Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-01-15
DETHRONED COTTON.
Report Adopted by the Interstate Cotton
Crowers' Association.

Report AuOpttu ny ~O'--
Growers Association.
Your committee on resolutions has
patiently considered the variohs reso-
iutions and suggestions submitted to
them. They are painfully impressed
with the gravity of the condition con-
fronting the cotton grower.
To what extent these conditions
may be traced to financial or legisla-
tive causes il is useless to discuss here.
It is to the matter lying in the imme-
date control of the cotton grower
himself that we apply ourselves. 1t Is
to each individual planter that we
must appeal The production of
cotton it is admitted on all sides is the
essential factor in reducing the price
and to this all of our woes may be
traced. This must be corrected. In
evitable and universal bankruptcy, or
a change of methods is the alternative
presented. Let every individual bring
that home to himself. Self-interest
must impel him to change. Therefore
we recommend and earnestly appeal to
every cotton grower that he will not
plant so much cotton-a decrease in
acreage of not less than twenty five
per cent. should be made. If it could
| be fifty per cent. it would be still bet
ter. The land thus relieved of cotton
may be profitably employed in many
ways. Corn, peas, clover, sorghum,
potatoes are profitable crops. Make
more meat-raise more stock, make
more of everything except cotton
Make the farm self-sustaining.
The tide of immigration is turning
southwark. With it will come new
methods, new developments and new
industries. The ultimate and greatest
prosperity will come when the raw
material is manufactured in the
Southern States To bring about this
the greatest encouragement should be
given by the law makers and capital
lists. The establishment of packing
houses in the Southern towns would
be profitable, and tend greatly to slim
ulate the production of meat in the
Southern States. All these things
should give us courage and hope fol
the future. The present and burning
question now is, how we shall make 6
living If the above suggestions are
followed out, with strict economy il
personal and farm expenses, we fee
sure that better times will come. We
submit this as an earnest appeal from
this convention to every cotton grower
in America, to him personally and in
dividually. in place of any formal res
olution. We urge upon them to holC
meetings in every county at once anC
enter into county organizations auXil
liary to the State and National organi
cations effected by this convention
We invite the cooperation of all mer
chants, bankers and loan companie:
in influencing the cotton growers il
the adoption of the recommendation:
here made, end we hope that the news
papers of the South will keep this ad
dress before the people until the crOl
is planted.
Signed: VIM. H. Stovall, of Missis
sippi; w. A. Broughton, of Georgia; j
II. Minge, of Alabama; S. E. Russ, O
Louisiana; j. H. Williamson, of Nortl
Carolina; JAS. p Eagle, of Arkansas
j. M. Priestly, of Tennessee, Commit
tee.
The reading of the report was listen
ed to with the most profound atten
ton, and was received with decided
favor.
Col. Stovall said the committee haC
numerous plans and suggestions befor,
it, but deemed it best to limit its rec
ommendation to the vital question OF
reducing the cotton acreage and slim
ulate the farmers of the South to en-
gage in raising other products.