The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-01-17
SOUTHERN
PLANTERS
PRESIDENT LANE CALLS THEM
TOGETHER.
He Says That BY Reducing the
Cotton Production They Can
Raise the Price 20 Per
Cent.

President Hector d. Lane, Of tho American
Cotton Growers Protective Association, has
Issued circular to tho cotton growers and
handlers throughout tho South asking gon-
eral attendance at u meeting at Memphis on
january 81. The meeting is to take action
regarding the acreage of the crop for the
present year. Mr.. Lanes association helped
the cotton planters last year by bringing
about considerable reduction OF acreage
and consequent increase in the price OF the
staple. AS is indicated in his letter MIR. Lane
believes that similar concerted action this
year will result in similar benefit to the
growers. The following is the text OF MIR.
| Lanes letter:
MIR. Lanes ADDRESS
Ine time has arrived when next years
acreage in cotton should receive your most
serious consideration. Our enemieS. the
| cotton "bears," are anticipating matters by
industriously circulating reportsthat 1t ts the
| intention OF the cotton growers to enormously
| Increase the cotton acreage and double the
| use Of commercial fertilizers the coming sea-
son, which will result In the production of
| crop of from ten to twelve million bales.
Information comes from Texas that New
| Orleans "l cars" are reporting that Texas will
| plant for four million bales. These reports
arc circulated to induce the Southern people
to sell the balance OF this small crop at pres
cnt low figures.
According to official data America has ex-
| ported to Europe one million three hundred
| and twenty-three thousand bales less than
| last year. The Northern mills have taken
four hundred and ff.y thousand bales less
! than last year.
Stocks OF cotton at American ports aad in
| terror towns are about the same as last year,
| but as the season progresses the stocks at the
ports will daily grow less as compared with
| last year.
On the other hand, the mills OF England,
| America and the continent are running full
| time, and if they keep up the present con-
| sumption until next tSeptemberthey will need
all OF our cotton; they cannot wait for the
next crop.
What then prevents your obtaining re-
| munerative prices for the remaining portion
| Of this crop?
This is easily answered. The speculative
"bears" of New Orleans, New York and Liv-
| erpool. They are thoroughly indifferent to
| your cordition, and reckon little of your
welfare They would be glad to see cotton
selling Mt four cents, and would contribute
| their aid in pressing it down to the lowest
point, regardless OF the destttution and sor-
| row that would ensuo throughout the South
| under such conditions.
IN THE POWER OF DEspoTs.
The Southern planter has the power to de-
| pose these reckless despot5 and wholesale
despoilers Of our prosperity. Destroy the
| annual surplus, their able coadjutor, by a
judicious decrease of acreage, and these gem
| temen will be out of job. Plant only n
| moderate crop and you will be- better of
| with n seven to seven and hals million
| bale crop, selling at ten TO eleven cents, than
ten million bale crop selling at five TO six
| cents.
Do not be led into the error that you can
| deceive the great firm that buys your pro-
| duct. They have their agents i'll every town
| and village; they are ever scrutiniz!ng your
| actions and know more in regard 70 the
| general acreage than you can possibly find
| out yourselves.
Conceiving this to ba matter Of para
| mount Importance - the material interests
| Of the South and being impressed that this
| question in its most comprehensive form
should bo considered gravely, 1 therefore
| deem it advisable that the cotton growers
| meet in convention, that we may formulate
| and adopt some intelligent rule OF action
| through which we may be enabled to combat
| these agencies whose pernicious methods are
so destructive to our prosperity.
| ALL COTTON MEN INVITED.
| On account Of its general accessibility,
| dcreby name Memphis as the place and
| Tuesday, January the 2lst, as the time of
| meeting.
| earnestly invite all classes of our citizens
that are directly interested in protecting the
| values of our main commodity, cotton, to
| Join with us in our deliberations. Tho invi-
tation is extended to all agr icultural So
| cieties, Alliances, Oranges, Cotton Exchanges,
commission merchants, factors, associations,
| etc.
The movement is strictly non-political, but
essentially Industrial; therefore no man
should say us nay on account OF political
| affiliations.
| l respectfully invoke the aid Of the press.
| Recognizing the demand for heroic action
| and the disaster that is to follow without it,
l appeal to all patriotic people to join In this
| struggle to emancipate our people from n
| bondage that is as oppressive and ignomin-
ious as was ever inflicted by the Gear upon a
| serfdom.
No longer can we live prosperously and
| happily under so tyrannical system. The
demand OF the occasion is for honest, earn
est mon, who have the intelligence to appre-
ciatc prevailing conditions and the courage
| to take up arms against sea of troubles,
| and by opposing them end them.
l remain sincerely yours.
| HECTOR ID. LANE,
President American Cotton Growers Pro-
| tective Association.