The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-09-06
TIN, CENT COTTON THIS FALL.
Chop SHORTEST OF MANY YEARS AND
Will, REACH ONLY ABOUT NINE
MILLION BALES.

mlssioners Of Agriculture was al inter-
esting one. While only about half
dozen States were represented, U. S.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson was
present and the address delivered by
him, the State Commissioners and
others INVITED to do 50, including Presi-
dent Winston Of the n. C. College OF
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, we're
very timely, instructive and interesting.
NINE MILLION BALE COTTON CROP.
Probably the most important out
come of the meeting was the estimate,
prepared and given cut after careful
enquiry and consideration, made of the
size of the cotton crop for the year 1900,
viz, 1864 500 bales.
The crop of 1899, which was short
one itself, was estimated at O,OOO
bales, so that the crop of 1900 will not
be only one OF the smallest of recent
years but will be, according to the esti
mate, nearly million bales less than
1899, or, to be exact, 1856, 900 bales less.
North Carolina Is put down at 1885,
600 bales, which Is considered very
liberal estimate, tor unless the balance
Of the season is very propitious and the
supply of labor (said to be short in
many counties) ample to pick it, the
crop this year will hardly reach those
figures.
This short crop means that our farm
ers ought to and doubtless will receive
ten cents for all their cotton raised and
marketed during the season of 1900
1901, and if the market does not az
proach that figure at the start it will be
good policy for every cotton grower
who can do so to hold his cotton, and
hold it as long as he can, for the price
is certain to reach ten cents before the
season is Tar advanced. The foreign
crop, especially i'll India (on account
OF the famine), is relatively even short
er than in the United States, and of
course the foreign demand for our cot
ton will be heavier than usual.
In addition to all these, and other
facts tending in the sane direction,
there has been unprecedented growth in
the cotton manufacturing business OF
this country, particularly in the South,
and hundreds of thousands of new
spindles must be fed this year for the
first time. So the increased price will
largely compensate our farmers for the
damage done by the drougth-I am
very glad to be able to add.
STATE CONFERENCE OF NEGROES.
Rev. c. H. King, negro preacher oil
Raleigh, who is president OF State as
ISOLATION of negro "leaders" of some
sort, has called meeting of the associ.
alton to be held In Raleigh, Sept. 26,
"for the purpose of considering educa-
tional, industrial and political matters. y
Nothing more definite is given out as
to the real object of the conference.
| am told, however, bv Raleigh ne
groes that this is the same association
of which George White, the negro
congressman, Is or was probably IN the
past tense now prominent member
and of which 1t was proposed in the
spring or early summer of last year, to
hold meeting here "to take action
In protest OF the proposed Constitu-
tionaI Amendment" etc. An estima.
BILE negro of this city told me at that
zklme that it was the purpose of White
4nd others OF his ilk to "raise merry
cain" at that time, but that Parson
King was finally prevailed on to call
the meeting off because the more con
seryative darkies realized that such
steps as those proposed would lnjure
the negroes, in every way, more than
anything that could be devised.
1t will be interesting to see what pc.
sition those negro "leaders" will take
now. and whether or not they will in
vite White to deliver speech along
the lines he had intended one year ago
It's dollars to doughnuts, however, tba,
White will not even be in attendance
COTTON MILL STRIKERS OF DURHAM DIES
TITUTE.
Many OF the striking cotton mill or
eratives of Durham are in destitute
condition, and an appeal has been made
to the citizens of that city to aid them
In procuring the necessaries of life
although 1t has been only two or three
weeks since they quit work at The
Erwin mill. The "organlzers" of The
union (whose work caused the trouble
and the visiting ''labor leaders" whose
advice they took, now have a fine op
portunity to be of some real service t.
these unfortunate people. But the,
have all "moved on" to some othel
town. The strike was ill-advise3 and
no preparation for the future had beer
made by the strikers, hence their dis
tressing condition. It is to be hoped
that they and Mr.. Erwin (whom even