Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-05-24
Cotton Growers Convention and its Objects
fAtlanta journal, May If.

a convention of six hundred repre-
sentative farmers and business men met
in Macon Saturday, and spent tho day
in dcvising plans for marketing the cot.
ton crop to better advantage. 1t was
one Of the strongest bodies ever assem-
blcd in Georgia. and its discussion o!
the problem included suggestions from
tho viewpoints of the planter, tho gin
ncr, the warchouScman, the banker, the
buyer and tho manufacturer. Much
light was thrown on the subject, and
good progress was made toward sub.
stantial reforms, which will result in
better returns to the producers of cot
ton.
The meeting of the farmers and busi-
ness men in joint session. earnestly CO.
operating for the common good, was
progress in itself Time was in recent
years when Sucl I meeting would have
been impossible. An era OF good feel
ing has como, and progress is the natu-
raj result.
1t developed in the discussion that
during the two mouths between October
lSt and December ith, claims against
the farmer amounting to SlSo,0OOOuO are
pressed fOr collection, and during this
period there is forced liquidation enough
to cause panic in almost any stock
market. This happens every year, and
it is not surprising that prices are usu-
eiS ~ ~" lcNtl tullnp lntSt TWO
months.
This condition is avoided by the WcS-
tern farmers in marketing their wheat.
BY judiciouS use Of the elevators, the
sale of the crop is extended through ten
months, and the producer has Il better
chance to realize the Value OF his grain
The idea of the cotton growers is to
apply the same remedy in their own case
This, of course, will require the help OF
ti,,,,
was first made by Major J. +. Hanson.
who is both cotton planter and Il cotton
manufacturer, and incidentally, Il ware
house owner.
This plan has often been explained.
In brief it is to carry the cotton in
warehouses through the period of forced
liquidation. 1t was shown that with
properly constructed warehouses, cost
ing : 500 for capacity OF 800 bales,
tho cotton can be insured for a quarter
OF one Per cent and carried with interest
ut five or six per cent, if the warehouse
certificates are undcrwrittcn by surety
company. 1t was also shown that in
such warehouses on the cheap ground of
the smaller Southern towns, the worlds
reserve supply of cotton can be carried
more economically than in the expensive
warehouses of the great ports here or
abroad
The Cotton Planters Association Of
Georgia, and similar organizations in
other Cotton States are to bring annut a
general use OF such Il system pcrfrctiug
1T as experience points the way. There
Is no purpose to create Il craze for hor-
rowing money, but there is Il desire to
make intelligent use Of the facilities
which are freely offered to the farmer by
the bankers Of the South, in the same
way that Western farmers use similar
opportunities.
The convention developed the impor-
tant suggestion that an organization of
ginncrs for the purpose Of reporting the
appearance OF cotton as it is balcd, could
furnish earlier and more accurate sta
a$tics of the crop than any other agency,
and the cooperation OF ginncrS was
asked.
Something was said incidentally to the
elect that much money could be saved
to the farmer 10y paying more attention
to the methods of picking, ginning, etc,
ana competent experts estimate this pos
Siblc economy at a dollar bale. There
IS no doubt that 'nuch good will result
from this convention.
1t is expected that similar conventions
Will be held in other Cotton States and
that through the operation OF result
ing organizations, the planters Of the
South will be induced and enabled to
market their crops to b.ttcr advantage.