The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-12-22
MANY GROWERS MEET
Cotton Men Of Seven States In
Session at the Bluff City.
LANE TELLS Why PRIOB IS so Low

Alabamisn Makes q Strong Plea In Favor
OF Reducing the Aoreage-says There 10
Less Chance For Speoulstoion In Fu-
! lures When Crops Are Snaait-Prodeces
Statistics In support OF Hts- ts-Position.
MEMPHIS, Dec. 2O.-The American
Cotton Growers Protective association
was called to order at 19fa N. BY PEess-
dent Hector D. Lane Of Athens. Ala
Many delegates were present. in
oluding prominent planters from Ar
kansas, Tennessee. Texas, Alabama,
Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi In
me6iately after the delegates were called
TO order President Lane delivered an
address in which he explained why the
convention had been called
Cotton today is selling at less than
5 cents" he said. land this means the
Insignificant sum OF 10 cents day foS
the labor of the man who is distinct
lively the cotton grower. I make this
Statements deliberately and defy suo-
cessful contradiction. -
President Lane made strong plea
for reduction of the cotton acreage,
saying that o7erproduction fosters man.
ipulation. By destroying the annual
surplus the law Of supply and demand
will prevail; competition will intervene
and the cost of the production Of this
commodity, which is fair standard OF
its value, will be the basis Of its price
mark
Continuing, Mr.. Lane said:
Under prevailing conditions the
product of our toll is no longer adequate
TO our subsistence. Prevailing prices
are below the cost OF production. With
surplus of several millions annually,
which is an able coadjutos OF the cotton
bear. the law Of supply and demand
has been displaced and in its stesd in
terposes the result attained by this
commercial fakir snd fiufam artist.
Statistics show that there has been
great falling of in speculative gam.
bling in cotton futures in the last sew
eral years. consequent upon the small
crops, for the visible supply diminished
the power of manipulation
After the president had delivered his
address the usual committees were ap-
pointed and the morning session was
devoted 20 the reception Of delegates
and to organization.
After President Lanes address had
been discussed the following permanent
officers were elected:
Chairman, Eecter D. Lane Of Ala
bama; secretary, J. .Cheaehem. Tonnes
see; assistant secretary, Sol Cohen, Mis-
sissippi
4 committee on resolutions consist
ing Of two delegates from each state
was appointed
The meeting then adjourned until 2
O'clock. anc when it reconvened the
committee on resolutions reported ad-
yocating decrease in acreage. q ban.
ishuent of tae one crop idea and max
ing strong plea for the diyersihcaion
Of products
Among the more prominent delegates
present are the following:
Governor Eagle Of Arkansas; ). W.
Pratt, Huntsville, Ala; Captain l. ".
Levesoue. Arkansas; Captain Jerome
Hill, ST Louis; Colonel W. W. Stone,
ex.auditor of Mississippi, and Mcneil
Bond. Tennessee.
The sessions Of the convention are
being held in the convention hall Of the
Peabody hotel. Notwithstanding the
inclemsncy Of the weather, this vicin-
ity having been visited by severe sleet
storm which later turned into a cold
rain, the attendance is represeuea-
tive one.