The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-10-05
COTTON GROWERS ADDRESS.

and Pauper-

pointed at the Convention Of the Cot
ton Growers Union of the State, held
in Columbia on the 10th instant, de-
sire to say that the exceeding low
prices of cotton at the present, with
the indications of lower prices still in
the future, painfully admonish us that
we have reached crisis in the history
of the industry. Prices to-day axe
not only far lower than they have
previously been at this season Of the
year, but lower than they have been
for fifty years, and the months of No
vember, December, January and Feb
ruary are selling on the Liverpool
market at figures lower than during
the great depression Of the '4O's, and
even at these figures English agents
are advising the spinners Of Great
Britain to withhold their purchases
upon assurances that prices will soon
be fifty points lower. In considers
ton Of these conditions we desire to
call the attention, not only of the
cotton growers, but of every business
a7ocation in the cotton belt, to the
ominous fact that for the want Of or
dinary tact and foresight we are allow
ing this great element Of wealth to
pass beyond our limits for a mere
song; that our birthright is going for
3 mess Of pottage, and our great natu-
raj advantages sacrificed with the
careless Indifference with which a
drunka1d Aings from his lap his treas
ures. Foreign speculators and manu-
features, fully aware that the staple is
passing out of the hands Of the grow
ers at figures far below the cost Of
production, nevertheless keep aloof
from the market'to allow the maturing
obligations Of the farmers to force the
crop out Of their hands for mere
pittance,., De6antly claiming to COM
mand the situation, they bold
" propose to avail themselves Of con-
ditions which could be remedied by a
combination Of the growers and the
business element Of the cotton belt,
to rob the farmers, not only of the
profits Of their years labor, but Of
nearly one-half of the value Of ten
million bales Of cotton, and thereby
impoyerish the most favored section
.sof tie globe. Blessed with the natu-
raj advantages Of climate and soil
which alone can produce this great
staple in volume and quality sufficient
for the demands Of the world, We
should be the most prosperous people
ON the earth. Efficient org anization
which would control the volume Of
production and regulate its marketing
Would make these advantages mine
Of wealth.
But with every cotton grower sepa-
rately striving to increase his acreage
and multiply his bales, first above and
then below the cost Of production;
with a vicious financial system that
causes the claims Of the local mer-
chant ard banker to force the entire
crop on the market in four months,
these natural advantages are distorted
into blight and curse, and the cot
ton grower is made to become the prey
to the speculator and the manufac-
turer. Never was there situation
which more peremptorily challenged
the wisdom of economic statesman
ship, or presented more inviting,
nay more imperative, field for or
ganization. Never was there an ext
.gency which would more fully justify
at. Yet we are told that the cotton
growers are an ignorant GLASS, devoid,
of leadership and without the power
Of organization, that it is impossible
to organize five hundred thousand
cotton growers. Why even the lower
animals will rally for the purpose Of
self protection. Can it be possible
that the cotton growers constitute the
eonly element Of the animal kingdom
who cannot unite? That they are SO
devoid Of manhood, intelligence and
foresight that the strongest incen-
tives, independence, competency, the
welfare of their section and the main
tenance of their families, cannot
induce them to unite? IF it be true
that as a class they are so devoid OF
spirit, SO ignorant, supiDe and help
less that the most direct and forceful
appeals to sentiments most calculated
TO stir the human heart cannot induce
them to organize for purposes Of mu-
tual protection and self-defence, then
truly we should hear no more COM
plants of the aggressions Of trusts
and combinations, but as class we