The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-11-23

Macon, Ga, November 2O.-The
Southern Interstate Cotton Growers
Association, which was formed in Ma
con last May, held it's first convention
here today. President Jordan stated
that the prime object of the convention
was to form an interstate bureau for
the collection and distribution of sta
tistical information relating TO the cot
ton business of the south and TO offset
the Over-estimating of parties whom
he believed irresponsible.
Hon. HOke Smith, of Atlanta, was
the principal speaker of the day. His
address partook largely of the histor-
zeal and statistical and was well re-
ceived- Mr. Smith said in part:
- IOre than 20 per cent. of the cotton
ZINC is used in the great cotton mills
81 the world is raised in our section.
The mills ERn during twelve months.
They need the cotton as much in July
as they do in December. The plan of
selling has disregarded the time of con-
sumption. Instead of handling the crop
SO that it would be sold from month
to month during the year as the mills
require il for use, it has been the prac-
tice of the planters in the south to
rush the cotton on to the market during
a period limited at most to two months,
forcing it's 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 pres
ent year the planters have been inform
ed as to the extent of the crop and as
to the worlds demand for their ~N+-
ton. Realizing that it was worth at
least 10 cents a pound or more, they
have declined TO sell it for less. They
have received 10 cents for what they
have sold.
by the cooperation of merchants
and the bankers they have been en-
abled so soon as the buyers succeed in
depressing the price to al their cot
ton off the market, and as a result
they today see the price of cotton going
back to the figures at which it sold
during the month of September, and 1
have no doubt the balance of the cot
ton crop thus cared for by yOur farm
ers will bring them over 10 cents a
pound. This price, however, could
hardly have been realized had the
tanners raised 1000, 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
consume in 1902? How much lint cot
ton will the balance of the world pro-
duce for other than domestic consump-
ton in 1901? How much Will we pro-
. duce in the south in 1901?
Fifty years have shown an increaS-
( ed demand for cotton goods, causing
an increased demand for lint cotton of
about 700 per cent. While the next de-
cade may not show a prOportionate in
creased demand, 1 have no doubt that
by the end of twenty-five years, the
manufacturing of the world will con-
! sumo over 80, 900, 900 bales of cotton an
nually.
while the southern planter should
ain. at receiving for his lint cotton its
full 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 devoting great
attention, as nations, to cotton culture.
Accurate information should be pre-
pared by the agricultural departments
of the federal government and of the
states which are engaged in producing
lint cotton to the end that the plant
ers may obtain before planting their
crops the probable worlds demand, and
the prObable worlds supply, and later
on in the season when the time for be-
ginning to sell cotton arrives, the plan
tiers should be reliably acquainted from
these and other sources with the prop-
able product of our own cotton raising
section"
yersifcation of crops.
Hon. =. L. Patt1SOn, OIL NOrln CdIo-
lima. addressed the convention on the
organization of the farmers in his state
and said that Georgia and the Caro-
Enas would soon have to buy cotton
from other states to supply their rapid
" increasing cotton mills
AT the afternoon session, Captain
John A. Davis spoke on the relations OF
the banks to the cotton rover
The business committee made the FOL
lowing report which was adopted:
Il. Tha an Interstate cotton plant
ers' association be organized.
-. That each state association De al
lowed three representatives upon the
Interstate executive committee.
IS. That the interstate executive COM
m fttee be authorized to adopt a con-
stftution and elect officers.
II. Tha 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 OF the
Interstate executive committee was d1-