The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-02-05

Lodge. Let the work commence by
calling county meetings for certain
date throughout the South, say April
1st, asking every cotton planter and
ever one interested in cotton to meet
in mass-meeting. Then let the plans
for organization be discussed and
parties chosen for the work in every
township. Every paper in the South
will publish for these meetings and
will publish the proceedings if ar-
preached properly. Every county
should be organized by July 1st.
State organizations should be called
not later than July 18th, and Inter
state Association not later than Au-
gust 1st. Delegates should be chosen
at Sub-lodges for County meetings,
from County meetings to State, from
State to Interstate Association. A
part of entrance fees should be used
if necessary to pay the expenses of
the organization, a part to pay ex-
penses of County organization, and
part sent to State for paying expenses
of the delegates and officers of that
body.
As soon as the county is organized
steps should be taken to build bonded
warehouses for the crop of this year
wherever needed. Cotton should be
stored, graded and certificates of de-
posit issued for the number of pounds
of each grade. This certificate can
be used first as bank note or check
is used. Can be deposited in bank
and money drawn on it if desired.
All the meetings of the Sub,
County, and State should be public.
Where it is possible to get bonded
warehouses on time for this crop,
sufficient warehouses can be secured
in nearly every town to hold the
crop that would have to be put on
the market And money could be
advanced on it to meet the debts
that were forced to be paid early.
Just as soon as cotton picking is
commenced "a rigid census should be
taken of the crop in each township
and forwarded to the State Commit
tee. These reports as the season ad
vances for housing the crop will give
the Inter state Committee a tangible
and nearly true basis to set prices
for the crop. By November 1st the
price should be set if possible so as
to maintain ii uniform price accord
ing to probable supply and demand,
letting only enough cotton go on
market to meet the demands of the
mills and for foreign trade. Under
this plan the Cotton Growers Asso-
citation set their prices on different
grades As it is now the specula-
tors set the prices, and the farmer
has to submit to being feeced out of
millions of their hard earned dol
lars.
Under this plan no one could pur-
chase cotton except through this
Association, and then only enough
for legitimate use. A final settle
ment should be made once every
year except when neces ary to carry
over part of the crop on account OF
possible shOrtness of next crop. This
could be done by the Association
paying for the cotton on borrowed
capital and holding back enough
necessary to meet the subsequent
short crop. The expenses for stOr-
ing the cotton in the warehouses,
especially the bonded warehouses,
will be only very small per cent.
compared with the losses sustained
by the farmers as they now sell.
This plan has the following advan-
tages to the producer First. He does
not have to sell his cotton to those
interested unless value is paid. Sec
ond. He does not lose anything by
sampling or weights. Third. He does
not have to stand on the streets
Juggling with buyers to get better
price, frequently getting less; the
market falls after he has had it
sampled Fourth. His cotton is kept
out of the weather and he need not
be troubled about whether to sell in
fall, winter or spring, as in any event
he will get his pro rata price with
every other farmer.
1t is said that farmers will not
stick together, but believe when
you'can show to the farmer that in
stead of getting from five to ten cents