The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-24
REDUCE THE ACREAGE.
ADVICE TO FARMERS OF A COTTON
PLANTERS CONGRESS.


and Other Leaders OF the Agitation foI
Decreased Acreage-An Address Issued
AUGUSTA, Ga., March 15.-The
American Cotton Growers Assocla'
ton met here today to discuss the ad'
visibility of reducing the production
of that staple. Several prominent
planters and cotton factors made ad'
dresses urging upon the farmers the
necessity of reduction of the acreage
and advising the raising OF supplies
for home consumption. The most
prominent OF the speakers were Hon:
Hector D. Lane of Alabama, president
OF the association: Mayor W. 3:
Young, Thomas Barrett, president OF
the Augusta Cotton Exchange, and
Hon. Patrick Walsh. As result OF
the he convention the following ad-
dress was issued:
To the Cotton Growers OF America
The Cotton Growers Protective Asso-
citation of America, in convention as
senbled, at Augusta, Ga., on this,
March Is, 1897, again come to you
with an urgent appeal for CO opera
tive action in planting the crop for
1897. 1t is a matter of extreme con-
graduation that the appeal made to
you for 1895 and 1896 was so generous
~ responded to, and that the crop OF
those years made upon the diminished
acreage, did have the effect Of increas-
ing the price of cotton.
The crop of 1895, though estimated
to be 3,4O0, 900 bales short of the crop
of 1894, was in tho markets of the
world worth more by nearly $50, ,0OO,-
600. In the face of this result to aban-
don the idea of diminished acreage
would be to sound the retreat in the
face of victory.
It is the consensus of opinion among
the best thinkers that if by any means
the cotton crop of America could be
held within the limits of 100000 or
100000 bales per annum for five
years, the people of these Southern
States would be the richest and most
prosperous in the world.
How can this be brought about2
The answer is with you. We appeal
to your self-interest and your patriot
ism to do all in your power to keep
down the production of the staple.
Do not abandon the ground you
have won. Fight upon the grounds
laid down; make the cotton States self
supporting; put more land in clover
and grasses for your hogs to run on ;
diversity your crops and when you
have done all this the area devoted to
cotton will yield more returns than if
you sought to increase the number of
your bales.
There has never been q time in the
history of our section of the country
that a movement looking to the in
creased production of corn, hay, oats
and other food crops was so important
and necessary as now.
It is felt by the most thoughtful
men that we are entering upon a
period of great uncertainties and that
even small cotton crop may fail to
give adequate returns for its produc-
ton.
The mutterings of storm are dis
turbing values and unsettling all busi-
ness calculations. The prudent man
will trim his sails to meet it. With
the commerce of the country inter-
rupted by war, and war may come,
cotton would be unstable except at
nominal prices.
We desire to say to every cotton
grower, whether his crop is ten bales
or one thousand bales, see to it that
your place is self.sustaining. We
mean by this to advise you to grow on
your farms an abundance of corn,
meat, hay. oats, peas, potatoes for all
the people on the place. If your tenant
will not raise these things sell them to
him and put the money in your pock-
cts instead of sending it out of the coun-
try. When you have done this, grow
all the cotton you can.
II every farmer or planter in the
cotton growing district will make this
his rule of action and live up to it
consoientiously, it will accomplish the
result we so much desire. 1t will be
the means of making all pros porous
and happy and cotton will sell for a
higher price.
We would urge you to make sure
first of cheap home grown living for
all the people and all the animals on
the placs, and then make what cotton
you can. We address our argument
to each individual farmer. Every
farmer may measurably control the
cost of producing cotton.
Let each individual farmer resolve
in his own mind and without regard
to what others may do, to cut down
the cost of producing his cotton. By
confning his area to the best part of
his fields, by concentrating his skill.
industry and fertilizer on a smaller
area, he will make cotton cheaper.
Every farmer knows that the better
the land, the better preparation and
cultivation, the more liberal the
amount of well balanced fertilizers he
applies per acre, the less will be the
cost per pound of cotton.
Plant only the best land in cotton
and the poor land in rye, peas, etc.
This will certainly reduce your crop
product in the aggregate, but will
greatly reduce the cost, so that in any
event whatever others may do, you
will be all right.
The Constitutional Tax.
COLUMBIA. March 18.-It looks now
oo sf tho os,,,,1oroS,{on- c,boo1 to.,