The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-21
Plans of the Organization Fully Mapped
Out and Adopted.
RICHARD CHEATHAM is SECRETARY
Rv Planting Less Cotton Yearly Supply VIII
Be Smaller, Price Larger, and the Re-
suit VIII Be That Spectators
VIII Retire From Business.

Memphis Dec 20.-The American Cot
ton Growers Protective association was
called to order at 10 o'clock this morning
by President Hector D. Lane, of Attn
ems, Ala.
Many delegates were present, including
prominent planters from Arkansas, Ten
nessee Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, Geor-
gia and Mississippi. Immediately after the
delegates were called to order President
Lane delivered an address in which he ex-
planned why the convention had been call
ed.
sCotton today is selling at less than
cents and this means the insignificant sum
of 10 cents a day for the laboring man.
who is dstinctively the cotton grower
he said 'I make this statement deliber-
ately and defy successful contradiction
President Lane made strong plea for
reduction of the cotton acreage, saying
that overproduction fosters manipulation
By destroying the annual surplus the law
of supply and demand will prevail; COM
petition will intervene and the cost of the
production of this commodity which is
fair standard of it's value, will be the basis
of it's price mark.
Not Adequate to Subsistence
'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
co-adjutor of the cotton "bear," the law of
supply and demand has been displaced,
and in it's stead interposes the result at
tanned by the commercial falxir and film
fam artists.
Laue Made President
"Statistcs show that there has been a
great falling off in speculative gambling
in cotton futures in the last several years
consequent upon the small crops, for, as
the visible supply diminished, the power
of manipulation increased"
After the president had delivered his ad-
dress tho isual committees w.le appoint
ed and the morning session was devoted
to the reception of delegates and to
ganization. Among the more prominent
delegates present were the following: Gov
Eagle, of Arkansas ]. w. Pratt Hunts
vile, Ala; Capt. L. w. Lovesque, Ar
kansas; Capt. Jerome Hit, st. Louis; Col.
W. W. Stone, ex-auditor of Mississippi;
Col. Charles Scott, Mississippi, and Nc
Neil Bond, Tennessee. The sessions of the
convention are being held in the convention
hall of the Peabody house.
After President Lanes address had been
discussed the following permanent Off
GERS were elected: Chairman, Hector d.
Lane, of Alabama; Secretary, ]. s. Cheat
ham, Tennessee; Assistant Secretary, Col.
Holen. Mississippi.
committee on resolutions consisting of
two delegates from each state was ap-
pointed,
At the afternoon session general discus
sion of the situation was held in which all
of the delegates took part.
DIR. d. M. Crossen, delegate from the
recent convention of cotton growers which
was held in Atlanta. was introduced and
addressed the meeting after which an ad-
journrnent was taken until o'clock to-
night.
When the delegates were called to order
at the night session the committee on reso-
lutions presented the following report,
which was adopted:
Preamble and Resolutions
= l. We affirm the principles announced by
the association at it's meeting in Memphis
In January, 1896
1. We respectfully submit these princi-
pies and urge their adoption as the basis
of @ permanent organization to be extend
ed to all the states and counties in the
cotton belt:
Article 1.-The name of this association
shall be The American Cotton Growers
Protective association.
Article 2.-The object of this association
shall be to educate the cotton growers as
to their rights and duties and devise ways
and means to advance the interests of the
cotton growers.
Article S.--We adopt the principles of this
association announced at Jackson, Miss,
Aug. ., 1895, and Memphis, Tenn. In Jan.
uary, 1896. In order to carry them out
We shall strive by the thorough organiza-
tion of all the cotton growers in the states
and districts to urge cotton growers to re-
duce cotton acreage and crop to a point as
will secure a fair average price to every
grower.
No Part In Politics
This association will take no active part