The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-03-27
Cotton Growers
Must Cut Acreage.
Farmers of South Carolina
Asked to Organize.

themselves nave CHOSEN 10 Saho TIC
proper steps to curtail the acreage
this year and prevent starvation
price for the crop now about to be
planted A short time ago the South
ern States Cotton Growers Prosec
tive association was formed by dele
gates fsom all the cotton growing
States, and Harvie Jordan Of Georgia
was. made president. At that time
it was determined to do everything
possible TO reduce the acreage this
spriog in not only this but other cot
ton growing States
A few days ago the planters of
verdery in this State forwarded to
Mr Jordan the following:
eve, the farmers of Verdery and
surrounding vicinity, realizing the
necessity of reducing the acreage in
che present cotton crop Dow being
prepared and 5000 to be planted. not
only to secure prices ct living rate,
but 70 force prices Oh the same basis
of last fell for the cotton now on
hand, end seeing no way by which
thia can be accomplished but to ask
sll she cotton growers TO cooperate
with as end reduce the acreage one
third. we address you If ell the
farmers who ralee cotton to any
extent will reduce their crop one
third and will show their willingness
to cooperate in the measure, We shall
see cotton (spots) advance within
go days and we shall realize 8 cents
for the crop now soon to be planted
Without this We cannot hope for
more than 5 or cents this fall
With these gloomy features star
ing Us in the face. we earnestly soIici'
cooperation in the cotton States.
Now we ask the president of the
Cotton association to cali meeting
not later than the first Monday of
April, to see what can be done
Now should the farmers feel an
interest in this step, or auy other that
is calculated to advance the price of
cotton aud keep it up We heartily
concsr with them The outlook just
now Indicates that cotton will go
down to price that the labor work
ing for half will abandon their crops
aud We shall fail to get it gathered
These things are not impossible
ties and now is the time to provide
against them
s.This is respectively submitted to
the farmers for their consideration "
President Jordan has in the last
few days written Mr. Wilborn. who
is president OF, the association in this
State urping him to issue q call aud
saying 81 shall issue call in all the
counties Of this State (Georgis). and
ask that the same be done in all of
the other States through the different
presidents of our State organizations
IF something is not done to check the
downward tendency of the market,
the cotton producers will be almost
fnancislly ruined next fall No man
can pay the present high prices O.
guano mules and supplies and sell
bis cotton at 6 cents and meet his
obligations The future work of our
sssocistious will avaii nothing if sn
enormous acreage is planted The
farmers will fix the price of she staple
during the next 80 days
President " iIborn Of the South
Carolina association has consequently
issued the following cell for the cot
ton gyowers to meet in each county
in tbis State and take up the matter:
To the Cotton Growers Of South Caro-
lina:
At she earness request Of Bon
Harvie Jordan of Georgia. president
of the Soashern Cotton Growera' Pro
sective association, and prominent
farmers 10 thls State. Issue shis
call for the farmers of our State to
meet at their respective court houses
on the first Saturday in April TO con
slider the advisability of reducing the
acreage for the present year, and also
to discuss ways and means for pro
tecsing the price of our staple from
present manipulstions. If the cotton
screage of the south be increased,
the price of cotton will go down TO
s cents next fell. which will result
in the greatest financial calamity that
bas befallen the southern farmer in
years Now is the time for action,
because the price of the staple next
season will be fixed according 20 she
acreage planted this spring
Let every cotton farmer in this
State attend these county meetings
on the first Saturday in April, end
determine to protect their property
from utter annihilation
j G Wilborn.
Pres s G Cot. Growers Pro Ass'n