Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1900-11-22
rHE COTTON GROWERS.
FIRST CONVENTION OF THE SOUTH.
ERN TNTER-sTATEAss
The Hon. Hoke Smith Gives an His.
toricai and Statistical Review OF
the Cotton Business OF the south
OF the Present and the Future
Three Questions OF Will Impor.
tanee TO the Planter-The Increased
Demand-The Production.

Macon Ga. November 20.-The South
ern Interstate Cotton Growers Asso-
citation, which was formed in Macon
last May, held It's first convention here
to-day. President Jordan stated that
the prime object of the convention was
70 form an Interstate bureau for the
collection and distribution of statistical
nforma tion relating to the cotton busi-
1ess of the South and to offset the
'ver-estimating Of parties whom he be-
1eved irresponsible.
Hon. HCke Smith, Of Atlanta, was the
principal speaker of the day. His ad-
iress partook largely Of the historical
Ind statistical and was well received
Mr.. Smith said in part:
While cotton to-day brings ten cents
pound, 1t has only been three years
since the crop was selling at five cents
per pound. What are the elements
which have caused this variance in
price2 Recognizing the laws Of demand
and supply, we must see that the de.
probation in the price of cotton has
been due to a production of the staple
sE excess of the demand for manufac-
tured goods. knowledge of the supply
OF cotton and of the demand for cot
ton goods for consumption will enable
the producer 10 tell at the time of the
year when cotton is picked the price
with which lint cotton should sell An
other cause which has facilitated the
deprectatlOnS Of price at the time the
cotton left the hands of the planter has
been the unbusiness-like plan of selling
It,
More than 70 per cent. of the cotton
which is used in the great cotton mills
OF the W Orld is raised in our section
The mills run during twelve months
They neeG the cotton as much in July
! as they 90 in December. The plan OF
selling mas disregarded the time of con-
sumption. Instead of hauling the croI
SO that il would be sold from month tC
month during the year as the mills re-
quired it for use, it has been the prac-
tice Of the planters in the South to rush
their cotton onto the market during
period limited at most to two months,
forcing its purchase by spectators
rather than holding the crop until the
consumer or mill owner came after it,
Il am thankful to say that east of
the Mississippi river during the present
year the planters have been informed
as to the extent of the crop and as tc
the worlds demand for their cotton
Realizing that 1t was worth at least
ten cents a pound or more they have
declined to sell it for less. They have
received ten cents for what they have
sold.
by the cooperation of merchants
and the bankers they have been en-
Gbled so soon as the buyers succeed iii
depressing the price, to take their cot
ton off the market and as result they
to-day see the price Of cotton going
back to the figures at which it sold
nc no Of hor
have no doubt the balance of the cotton
crop thus cared for by your farmers
will bring them over ten cents pound.
This price, however, could hardly have
been realized had the farmers raised
LOCO 900 bales more of cotton.
There are three questions Of vital
Importance which effect the price of
next years cotton crop. They are, how
much will the mills of the world con-
sumo in 1902? How much lint cotton
will the balance of the world produce
for other than domestic consumption in
1901? How much will we produce in the
South in 1901 2"
Continuing. Mr.. Smith said: Fifty
years have shown an increased demand
for cotton goods, causing an increased
demand for lint cotton of about 700 per
cent. While the next decade may not
show a proportionate increased de-
mand, l have no doubt that by the end
Of twenty-five years the manufacturing
of the world will consume over 10000.
600 bales of cotton annually.
while the Southern planter should
aim at receiving for his lint cotton it's
full market value. care must be taken
that the South shall maintain her
supremacy as the cotton producing
section of the world. England, Russia
and Germany have devoted and are de-
voting great attention as nations to
cotton culture. The United States,
through the Agricultural Department
at Washington, should give cotton cul-
ture full proportion of attention and
should furnish reliable information Of
the progress which is being made
abroad in this great American staple.
Accurate information should also tie
prepared by the Agricultural Depart
ments of the States which are engaged
in producing lint cotton to the end that
the planters may obtain before plant
ing their crops the probable worlds de-
mand, and the probable worlds supply,
and later on in the season when the
time for beginning to sell cotton arrives,
the planters should be reliably ac-
quainted from these and other sources
with the probable product of our own
cotton raising section"
In closing, MIR. Smith urged the diver
sification of crops.
Macon Ga, November 20.-Hon. s.
/ L. Pattison, of North Carolina, ad
dressed the convention on the organiZa-
ton of the farmers in his State and
said that Georgia and the Carolinas
Woul soon have to buy cotton from
other States to supply their rapidly
increasing cotton mills.
At the afternoon session Captain
John a. Davis spoke on the relations
Of the banks to the cotton-grOwers. The
business committee made the following
report which was adopted:
l. That an Interstate cotton plant
ers' association be organized.
2 That each State association be al
, lowed three representatives upon the
Interstate executive committee.
8. That the Interstate executive
committee be authorized to adopt a
constitution and elect officers.
4. That the chairman and secretary
Of this meeting be authorized to act for
! the Interstate executive committee
until the same can meet and act.
On motion the first meeting or the
Interstate committee was directed to
be held in Atlanta Ga.