The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-11
CUT DOWN THE ACREAGE
With a Smaller Cotton Crop %etter Prices
viii Prevail.
SESSION OF AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS
scuthcrn states ofaciais Met In New
orIcans--Annus, Address OF Pres
ident stevens In Interesting.

New Orleans. January 1O.--The hrst an
nusl convention OF the Cotton States ssso-
citation OF the commissioners OF agricOi-
ture opened today In the hall OF the Lou
isisna experiment station at Audubon
park. A roll call showed the following
States represented: Georgia, Commission
er o. p. stevens, North Carolina, Conn
missioner Slatterson; Alabama, Commits
sioner l. r. culver. Mississippi. Commits
sioner J. A. Redhead and Assistant Com
missioner r. NJ. Gehee; Louisiana, Com
missioner Leon Jastremski New Mexico.
Commissioner Charles A, keifer; Texas,
Commissioner Jefferson Johnson; Georgia,
Commissioner l.. Nj. Womben.
General Jastremsld welcomed the COM
missioners TO New Orleans and Louisiana,
declaring the work that had been UNDER
taken was replote with Importance aud
vital interest to every one interested in
the welfare OF tho cotton producer aud the
cotton buyer. No calling was higher Than
the farmers. There is nothing that can
be done for the country better or more
thoroughly than by the farmer. who is the
bone and sinew OF the Nation. II is the
farmer who can control the property Of
the country and 10 the farmer the people
OF the Nation owe their very existence.
General Jastremsld urged them TO con-
tinue their good work and push the move-
ments which had been inaugurated by the
convention. He said there was nothing
the commissioners could do to better the
farmer that would not result In bettertng
the masses. He paid a glowing tiibute TO
the energy and fidelity of the commission
ers to tho farming interests Of the country
and insisted that the members and oth-
GERS put forth their best efforts In the fu.
ture as in the past for the upeuilding OF
the cotton industry in the Soutn.
The address delivered by Hon. !, r.
Culver of Alabama, replying to the well
come from the governors representative
was happily received by the commission
ers. Mr.. Culver thanked the governor for
the cordial welcome TO the city and as
sured him that the commissioners had no
intention OF giving UP the work that was
started only recently.
President Stevens then delivered his
annual address. AT the outset he said
This day which has been set apart fol
the first annual meeting OF the commits
sioners looking as 1t does TO the upbuild.
ing Of our common country and to the i'm
proyement OF the conditions OF the States
is to ME an suspicious one. l am glae
of this opportunity to meet with you an,
join in SO audable an undertaking, -e
memboring that 1t is for the good of th'
present as we'll as the future generations
Permit me- therefore, TO offer few suB
gestions in the beginning OF our meetlnl
for your consideration.
For years the farmers OF the Soutf
have been drifting into condition o
bankruptcy and decentralization greatly 4
their own hurt and 10 the detrimsnt Of tn,
common welfare This Is NOT due t
sterility OF soil nor TO unfavorable climatic
conditions Nature has not done more
for any section than for the cotton States
nor is II altogether fair to lay the taul
of failure TO our people, for a. a class the.
have worked industriously. In and on
OF season, but they have not worked witt
any fixed purpose Of permanent beneh
in the end. ] have for years been urginl
the farmers OF Georgia to reverse the
methods II they would escape the condi
tions which have resulted from lack o
diversifcRtion In planting their crops
The salvation Of the people depends upol
rural independence by living 1t homo an
raising home supplies by cutting of i'm
ports and increasing EXPORTS and | urs
upon you. the commissioners OF the ooito
growing states to call upon your peopl
10 change their methods of farming. II
true that for thirty years the balance o
trade has been somewhat in our favor
but much can yet be done along this line
I % much discussion by the press and peo
4 ple OF the South for the past lively
months. so much SO that the people q
| the rural districts ore seeking iniorms
/ ton by reading the daily aud weekly pa
pers and agricultural Journals. This
one Of the important channels throug
which this association must rely In reach
I ing the farming class, by writing MONTH
letters upon agricultural subjects an
questions to be published once a month !
/ your newspapers. The work nj reforms
! tion has begun and q should be the objec
Of this association ~ resch every HON
and cabin within its territory"
/ Aftsr dwelling on the great advantage
resulting TO the Southern farmer by diver
sized crops Nj Stevens said. ~ thin
! there is no doubt that the South is NOR
prosperous today than At any time withii
/ the last thirty years; prices have advance
\ and our people are more honeful. Mule
! and fertilizers have advanced rs per cent
corn, forage and meat are Is per cen
higher, pillow tools and farming maehiner
are rs per cent higher; cotton goods az
/ 50 per cent higher. 50 the crop ot 100
4 1901 will cost fully 30 per cent more {
market than did the crop OF ls90-1900.
+, urge YOU 10 sound note OF warning RICH
now. Tell your farmers 10 make SINAI
bills. to buy for cash n possible. 10 plan
largely for food crops and reduce the acre
age in cotton even below that OF last yeai
The cotton crop OF iSea-ie00 viii barrel
reach 1000 900 bales, and the average pric
paid thus far has been cents. so that
: we again reduce the use Of fertilizers an
the acreage of cotton and produce onl
s, 600 900 bales next season, we may eXpeS
not less than cents per pound for Oh
crop, But II our farmers go wild, as the
did In 1sss-buy everything they can o
time plant the whole earth in cotton an
make a crop OF II. 500 900 bales--the coun
try will be ruined almost beyond hop'
Such a crop next season would sell at froi
~ to cents per pound and leave y
hopelessly In debt"
After pointing out the advantages re
sulting 10 the South from the establish
ment OF cotton factories the necessity
higher education generally, Mr.. stever
lconeluded: "By all means educate tn
farmer that he may I'LL the earth wit
plenty, enjoy the fruits Of his willing !;
Dor and make the hearts OF all men glad
Tonight the members Of the conventic
attended a banquet az the st. Charles hot
rendered by the Sugar Planters assocl'
ton,
LIVE STOCK.
The Grazing Privilege I'm the TER
tory Il Further ExpIHiu$d