The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-31
THE SOUTH'S PROGRESS
|AGRICULT URAL COMMISSIONERS OF
COTTON STATES MEET
ADDRESS BY SECRETARY WILSON


stevens - North Carolina's Cotton
MiIls-Governor RusseiI's speech of
Welcome-Replies Thereto.
Raleigh, n. c.. August 2s.-The COM
of agriculture Of the cotton
states held their opening session. be
ginning at noon today. The session
held in the new auditorium OF
the agricultural department. The
meeting was opened with prayer by
Rev. DIR. Marshall, of Raleigh. Gov
ernor Russell then welcomed the visi-
it was always a pleasure 10 him 10
welcome any one to the state and ne
welcomed the visitors in the most cor
dial terms. He especially welcomed
any people or association which had
for its object the betterment Of the
farmers, who were the basis of pros
The welfare of the farmer was
the welfare of all. Years ago. he said
the farmers believed hat cotton was
king and endeavored to subject the
world to the idea by the raw material,
but they learned that for cotton to
be king they must manufacture it in
the section in which it is grown, as
they are nov doing. Instead of SELL
inf it at 6 cents as then, they are now
sending it out as a manufactured pro-
duct worth 20 cents a pound.
MI. r. n. Simms, of Raleigh. then
v-al0ovonI +ha x;-;t0-- - rho 20
the city.
Commissioner Patterson, of North
carolina, stated that Colonel Cunning
ham, who was to have welcomed the
association in behalf of h agricultur-
Ial department was unable to be pres
ent on account of a death in his fami-
Ily. Mr.. Patterson made a few re-
marks.
Professor H. &C. White of the Uni
versity of Georgia responded in a hap
lpy to the address of welcome.
He referred to the achievements made
by North Carolina and h progressive
spirit which today is alive in the in
dustrial sphere.
Commissioner Redhead, of Missis-
sippi, said that the cordial greeting
he had received on arrival and the
hospitable treatment he had bee re-
lceiving since his arrival made il I'M
- " 1AA<~Aly ~ Va
Among those attending are President
10. u. Stevens, commissioner of agri-
culture of. Georgia; Hon J.. A. Red
head, commissioner of agriculture of
Mississippi; Professor H. C. White, of
the University of Georgia.; Secretary
Royal Daniel, of Atlanta; Chancellor
Hill, of the University of Georgia;
John NJ. McCandless, of Georgia; Colo
mel r.. j. Redding, of the Georgia ex-
pertinent station; Colonel Robinson.
lof Louisiana; Commissioner j. w.
Lee, of Alabama and Assistant Com
missioner Frank Hill of Louisiana
At the afternoon meeting the re-
ports OF the president, o. B. Stevens,
land of the secretary, Royal Daniel,
were read. The presidents report said:
IF The Textile World is correct in
tits figures, then South Carolina stands
first among the southern states in the
number of spindles; North Carolina,
(which we know is first in the number
lof mills, stands second in number Of
lspindles, while Georgia is the third cot
ton manufacturing state of h south,
unless the product Of her mills exceeds
lin value that of either of her Carolina
sisters, which was the case in 1890; but
what should especially please every
member of this convention is h fact
THAT the whole south is marching on to
the goal of industrial independence.
l. VI LIZ SScSoLA "a AoSe oAAo ASON SAS
south, for h first time in it's history,
fixed the price of cotton. If the growth
iof the cotton mill industry in the south
continues at its present rapid rate,
with the consequent increased con-
sumption by the southern mills, we
will henceforth be able to fix the price
of her own great staple"
At $50 o'clock Secretary James A.
Wilson, of the department OF agricul-
ture, delivered an address before the
body.
Secretary Wilson said there was nc
agricultural product that the depart
ment of agriculture makes greatel
effort to report upon accurately thar
the cotton crop. Detailing the organi
cation of this service, he pointed on
that there were in all 1900 regula
correspondents in the cotton growing
states largely as the result of the spe
lcial measures put in operation. TIL
department was able last December t
publish an estimate of the crop tina
has proven to be within one-tenth o
one per cent. Of the figures shown b.
its subsequent movement. From tn
departments later sources of informa
ton he said there were now in Nortl
ICarolina 18S mills, 22,178 looms, 1908,
1858 spindles, which consumed 380,23
bales of cotton in 1893. The total con
lSIllPlIoi Al IN oNceOS ~
the year was 1,4O0, 026 bales. The sec
lretary estimated that one-fifth of tn
crop of the southern states is bein
manufactured within the south's boz
Iders.
Pointing to the figures of exports G
raw cotton manufactures Secretar
Wilson said:
when we find the United State
lloaning money to several foreign coun
tries. and certain lines of manufacture
icotton goods being bought in tn
UNITED States by dealers in Scotland
lit indicates very emphatically the posi-
ton now occupied by our countr
iamong the nations of h earth" II
referred to the fact hat the souther
states have a much heavier rainfa
THAN the northern states and that tn
southern states suffer much more fror
the drought than do the states of til
mississippi valley. The southern state
have been under cultivation for a lon
"He That Any Good
"-h IT,. >.