The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-26
YOOMANS DEALS WITH
The COTTON YIELD
CONVENTION WILL LIKELY BE HEI.D
ON IMPORTANT MATTER.
southern Phntcrs Navo plan, Which Ia
snid To 80 the 0nIy s,n" That Can Sayo
Them From Impending Di.as.or.
~ Warning

Tho following letter on the vitally
important subject Of tho handling of
this years cotton crop has bcen re-.
ceived by tho pre- aident Of the South
Carolina Cotton Growers Association:
Fairfax, Aug: 22, 1893.
Hon. j. g. Wilburn, Yurkville, S. G..
My Dear Sir: | have just return.
ed from Memphis, Tenn., where I
have been rs tho vice president for
South Carolina to attend meeting
of the executive committee of the
American Cotton Growers Protection
Association. At this meeting, aftor
electing COL Maxwell, Of Louisiana,
president, to succeed the late Hon.
Hector d. Lune, deceased, and af.er
simplifying the title of tho organiza.
ton by changing it to that Of the
National Cotton Growers Union, it
was determined by tho president and
vlce-p presidents to inaugurate Wig.
orous policy on the part Of the cot
ton growers Of the South to meet the
requirements Of tho present threat
en'ng exigency of lower prices and
impending ruin.
from the best informed and most
reliabla sources OF information, the
committee unanimously arrived at
tho conclusion that tho present crop
would fully equal, if not exceed tho
last, and, if r. .,idly thrown upon the
market, would in all probability sell
far below 5 cents. In view Of the
fact that tho cotton growers have
tho present crop of from ten to twelve
million bales now in hand, while
manufacturers and spectators have
only about three million bales, if
that, and that if tho cotton growers
would withhold tho present crop
from tho market for 0r days, say till
December lst, tho world would be
bare of cotton and Mt the mercy of
tho cotton growers for their sup
ply, determined TO effect thorough
and complete organization Of the
cotton growers beginning with the
smallest geographical sub division
with view of holding the present
crop and following up this line Of ac-
ton, through tho medium of town
ship clubs, by enrolling all land
hol"ers in contract to reduce next
years acreage ono half.
1t is manifestly clear that such
line of proceeding would place the
cotton growers in command of the
situation and change the outlook
from ono of bankruptcy and ruin to
ono Of profit and competency.
1t further seems than an effort In
this line would meet with tho aid
and approval of almost every bust
neso interest in tho south.
Well Knowing that the principal
obstacle to the accomplishment of
this undertaking would consist III
tho maturing obligations of the cot
ton growers, incurred in the pro-
duction of tho crop, special com
mittco has boen arranged for, con-
slSting Of ono member from each
State, to confer with capitalists and
provide the necessary funds to take
up these liens and carry tho cotton
until such timo as it can be disposed
of at fair profit.
Under instructions from the exe.
cutive committee Of the National
Cotton Growers Union, with aview of
placing South Carolina in Il position
to carry out these propositions, l
now call upon you ns tho president
OF the organization in this State to
call convention to meet in Colum-
bia at tho earliest possible day.
Please use such diligence as will So
cure full representation from each
comfy in tho State.
Should our State act with prompt.
ness and decision, it would in all
probability have most happy
effect on all the other Cotton grow
ing States.
This is matter Of vital conse-
qncnce to tho entire cotton belt and
too important to brook any neces
sary delay.
While have thought proper to
give you an ontline of tho commit
tee's plan of procedure, it was
thought hest by tho committee not
to make it public just yet.
Yours very sincerely,
l.. W. YoUMANs.