The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-12-23
THE COTTON GROWERS con-
NENTION

DECLARES IN FAVOR OF REDUCED
ACREAGE, AGAINST t0rToN SrECU-
| LATlON AND ENDORSES THE AMER.
ICAN COTTON GROWERS pHOrEC-
| TIVE ASSOCIATION.
The Interstate Cotton Growers
| Convention, met and sitting in Atlanta,
December II, 1897. having thoroughly
can"asscl the situation OF our industry
in all lis many phases, promulyatcs The
! following statement and address as the
result OF lis deliberations:
J. The most pressing need OF the
hour for the attainment Of our ends
is Il thorough organization of the grow
crs of cotton, beginning with the indl.
vidual grower, however humble, and
rfaching up through township, county,
! state and Interstate organization. We
| cordially commend the organization
over which Hon. Hector j. Lane ably
| hrcsidrs, and tender that body ut its
| mcc,ing in Memphis on the 2Oth instant
Jour cooperation in completing the
\ organization $, well begun ~ il several
years ago. TO the end that uniformity
i may exist throughout all the States
I'lSsl'liISt ttl't w w VI N'IlItN, W.
shall appoint Il committee of the body
to consider AL plans of oryanizaticn
that may be submitted at lhis mcctin"
and mature 4 plan for presentation to
our brethren at Memphis next week
rrrNH"h Il delegation to he appointed
by this mcrHitS~ ' t".>rrcSrnt this Con-
vcnlion in that body.
,. While not abaliny any of our
contentious that the monetary system
Of our country is at the foundation OF
our difficulties, rs il is ut the bottom of
the depression in al industries, we
hold that there arc deep rooted evils
peculiar TO our industry that demand
| Immediate attention and remedy. And
CT first Importance among these as Il
factor in depressing prices is tlc sprcu-
lalIVc control exercised over he price
Of actual cotton through the I'm Just
RULES and regulations of The cotton en-
changes. This evil we arc convinced
can be reached only by legislation, and
hence We pledge Oulsclvcs and our
organization 40 labor for thc needed
legislative restriction OF gambling IN
fulurcs III our respective States and in
Congress.
3. This evil being abolished or re-
duced to II minimum by rroper.lc~isla-
ton, and the control of spot cotton
being thus restored to the producers
under the law Of supply and demand,
rs far as that law is allowed to operate
under Il Vicious monetary system, we
deem it next in importance that our
farms be made self sustaining in 50 far
as climate and soil conditions permit
and incl ease the amount OF food sup
plies The cotton grower who makes
his supplies ct bone, is in large
measure independent Of the manipu-
| lator Of the spot cotton market.
t. The next source OF loss is also an
important one, but IS entirely in the
control of the grover, as is the last
onc---diligcnt and careful attention TO
the preparation of our cotton for the
market. ThOusands-ycs, millions
Of dolas arc lost annually to the cot
ton grower through careless handling
of the cotton from the field to the Gin
and press and through use of inferior
covering. While our iarmcls fully un-
dcrstand this, this meeting would neg
lcct an important responsibility if il
failed to call attention. TO This source of
loss and urge correction of the evil.
We further recommend the cStab-
liShmGnt of an information bureau.
Resolved, That this Convention in
dorsc the organization known as the
American Cotton Growers Protective
j a ssociation, as it is already in existence
and is working for the same oh jccts for
which we are assembled, the reduction
- a, i a
price of cotton, and the correction Of
the evils of speculation and others that
! opprcss the producer that we give
our Endorsement to the American Cot.
ton Growers Protective association.
i Resolved further, That We suggest
to the meeting Of the American Cotton
Growers Protective Association, al its
mceting"in Memphis next week, that
the president of each State nr;mnlza-
ton shall be a vice president "f the
National Association.
Resolved further, That such vice
presidents appoint presidents Of county
organizations TO be formed in all the
counties Of the States where cotton is
grown, so that the organization NAV be
} so perfected that the decisions arrived
at blythe Association may be carried Out
throughout all thG cotton growing sec
ti6lls Of the United Statcs as unit as
il is in this way only chat the designs
of the Association may hc carried out
!, and the various measures of relief and
reform be inauguratcd all over the
, South.
; Resolved, That this Convention, as
far as the. votes OF North Carolina
South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi
and Georgia may cntitlc then, recon.
, mend the re- election of the Hon. IIcC10l