The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-28
CHIEF COTTON INTEREST
Will Discuss Plans for Determining
the Condition of Cotton Crop.
SECRETARY JAMES WILSON TO LECTURE
Nearly al the Southern States Represented
The Meeting to Take Hace In the New
Iy Furnished Auditorium.of Agri-
rtIlf,Iro 0onarfmont
culture Department


The Convention of Commissioners
of Agriculture of the Cotton Growing
States will meet here today at II
o'clock in the new auditorium of the
Agricultural Department. 1t will be
opened with prayer by DR.. NJ. M.
Marshall. Welcome on behalf of the
State will be extended by Governor
Daniel L. Russell. Mr.. II. n. Simms
behalf the city and the address of
welcome will be delivered by Col. Jno.
S. Cunningham.
Response will be made in behalf
of the convention by Prof. H. C..
White, of Geogia, one of the most dis
tinguished chemists of the country
There will be on adjournment until
4:30 o'clock, at which time there will
be an address by Mr.. O. b. Stevens,
Commissioner of Agriculture of Geor-
gia, which will be- followed by a re-
Tort of the secretary of the associa-
ton, and the standing committees
will also report.
At o'clock Hon. James Wilson,
o0cTeldEy Oh agriculture LOT the u III
ted States will deliver an address be-
fore the convention on "The Relation
Between National and State Depart
ments, Suggestions for Improving
them
The program for Wednesday con-
sists of papers and discussions in
which professors from the United
States Department of Agriculture will
participate, and also many agricultur-
lists of the South.
Yesterday Mr.. o. 3. Stevens, Com
missioner of Agriculture from Geor-
gia. Col. j. A. Redhead. Commission
er for Mississippi, and Mr.. t. b. Rob
inson, of Mississippi, arrived in the
city to attend this convention. Chan
cellor Walter B. Hill, of the Univer-
sity of Georgia, State Chemist j. M
McCandless, Col. II. j. Redding, of the
Georgia Experiment Station and
Prof H. c. White were expected to
arrive last night.
Commissioners j. w. Lee, of Louis
lana, Frank Hill. of Arkansas, and j.
+. Culver, of Alabama, are expected
today. Among those who are also eX-
nected to attend this meeting are
the Assistant Commissioner of Vir-
ginia, and the State Chemist of the
States of Alabama, Mississippi and
South Carolina, and a number of the
chiefs in the Agricultural Department
at Washington.
The meeting will continue until
Friday afternoon at which time the
selection of the next place of meet
ing will take place. An address is
also to be delivered by State Geolo-
gist Holmes, on Roads and Road
Making.
The Cotton States Convention of
Commissioners of Agriculture was or
ganized in Atlanta, Ga, last October.
Commissioner o. b. Stevens sent
out pressing invitations to all the
Commissioners of Agriculture OF the
cotton belt to meet and take plans
for the best advancement OF the IN
terests of Southern agriculture The
plan of organization outlined at the
initial meeting was consldered. At
this meeting were present represen-
tatives from Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama. Georgia. Arkansas and
North Carolina. The representatives
were all either Commissioners OF Ag-
riculture or Assistant Commissioners
except North Carolina, which state
was represented by the State Chem
ist, b. w. Kilgcre.
At that meeting Commissioner Ste
VEINS was elected President. Commla
sioner Frank Hill, of Arkansas, ist
yice-President. Commissions; ,. Il.
Patterson of North Carolina End vice
president, and Mr.: ROYAL Daniel, ot
the Atlanta Journal, secretary. 4
number of prominent mill men and
capitalists from North Carolina were
present.
The first regular meeting of the
association was held in New orleans,
the second week in January last,
when all the officers above named
were reelected for full term.
In a heated contest Raleigh won
the second annual convention, Ar
kansas being a close second.
Mr.. S. l.. Patterson, the efficient
Commissioners for this State has been
in the foremost of this movement
since its inception, and has won gold
en- opinions from the entire conven-
tion. He was warmly congratulated
YESTERDAY by the members who have
arrived. on his reelection. Mr.. Pat
+erson is in close touch with the agfl-
cultural interests of his State, ana IS
unremitting in us labor in their IN:
terest. He is valuable member OF
the convention.
At this convention nearly every inn
portant question bearing upon agri-
cultural lines will be discussed.& and
some Important amendments viii be
inaugurated. Chief among the acts
of this convention will be the perfect
ing of a scheme, which it is hoped
will result in securing an absolute
and correct estimate of the cotton
crop at all seasons of the year. Here
tofore cotton farmer has been at
the mercy of the bulls and bears of
Wall street, the cotton crop being
increased and decreased according to
the bank account of the cotton bro
ker. Estimates, false on their face,
but deceiving to the producer, have
been sent broadcast through the cot
ton belt. 1t is now the purpose and
mission of the convention to come to