The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-09-06
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER 5
Gather in Raleigh, N. C.-Welcomed
by the Governor.

miss:oners of Agriculture Of the Cot
ton States held thier opening session
Wednesday, in the new auditorium OF
the Agricultural Department. Govern
or Russell welcomed the visitors on be-
half of the State He said it was al
ways a pleasure to him TO welcome any
one to the State, and he especially vel
coined any people or association which
had for its object the betterment CT the
farmers, who were the basis Of pros
perity. The welfare Of the farmer was
the welfare of all. Years ago, he SAID,
the farmers believed that cotton was
king and endeavored to subject the
world to the idea by the raw material,
but they had learned that for cotton 10
be king they must manufacture it in
the section in which it is grown, as
they are now doing. Instead OF selling
it at 6 cents as then, they are now
sending it out as manufactured pro-
duct worth 20 cents pound.
Prof. H. C. White, Of the University
of Georgia, responded in happy man
ner to the address of welcome. HS
stated that the association was contin-
ed to the Commissioners OF Agriculture
of the cotton States. not on account
of sectionalism, but on account OF the
common interests with which these
Commissioners had to deal. The Agri-
cultural Department in many OF the
States had joined with the scientists 10
further the interests of the agricultur-
alists. He referred to the achleVe-
ments made by North Carolina and the
progressive spirit which today is alive
in the industrial sphere.
Among those attending were Presl-
dent @. B. Stevens, Commissioner Oh
Agriculture, of Georgia; Hon. j. A.
Redhead, Commissioner OF Agriculture
of Mississippi; Prof. H. c. White, Oh
the University of Georgia; Secretary
ROYAL Daniel, OF Atlanta; Chancellor
Hill, of the University of Georgia; Col.
R. J. Redding, OF the Georgia Experi-
ment Station; Col. Robinson, OF Lousl-
ana; Commission J. w. Lee, OF Ala
bama, and Assistant Commissioner
Frank Hill, of Louisiana. At the al
ternoon meeting the reports OF the
president, o. B. Stevenson, and OF the
Secretary, Royal Daniel, were READ.
The presidents report says: III the
Textile World is correct in It's ngures'
then South Carolina stands first among
the Southern States in the number Oh
spindles: North Carolina, which we
know is first in the number OF mills,
stands second in the number OF spin
dies. while Georgia is the third cottoh
manufacturing State of the South, ur-
less the product Of her mills exceeds
in value that of either OF her Carollna
sisters, which was the case in 1891
But what should especially please eV-
ery member Of this convention, Is the
fact that the whole South Is marching
on to the goal Of Industrial lndepenu-
ence. Fir the season Of 1899 and l9oC,
the South for the first time in its his
tory, fixed the price OF cotton. IL tne
growth of the cotton mill industry Ia
the South continues at its present rats
with the consequent increased con-
SUMPTION by the Southern mills, We
NAV confidently expect that the South
will henceforth be able to fix the price
CT her own great staple
Secretary Jafhes A.. Wilson, OF the
DEPARTMENT of Agriculture, tonight de-
hn1y
Secretary Wilson said there was no
agricultural product that the Depart
ment of agriculture makes greater Ell
fort to report upon accurately than the
cotton crop. Detailing the organ!zat-
ion the organization of this service M
pointed out tht there were in all l',OUo
regular correspondents in the cotton
growing States. Largely as the re;uit
of special measures put in operation
the Department was able last Decem-
her TO publish an estimate OF the crop
that has proven to be within one-tenth
of | per cent. O fthe figures shown oy
its subsequent movement. From tne
Departments latest sources OF lnioE-
nation, he said, there were now IN
North Carolina 16S mills, 22,l7S looms,
1908. 3.26S spindles, which consumed
$50, ,231 bales of cotton in 1899.
The total consumption in the South
ern States for the year was l,4OO,02b
bales. The secretary estimated that
one-ffth Of the crop Of the Southern
States is being manufactured in the
South's borders Point'Rg to the hg-
ures of exports of raw cotton manuiae-
coid.