The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-02-27
COTTON AND FERTILIZERS.
Action of the Alliance Convention in The
Matter.
.Spcciu1 TO Meas ant Courier.

lance met tonight to act on the fer
tilizcr and cotton acreage questions.
It passed series Of resolutions which,
however, were advisory. and which
seemed to meet with objection, but
were pressed in lieu Of something bet
ter. The chief action of the C0nvcn-
ton, however, was in the request for
a 90 per cent. freight reduction on
fertilizers, and the drift and cry
seemed to be either to use little Of no
fertilizers. Hog and hominy seemed
to be quite popular strain. and those
farmers who attended seemed to fully
realize the Importance and necessity
of action. While the Convention was
substantial there was not as large a
gathering as might have been expect
ed. Altogether it was a harmonious
meeting, but apparently with little
promise of desired results.
At SIS p. m. President Evans call
ed the Alliance Convention together
to consider the question of fertilizers
and cotton acreage.
President Evans announced that he
had called the meeting in response to
several invitations to consider the
peculiar condition of affairs, by which
cotton was sold at less than its cost of
production, as we'll as the question Of
fertilizers and acreage. Discussion
was invited, but no one seemed to
want to talk. \ recess was taken
until the committee was ready to re-
port.
The committee on resolutions, ap-
pointed before the meeting, consists
of Messrs. Kcitt, Stokes, Watson.
Duncan, Mitchell and Montgomery.
Chairman Stokes announced that
the work of the committee was merely
a suggestion and was in no way final.
The report suggested that as to cotton
options in payment Of fertilizers it
should recommend that l75 pounds of
middling cotton be given for a ton of
acid phosphate on November l, or if
payment be preferred in currency that
it be made at SO per ton f. o. b. at
Charleston. If freight be prepaid
interest on freight and freight to be
payable in cotton at 5 cents perl pound.
For kainit goods 100 pounds of mid
ding cotton on November 1, or Sl1 in
currency, with interest and freight,
Charleston f. o. b., as a basis. For
ammoniated goods .! per cent. the
committee recommend three hundred
pounds middling cotton on November
l or sl7 for currency payment. with
interest and freight rate from Charles
ton f. O. b. The acid phosphate is to
be from 10 to II per cent. The fig
urcs are very near, DR.. Stokes said, to
those offered by one of the strongest
companies. \ slight reduction was
made in cotton payment, and an in
crease for cash. Their offer was Il
straight sale for cotton. Both propo-
sitions were for f. o. b. at place of
shipment. The difference on dissolv-
cd bone was only about 25 cents per
ton.
Mr.. Hays, of Sumter, wanted to
know if the company would pay
freight The prepayment of freight
was provided for. Mr.. Montgomery
suggested that the proposition was to
give no more, but if it could be gotten
for less SO much the better. DR..
Robertson asked whether any compa-
mics had given cotton option availa-
bic to farmers until after the crop is
harvested
Mr.. Kcitt said that none had been
made. DR.. Stokes said the only prop
osition was for straight cotton trade
at the time of purchase.
Mr.. Montgomery wanted fertilizer
men to take part of the risk. All the
cotton you use on options can. be sold
by fertilizer people in futures. 1t
was simply question of whether
cotton could be made at five cents.
1t can not be done. The companies
could not hold ali their anmoniatcd
goods and kainit. The best thing to
do was to use little or no fertilizers.
Mr.. War; didn want any fertilizers
used. Darlington would use all Of its
fertilizers on tobacco. Couldn't t see
how fertilizers could be used on five
cent cotton. He had not asked the
price of fertilizers in fourteen months
and did not expect to. He was sorry
to sec 50 many people blowing for a
little fertilizers. He would not re-
commend the proposition. l'c made
better cotton and more corn last year
without fertilizers than usual with
fertilizers.
Hir. Watson. OF anderson. favored
the proposition Us Just, c1uab!c and
right. 1t was. he urged. lamcntab!"
tha: 50 many farmers We're in debt,
Every other product was suffering
from the same depression. He be-
licvcd the terms would he accepted.
It is time for farmers to ask for relief.
and it is best to ak for ii at home.
Let the companies share portion OF
the losses if necessary.
Mr.. Pettigrcw, of Florence, wanted
to sec the matter settled.
Mr.. Sigh wanted the farmers to say
what they could do. and then it re-
,uainct; to see whether it could be &c