The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1895-01-18

1'"ae, VINO introduced Hon. Hector ID
Lane, commissioner Of noricultnra 4
the State of Alabama. Capt sion,
stated that Mr. Lane had been the IN
augurator Of the movement and Ia,
worked for some time in the interes
OF the cotton growers of the South.
Mr. Lane ia assuming the stan,
sand he was president OF the Cotto,
Growers Convention at Montgomery
Ala, but that he was succeeded in tba
Office by Gov. Stone. Of Mississ;nn;
He then introduced
COY. STONE,
VINO Was received with great entbus;
asin by the convention.
The governor made one of his uaua-
sensible, practical talks. from which we
cull a few Of the telling paragraphs.
There Is no concealing the fact thal
the conditions which environ the In.
terests Of the cotton growers of the
Southern States Of this Union threaten
ultimate and utter destruction of that
industry to which they have hitherto
looked alone for profit in the cultiya-
ton of the soil
The gloom and despondenev which
hangs hike pall over the entire South.
superinduced, in the main, by the low
and unremunerative price Of cotton.
bringing within its embrace all classes
Of citizens and every avocation. excites
IN every rejecting mind the startling
query; ITO what end are we drifting. .
The Southern States Of the American
Union is, and viii ever be, n cotton
growing region. Cotton is its chief
wealth-producing or money-makinq
element of production. We are now
deriving no profit from its production; /;
nor does the future promise, in better
prices, with present surroundings. re-
lief from the sore distress which besets
and oppress every cotton planter in the
South. What shall we do? What can
we dog is heard on every side.
The South is not singular or excep-
tional in this great and well founded
complaint; in fact, she is the last OF all
the sections of this great country to
realize the sufferings from depressed
conditions, and TO feel the agony of
ruined values. The South viii always
feel it less than other sections, because
we have a climate and soil which con-
spire more readily than those of any
other section, when properly utilized,
10 respond to the demands OF hungry
nature. Notwithstanding the loud
wall that goes up from some localities
and from some OF oHr people who al
ways complain, there is no danger of
starvation, or want, or even hunger
with the unreasonable and illimitable
resources at our command waiting to
be availed of, to accomplish which on
" moderate labor is required. The
question IN not one of survival and
maintenance, but rather what can be
done to prevent the further and con
tinual
sLUMPEo IN THE VALUES OF OUR PRO-
DUCTS.
and properties, and enhance them if
possible. 70 what we have heretofore re-
garded as reasonable and normal. The
cotton growers real estate or land is
his stock IN trade, and valuable only as
il Yields a net revenue above the cost
of cultivation. II is nm assured and
confessed fact that the general cotton
crop Of the South has for years been
made ON "A scale OF extravagance be-
yond the range Of reason and common
sense; the development of our sublime
but misguided faith in cotton as king,
evidenced by our experience that when
cotton was worth Is cents per pound
the planter bought everything he con-
sumed, from a steam engine TO hame-
string, for which cotton was called on
to pay, unaided by any of the domestic
economies which are at hand to the
meat and bread producer
AS cotton declined in price, which IT
has steadily done, the necessity Of home
forces itself upon our con-
viction, until now, with our four-cent
cotton. ii is freely and fully conceded /
that he who would eat must provide the I
wherewithal at home, with his own
hand and under his own eye. Tins
CHANGED condition affects, and ID felt
NV every DNNtnNWm tA&AAANAtN @AA N"ANf N'"n""
Cotton has lost its crown; cotton has
lost ITS credit. The factor IN our great
marts. who once sought NJ lend almost
without limit for its production, and
grew fat handling 1.-THE banker who
backed Tile factor ae iar aH hia deposit
account would enable limi the country
with bis 100 per cent. who
hoped w grow rich in n single year py
advancing 40 his benighted cotton /
customer, and 20 whom o cash
8ealer was crying nuiBAuupg and tlle
professions and trades have all loht
lheir faith III cotton, leaving scarcely =
bope to stimulate exerti0n when cotton
N fho only promised reward M
IL can now IN safely siatea !. s tbat CO... ''.l
wv growing win no longer bu pnR's
N credit Nh the capitalist GAnlfnl nna
.,.,,,is 4. 4. eonk other ana eaiaf ils.lsls u VI
w. Inant Interest aul rr9FlEt alone
AilI coon destroy iha infnAHE hie
'emmsnn fortunes az COTTON aid Ei. an'
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