The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-11-16
COTTON GROWERS.
Proclamation Of a General Planfor
Their Organization.
ANDERSON'S FARMERS ACT.
Howto Create a Deficiency or Sur
plus as the Occasion De-
mands. Prompt Action is
Asked For.

HShVN Ois
We, the undersigned committee, ap-
pointed by the Cotton Growers con7en-
tion assembled in the court house at
Anderson, on the 7th day of November,
1898, by resolution adopted by the
same, do proclaim the following as a
plan for organizing all of the cotton
growing counties OF this State and all
other States in the cotton growing
belt, and ask that prompt action be
had:
Mr.. Editor: Allow me through your
paperto offer aplan, or suggestion,
to the Cotton Growers association.
Being a farmer myself, / am very much
interested in plan by which we can
better our condition. We have only
three features to contend with to ac-
compllsh our purpose: First. We must
control a certain amount of the cotton
produced throughout the cotton belt.
Second. We must control the labor
necessary to produce that amount.
Third. We must be able to create de-
hciency or surplus, as the situation de-
mands.
1t does not seem to me that we can
ever accomplish much, if anything, in
a farmers organization as unit, sim
ply from the fact that some are not so
fortunately situated as others. Hence
this plan. With these fortunate ones
depends the solution of this cotton
question. They can over double their
prosperity and that Of their neighbors
without injury to themselves.
The first feature: To accomplish this
end, let so independent farmers, or
who can be accommodated to indepen-
dency, meet, organize, form corpora
ton, or, to put it plain, form trust,
to be governed by laws regulating
trusts, etc. For the benefit of those
who may not comprehend the magni-
tude Of their representative body OF 50
men, we will take our own county, An
derson, forillustration, and see what we
have. eve will say where the counties
are small and are not so wealthy it is
not necessary to have so many men in
the organization.) By selecting your
men you can find them to represent or
control anywhere between 5000 to 15,-
900 bales-of cotton. But for fear this
estimate is too high we will cut itdown
to 5000. Apply this to the State and
we have 246, QUO bales Of cotton, about
one-third Of the cotton produced in the
State. This will hold good throughout
the cotton belt. The estimate for 1898
is II, 100000 bales. Grant this to be
true. Then you will see that this or
ganization holds 100000 bales. Do
not lose sight of this and we will see
later what they can do with it.
Second feature: How are We to con-
troll this labor necessary to produce the
amount of cotton above stated? Very
easily. We will take the crop Of 1898
for basis. Let each individual mem
Der Of this organization retain the same
tenants or hired labor which he had in
1898, or in case Of change he must
supply their places with labor equiva-
lent. For he will not be permitted to
represent more cotton than be can pro-
duce labor to make the same. And it
shall be his duty and he will be requir-
ed to furnish this labor with supplies
as ordinarily. For one-half or three
fourths Of the cotton he represents in
this body will be theirs, according to
the terms Of their contract.
How are we to create deficiency or
surplus as desired? My answer to this
is through the New York Cotton Ex-
change. Pick up your daily paper,
turn to the market quotation. You
will see your crop Of cotton for 1899
can be bought by man who wants it
from man who hasn't got it and for a
given price, which many claim is below
the cost Of production. Knowing these
facts to exist, can We not get together
in body governed as trust, so that
no one can act independently? We
will have president and board Of di-
rectors. Grant that We have this trust
established. What will be the conse-
quences? Our president, acting in uni
son with our board of directors, will
authorize his agents to go on the floor
of the exchange and purchase the en-
tire crop controlled by this trust. Then
the order will go out to each Individual
member will not say member, but
stockholder-to put his lands in wheat,
oats, peas, corn or anything he may
choose, but under no condition must he
plant seed Of cotton, and to keep his
tenants employed so they cannot assist
in raising cotton for non-member.
If he should plant cotton after receiv-
ing this order he would forfeit his bonus
money, which would be 81 or s. per
bale. He would have as much cotton
to sell the next fall as be could make out
of other products he raised the year
before, and all he could make out OF
other products would be surplus.
Take the 100000 bales. You will
see by buying 1000, 900 instead of rails
ing it, we have reduced the amount
raised to about s, ,O0O, 000 bales. -Four
thousand bales must be bought for US,
which will leave only four million bales
for the u.s. of the world. Can't you
see it would be grab and snatch game
for this cotton, and prices would run
away up? On the other hand, if cot,
ton is bringing fair price, we could
sell our crop, roll up our sleeves and
raise it, as we have it sold. There is
not corporation or trust that could
have the advantage we would have:
Now, we know the cry will be :! ou
cannot make your purchase or sale.
We will see. In order to keep cotton
down they have got to sell, Or else 1t
will 60 up, and if it goes up, then we
will have accomplished our aim. ~, we
are willing to sell and make it. They
will either have to put up or shut up.
It takes 500 to buy 100 bales or sell.
Son,o may think this is gambling 1t