The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-19
LANE ADVISES PLAINTIFF
He Warns Them Against tie narkJ|
Bears.
MAKES APPEAL FOR ORGANIZATION
he Calls Three Conventions Of FAIRS
crs' One OF which IL 20 Meet IL
Waco, Texas, ON March y.

Nashville. Tenn. February 1s.--Hectef
u. Lane, president OF the Cotton GrowcrsS
association. made public today the follow
Ing address of advice to cotton planters:
Athens. Ala. Fobr,Ery 1.-THE time hal
arrived when the farmers should BIO givtny,
the prospects Of tho coming crop moof
serious consideration.
That the environments OF the cotton
grower arc becoming more inimical d.
their interests each succeeding season "
discourasingly apparent; that the eu4
croachmcnts upon commercial rights Az
| becoming more practical iu their charac.!
ter Is fact that is not only appreciated
but condemned by all right-mindod men,.
| who recognize the right aud privilege Of
legitimate commercial methods and the
obtusenoss OF the Southern planter tns
failing 10 observe aud HIS subservioncxe
in tamely submitting 10 these ills that aro
being Inflicted upon him by the scourgo
IN tho hands OF this reckless olasx Of
speculative gamblers, is encouraging thVu
In their pernicious methods and Ia rcn-
dering tho planter pitiabe In the eyes ot
tho world and subioeting him TO tho OBJ
loquy Of being both stupidity ignorant OF
HIS interests aud ignoniniousiy servile iu
his forbearancc.
Az Is Usual at this season tho cotton
bear Is again in evidence hcwing down
prices TO the lowest notch. using all tho
| eophistiy that his cumming can devise aud
all the articles that he can 80 Ingenious
ly Invent to hammer values down to icsa
than living prices. Ire W thoroughly in-l
different to normal conditions and reckn
littlo OF tho common veal.
Tho bears" are sowing tho sced OF In
cipient communism In zelda In which It
~ an unknown and unnatural growth.
They would cNult over 4 cent cotton and
would contribute their active aid IN press-
Ing 1t down to tho lowest point regardless
of the sorrow and destitution that would
prevail throughout the South under such
conditions, Al this ttms last yoar they
were anticipating matters by Industrious
iy circulating reports that II was the in
tcrtlon OF the Southern cotton growers to
enormously iurrvaeo tho acreage. which
ihoy gIcctuliy stated would result IN the
production of from II 100000 to l2,00o,o0
| bales, Like fnbrications are again being
circulated by them with the hopo Of AZ
fcciing future values.
The Southern planter has the power to
choclfnatc these reckless despoilers OF our
prosperity by manly and Intelligent action
rho only remedy is 10 Fight the devil
with fre,' meet organization with organ
igation,
DO not he led into The error that you
can combat this power without systematic
organization. You can not drive tho great
firms that buy your product. They havo
their ,missnrios Us every town aud village:
they are even scrutini1ng your actions ana
| know more IN regard to the general con-
ditionH than YOU can possibly md out.
| Destroy the annual surplua OF cotton
| that Is tho active coadjntor OF the cotton
bear" This can be accomplished by In
crcafiLg the acreage OF food crops and con-
aeauontly the 1udicious dIminishncnt Of
cotton acreage You VIII be bettor off with q
| 900 coo bale crop. selling at 10 rnnts sup
| plemonted by ample food crops. than 10.-
900 900 bale crop selling At cents.
| Tho world spends about sg35. 000, 900 au-
nualiy for American cotton. II We make
| n 1000 .00o bale crop they will run after ~
for our product. II We make a ia. 0o0.0 900
bale crop we fall over ourselves to sell II
to them.
Tho 10000 000 bale crop OF 1894 and
1926 brought the South. in round numbers.
$2el 900 000.
Tho 100000 bale crop of 1895 and
1895 brought 5000. 100000. demonstrating
tho fact that n small crop brings more
money Irrespective OF acreage used for food
crops and the labor and money expended
on n larger acreage.
our only hope of protection lies In INTEL
lIeent concert OF action. We should keep
ourselves Informed Of crop conditions,
amount Of production. otc.. throughout the
'oitoH hTch. IHen, Dy bysteuatG ana
1udicious marketing OF our crops wo can
realize incstimablo benefits that never can
be secured permanently or otherwise.
IL Is not my desire to incite prejudice
nor would I wish To fire Southern hearts''
to any beyond a legitimate Resistance OF
commercial vandalism. but I wDuid that
could Inspire the Southern cotton grower.
without reference to class or color, to
proper appreciation OF the unfair attitude
that wo nrc forced TO occupy In the com-
merclal world and I wish devoutiy that I
could arouse YOU from this lothargy which
has grown upon you no insidiously that It
tnn he likcned to that OF the freezing man,
who lies down and becomes actually com-
Portable through dormant sepsibiiitics,
though oven In the icy grip OF death.
believing this to be OF paramount i'm
portance to our material interest and that
these questions In their most comprehensive
form should be grayely considered deem
II advisable that tho cotton growers meet
IN convention. that wo may adopt some rule
OF action by which we may DO enabled To
combat these agencies that arc daily grow
Ing more destructive TO our interests.
Pursuant to advice OF my associates, and
with the view Of meeting the greatest num-
Der OF farmers. three conventions Will be
held and. In accordance. respectfully re-
quest the farmers OF Texas 10 meet in con-
voniion In tho city Of Waco Monday, March
8. The cotton growers Of the Mississippi
valley will meet in Memphis wednesday,
March 10. Thoso cast of the MisyissipDi =
Will meet at Augusta, Ca, Monday, March
IL.
respectfully request tho CO. opcration
OF tho commissioners Of agriculture OF the
respective States. all agricultural societies
and those interested directly or Indirectly
In the growing Of the south's main staple. 3
] remain. respectfully yours,
Hector u. Lane, President.
tllleas ~