The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-11-28
PLANT LESS COTTON.
Some Data Upon Which to Base Judgment
Given.

Some Data Upon Which to Base Judgment
MONTGOMERY. ALA, Nov. 21-Com-
missioner Lane of Alabama has issued
his address to the cotton growers of
the South, which was authorized by
the late meeting of cotton growers
held in Montgomery. He says: This
convention was called by myself for
the purpose Of considering and devils
ing means through which Southern
cotton growers might protect them
selves from the many unfair devices
used to depress the values of our
chief staple. The most prominent one
being ficticjous reports fabricated IN
the main cotton markets sent out by
cotton exchanges and emanating from
the minds of men who make a preca-
rious living as the bears on the cotton
market.
E[e then quotes largely from printed
estimates sent out by interested par
ties as to the size of the present crop
and shows by figures that it will not
amount to anything what is
claimed He shows by the~following
statement the benefits to be :deia1z~-l>.
from the producers coming together
and acting in harmony Consequent
upon the enormous crop produced IN
the season of 1S91-92, a cotton conven-
ton was held in Memphis, under the
auspices of the Mississippi Valley Cot
ton Growers Association, and its re,
suits as was the result Of the recent
convention at Montgomery, were en-
inently satisfactory 10 all engaged in
it. The express purpose of this meet
ing was to take action towards the re,
duction of the cotton acreage. How
well it succeeded in its effort the his
tory of cotton crops will show. A de-
crease in acreage followed the ensuing
season of 1928 3, 3,456,439 acres, an
acreage that is larger than is planted
in any one State with the exception OF
Texas. Pursuant to the Memphis cot
ton convention, cotton advanced sew.
enteen points in three days. Pursuant
to the Montgomery meeting, cotton
values advanced twenty-seyen points.
Whether these two occurrences were
coincidertal or whether they were
caused directly or indirectly by these
farmers in convention assembled is
for the country to judge-but to my
raind, it is a practical demonstration
Of fact that the vibrations of the cot
ton market are as sensitive and re
sponsive to the touch of a convention
of practical farmers as they are to the
manipulation of metropolitan fakirs
The dominating questions confronting
the farmers is, first to refute the lnl
quitous reports being sent out by un
scrupulous persons. and bearing down
present prices. and secondly to coop
crate in an endeavor to again decrease
the acreage by planting the same anc
producing more home consumption
crops. Over-production encourage:
and fosters manipulation-and i
should be the effort of every intelll
gent and patriotic citizen of the South
to enlist all the instrumentalitie:
available to,resist this current that /:
insiduously day by day drifting u!
into the vortex of poverty and desti
tuition, and I respectfully solicit thu
help of the press and the kind coop
Grafton of all those interested in tht
material welfare of the South fo,
their assistance in the accomplishment
Of this 'consummation so devoutly *
be wished
That the present low prices CT cot
ton are abnormal is plain to all think
ing men. and certainly so if the vel
accepted rule Of political economist
apply the cost of production OF al
article is fair standard of its value.
The total visiblesupply in the worlt
is 222. 205 bales less than in 1898 ant
605. Al less than in 1892.
The currency and tariff question:
are virtually settled and all the indl
cations at present point to speedy re
turn OF the general prosperity ant
cotton prices must naturally rule
higher
We are of the opinion that after al
this matter can only be accomplished
BY Independent individual action
stimulated by intelligent argument
and l shall undertake to prove that t.
a great extent,i it is the over-productiol
of cotton in excess Of its consumptio,
that is causing the falling off in value
until it has reached that point which
| makes If less than can DOSsibly be pro