The Forrest City times., 1894-11-09
ALLOW AT GAMBLING IN FUTURES. General Call for an Anti-Optlon
 Convention.
The Commercial Bodies of Vioks- burg Invite Those Opposed to Gambling Tn Staple Products
 TO Join Tn it's Suppression.
Tn Cotton Planters, Grain Growers. Fsc- tors, Commisson Merchants, Bankers, and all Others Interested in the As- r1cuitural Interests of tho
 Country.

The undersigned, joint committee of the Vicksburg Board of Trade and the Vicksburg Cotton Exchange. de- sire to call your earnest attention to a Convention to be held in the city or Vicksburg, Miss, on the goth day or November, with the view of impress ing upon the United States Senate the importance of passing the Hatch Bill or some kindred measure at the com ing session of Congress. We also ap- peal to you for your hearty co-opera- tion, and ask you to use your influence with others in your vicinity Ill thls De- half.
 The present condition of the Hatch Bill is such. that with the proper efforts by it's friends in the agricultural States. there can be little doubt of it's being passed and receiving the signature Of the President,
 It passed the House by an over whelming majority, and there ls reasonable hope that majority of the Senators are favorable to 1t in it's pres ent form or to it as it may be amended, to make it more effective.
 The work in hand is to secure action on it by said body HIS promptly as pos sible. While two-thirds of the Sena- tors may be opposed to future gam. bling," there are some who are opposed to attempting it's suppression by the Federal government, and they might so delay action on this bill, or any sim far one, as to defeat it. 1t is to guard against this delay, that this convention of the people is called to meet in the center of the Cotton Belt. It should be large and influential convention, and it should take such measures as will prevent the dan gerous delay to which we have alluded.
 In this appeal to the people to aid in suppressing this great evil which has fastened itself on our commerce and agriculture, we can only refer to few of it's worst features. Future Gam bliug," as it is universally termed, has at present the protection of some of our largest trade bodies. 1t is backed by an unknown and vast amount Of money. It has invaded banking. com merce and agriculture, to such an ex- tent, that it is no exaggeration to state, that more money is employed in gam bling in some of the exchanges in the cities than is employed in legitimate commerce.
 Its pernicious effects are so seriously felt that it is a matter of grave doubt, whether the law of supply and de- mand regulates the price of leading az ricnltural products. To illustrate this we would only refer to one exchange. For many years the New York Cotton Exchange has done little except to bet on the price of cotton. At this ex- change in single month the sales tbetS) of fictitious cotton have reached the total of the average crop of the United States, 5000 GOO bales, and in one year over 50, 900 900 bales, while the sales of actual cotton during same year at New York were only 193 900 bales and the net receipts of actual cotton at that port were only l07 900 bales. Such bets cannot possibly aid in the rapid handling and delivering of cotton, and in securing it's manufac- ture and sale to consumers. On the contrary, the effect can be nothing but evil, and the longer it is permitted the greater the extent to which the evil will be carried.
 This is but a single illustration. If there was any way of presenting the actual statistics of future gambling in cotton, wheat, corn. oats and other az ricnltural products in New York. Chi. cago, St. Louis. New Orleans and other cities, the showing would be such a one as to arouse the people all oyer the Republic.
 The pesrse are masters of the situa- tion. but they must unite and act. When there is no longer reason to doubt the sentiment of the people their wishes will be enacted into law, and that law will be executed.
 In view of the foregoing we hereby invite all persons in sympathy with the purposes of this convention to attend and it is desired that all communities be represented.
 Senators and Representatives from this and other States favorable to the movement are invited and expected.
 Arrangements have been made with transportation lines for reduced rates.
 c. o WILLIS. Chairman.
 B. w. GRIFFITH, Secretary.
 r. Nj. HARDING,
 k. $. BUTTS.
 W. l.. WELLS,
 Amor pu RoSr