The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-06-25
PRESIDENT JORDAN TO COTTON
ERs. 0"OW.

State Association at Macon b15
State, on July 18th, among o+b rl'
things, says:
"By active cooperation At -
opening of the cotton season uS
fall we forced prices for the s+os,
up to the highest level of pricao
ceived for many years. Saw
eighths of the crop was sold abo-
nine cents per pound, and abont L,,o
of the crop at ten cents per non~5
These prices could not have been ~
tanned if former methods of soI7!
the crop had been adhered to. 49,
is, rushing the market at oDenina
the season and sacrificing the crono
whatever price the spinners ons
spectators felt disposed to nav g.
it. The wide discussion of the 49,
ton situation, a better knowledooo
supply and demand which was nIaoos
before the producers through +bo
work of our association and the nroso
generally throughout the Son+b
placed the producers in possession
of facts which they utilized to thair
benefit and the crop was sold at .
profit. It was the result of an ndr
catiOnal campaign conducted in tho
interest of Southern farmers. and
the result the first year gave to tho
South the most prosperous Season
known in a decade. The work of
the coming convention will be do.
voted entirely TO business. Short
ten minute speeches from prominent
farmers and men in other lines of
business will take the place of a few
lengthy addresses which has been
the custom in the past. Farmers
from all sections of the State and
business men in all other a~vooations
r cordially invited to be present,
no matter whether they are mem.
bers of the association or not.
"Bankers and merchants are
equally interested with the farmers
in securing good prices for the next
crop. The present rules of the New
York Cotton Exchange, if allowed to
continue, will bring wreck and ruin
to the cotton producers next fall.
The time has come when Southern
farmers and Southern business men
should either force the New York
Exchange to do a Legitimate business
Or shut their quotations out of all
Southern exchanges.
"The United States Census Bureau
has agreed to cooperate with our
association in gathering reports from
g1nners and otherwise assisting in
getting correct statistical informa-
tin. Mr.. S. A. D. North, Chief
Statistician of the Census Bureau at
Washington, D. c., has accepted an
invitation to be present at our July
convention and outline the plan of
his department in securing statistical
information from the gtnners.
"This cooperation of the govern
ment will lend financial strength to
the movement, will place US in posi-
ton to quickly secure correct infor-
nation as to the size of the crop each
season and take that feature of the
business out of the hands of speoula-
tors who have heretofore taken ad-
vantage of our ignorance to keep
depressed. Remember the
scheme sc successfully worked by
Neill in the fall of 1899, when
Southern planters lost 800, OOO,OOO
before they found out the truth, and
the small farmers, the ones least able
to bear the loss, e. the hardest
hit. An effort will be made to secure
the usual rate given US heretofore OF
one fare for the round trip. l DO
not 9 how any farmer with the
knowledge of an increased acreage
and the fact that every effort will Do
made to reduce prices this fall can
remain away from the convention OF
to make a determined eHor'
to protect his interest by some gooa
system of co operation. Although
the association il but one year ola,
there is a State organization in aIlol
the principal cotton-growing States
I will go to Texas on the 23d of July
to meet the Texas cotton growers IL
convention at CalIegn Station. Will
the active CO operation of the IezSS
producers, with the same stand taken
by the producers east of the MlSslS'
as was taken last season, tn0
price of cotton cannot be controlLVu