Interior points does not net more than
/ 10 4h cents, and unless a material reduce
]
price viii largely shrink before another
| year rolls around, bringing with II inev-
| table bankruptcy to the planters. mer-
chants and all others concerned. n ae-
| pendent upon the crop to pay their debts.
! While many Of US last spring talked
OF 5-cent cotton this fall and winter, still
! very few really believed Il, but we find
! the staple nearly / cent per pound lower
/ at many interior points and with a de-
clining tendency. and no one knowing
how much lower II will go.
Many OF our conservative merchants
think the cotton acreage OF the coming
| year will be as great as the past. Farm
ers have the land and the mules and say
that cotton Is the only saleable crop, and
the only one upon which they can get
advances. This may all be TRUE, but
| II It Is true and we should happen to
have as favorable a season as the past
one, the south will certainly be In q
| wretched condition.
Cotton sold on our streets several diff
/ ferent years before the war at 3ik cents
per pound, and / know OF entire crops
that only netted Sl4 per bale.
Now, there Is a remedy, and II can be
worked out by your convention, provided
| they will undertake the actual work. and
| not rely upon resolutions.
l would suggest that the convention
/ appoint a committee to draw up a char
ter for the organization of an association
u
bylaws 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 the cotton acreage TO the extent OF
one-third of last last years acreage.
Let the bylaws provide that the planter
or farmer shall pledge himself by oath.
that he will make this reduction, that
the merchant will only advance money
and supplies 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 supervisors be appointed by the
various county clubs, say one for each
police district to see that the obligations
are carried out, or bring the offenders be-
fore the grand jury for perjury.
IT will be necessary for bureau to be
established at once 10 organize these clubs
in the various counties, and as many will
be necessary / will guarantee this county
to pay at least $500 to carry out this prin-
ciple.
Some may say the Undertaking Is too
great, but 1t is no greater than was the
organizing of the White Camelia and
Knights of the Black Cross to which the
southern people 1ocked by the thousands
in a few months just after the war.
II this be done we may hope to get
cents per pound for our next crop. Yours
very truly ]. n. Carpenter.
KILLED UNDER HIS ENGINE.