The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-22
SOUTHERN COTTON GROWERS
Atlanta Convention Resolves 10 Reduce
the Acreage.

the Acreage.
The convention Of Southern Cotton
Growers, called by the recent conven-
ton of South Carolina cotton growers.
met in Atlanta last Tuesday. accord
ing to appointment.
There were represented the States
of North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Missis-
sippi. Georgia and South Carolina
were represented by full delegations,
one delegate from each Congressional
district. From North Carolina there
were only FIVE delegates: from Ala
bama two; from Texas one, and from
Mississippi one. The total number of
regularly accredited delegates was
about go.
The convention met in the parlor of
the Kimball House, and was called to
order by Hon j. G. Wilborn, who was
unanimously elected president S. Il.
Watson, of Texas, was elected vice
president, and Richard Cheatham, ed
itor of the Cotton Planters journal,
Of Memphis, Tennessee, was elected
secretary.
One Of the first steps Of the convcn-
tion was to appoint a committee on
resolutions, and to provide that all
resolutions Of whatever nature should
be submitted to this committee. The
convention held three sessions. The
first session was devoted to the recep-
tion of resolutions and listening to re-
marks thereon. During the second
session-the committee not having re-
ported-but little was done; and dur
Ing the third session there was much
discussion of the resolutions reported
by the committee
A number of speeches were made by
Hector D. Lane and others; but from
the published reports in the Atlanta
papers, it does not appear that the
Roddey plan was mentioned during
the entire proceedings. The members
of the convention appeared rather to
think that the Hector D. Lane idea Of
acreage reduction was the only means
whereby they could hope to secure re-
lief.
The result Of the convention is set
forth in the following address and
resolutions agreed upon just before ad-
journment:
The Interstate Cotton Growers
Convention, met and sitting in At
lanta, December IA, 1897, having
thoroughly canvassed the situation of
our industry in all its many phases,
promulgates the following statement
and address as the result of its dclib-
erations:
1. The most pressing need Of the
hour for the attainment Of our ends is
thorough organization Of the growers
of cotton, beginning with the indi-
vidual grower, however humble, and
reaching up through Township. Coun-
ty, State and interstate organizations.
We cordially commend the organiza-
tion over which Hon. Hector D. Lane
ably presides, and tender that body,
at its meeting in Memphis on the Goth
instant, our cooperation in complet-
ing the organization so we'll begun by
it several years ago. To the end that
uniformity may exist throughout all
the States organized and to be organ
lied, we shall appoint committee of
the body to consider all plans of Or
ganization that may be submitted at
this meeting, and mature plan for
presentation to our brethren at Mem
phis next week, through delegation
to be appointed by this meeting to
represent this convention at that body.
9. While not abating any of our
cortentions that the monetary system
of our country is at the foundation of
our difficulties, as it is at the bottom
of the depression in all industries, we
hold that there are deep-rooted evils
peculiar to our industry that demand
Immediate attention and remedy.
And of first Importance among these
as factor in depressing prices, is the
speculative control exercised over the
price of aetual cotton through the un
just rules and regulations of the Cot
ton Exchange. The evil, we are con-
vinced. can be reached only by legis.
lation, and hence we pledge ourselves
and our organization to labor for the
needed legislative restriction OF gam
bling in futures in our respective
States and in Congress.
3. This evil being abolished or re-
duced to aminimum by proper legisla
ton, and the control Of spot cotton
being thus restored to the producers
under the law Of supply and demand,
as far as that law is allowed to operate
under vicious monetary system. we
deem it next in Importance that our
farms be made self-sustaining, in so
far as climate and soil conditions per-
nit, and increase the amount of food
The cotton grower who
makes his supplies at home. is in
large measure independent of the man
ipulator of the spot cotton market.
+. The next source of loss is also
an important one but is entirely in
the control of the grower, as is the
last onc-diligent and careful attcn-
tion to the preparation of our cotton
for the market. Thousands-yes,
dollars are lost annually
to the cotton grower through careless
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