The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-09
COTTON MEN WILL CURTAIL Looked on as Solution of
 Difficulty. MEETING IN CHARLOTTE North CarOlinians Will Confer
 With others. Committee Named to Msst With Rs- representatives of the Mill Men
 of Other states of the
 Union.

t
 Union.
 Charlotte, N. C., Dec. 8.--In response to e call by committee representing the North Carolina Manufacturers' Associa- ton. more than a hundred cotton manu- facturers representing 2ll3es spindies and s&S looms througnout the Southern States, met here today and inaugurated q plan for the curtailment of the produc- ton of cotton goods by the miiis Of the entire country.
 "A committee of fifteen was named to meet similar committee from other sec- tons and agree to decrease production throughout the United States. Even be- fore the meeting 1t was evident that the one purpose of the session would be to curtaii production or to make an effort in that direction by Joint resolution.
 Alfred A. Thompson of the Raleigh Cot ton Mills moved that the necessity for na- tionsl curtailment be considered the sense of the meeting.
 Meeting in wash4ngtcn.
 Mir. Thompson suggested that meeting should be held in Washington ak which Representatives of manufacturer from all parts of the world might discuss the Ques- ton on common ground. He took occa- sion to predict a large cotton crop for next year.
 The motion was referred to commit tee of three, which. after a half hours de liberation, made the following report. which was adopted with but one dissent- ing vote:
 curing national curtai ment, which we think absolutely necessary to the cotton Industry, we recommend that a commit tee of fifteen from the North Carolina Manufacturers, Association be appointed by the Chair to meet In Washington City at as early date as can be agreed upon with like committees from oshcr states
 That the other Southern States the Middle and New England States be In. vited by the Chairman of this meeting td appoint similar cDmnaittaee which, when they meet In waShinRkon as . joint com. nzlttes will eerzunlAte . plan tact Nlii brins about curtdiimealt throughout ths United States; and that this jollit com. inlttee tmmedia iately call a natlosas meet. ing o4 mann&acturere at such date and place as they can agree upon. Heath Urges Q Forfeit.
 After the reading of the moEion there was an interesting discussion. w. c. Heath Of Monroe. N. C., President eg the American Cotton Manufacturerss Aesocia. tiop. stated that he did not think it would do any good to attempt to curtail unless . forefeit was put up that would be binding upon all men concerned in ths matter. He thought that innmediately following the meeting there should be held in the different Southern States neat- ings of manufacturers at which commit tees could be appointed and the eeEttinleni of the bodies could be expressed at q meeting to be held coniointly with the New England or Northern mill men.
 He said the meeting would be tinwiso tc put itself in position where 1t seemed to try to depress the price of cotton. Cur. tailment Is all right. but not now. Cur tailment should not begin before July or August, when the proper care could be taken of the operatives.
 Nr. Heath criticised the tendency that sought to damn the specuIators. He knew, he said. that twoSahirds of the men before him practised what was termed gambling in the cotton market.
 Gordon of Georgia Speaks.
 President Gordon of the Georgia Cotton Manufacturers Association, in reeponsa to a call for 2 speech. said that he Ia vored the plan under consideration and believed that curtallnent was the only solution, He thought the prices Of cotton would remain high. It remained for the mAnufactursrs to regulate the price Of thsIr goods.
 At the, afternoon session the following were named on the committee;
 ". A. Erwin. Durham: A. A. Thomp- son, Raleigh; T.. W. Cannon and !. M- o'DelI, Concord; W. O. Heath. Monroe. President American Cotton Manufaetur- CTS Association: D. Holt Burlington, ". H. williamson, Raleigh, w. Fl. Watkins. Ramseur; c. ". Johnson, Charlotte: w. L.. Holt. Fayetteville; B. F. Mebanes Spray; Caesar Cone, Greensboro; &. B. Tanner Henristta: !. H. McAden, Char lotte; F billing. Kings Mountain.
 New England's AttituAs.
 Boston. Dec. s--It cannot be told aN thiG time what effect the move to bring about curtailment of production in the cotton milis of the country will have in New England.
 Few manufacturers care to express an opinion at present. and those who are willing to discuss the situation are not agreed on a plan to be pursued, although they generally admit that milI owners cannot turn out goods at profit with cotton at the prevailing quotations and while buyers of the finished product naln- tain their present attitude. IL seems to be the sentiment of owners of small mills ana or treasures WHO arg bnokLsOl cOttoM that curtailment of production is abso- luteIy necessary. .
 Some of the larger mills in New Eng land, especially. several of the manufac- turers in the northern section who have fair cotton supply, are not advocating . shut down at this time, and It is not believed that they would cars to do much curtaiIlng unleas they received as- surances that the movement would be general in all sections, North and South.
 As Viewed in Fall River.
 Fall River. Mass. Dec. s.--The move for a national meeting of cotton men and the formation Of plan for the curtasi- ment of cotton manufactured goods whicn took definite form in Charlotte. N. C., to- day, is favorably received today.
 While the consensus of opinion express cd was that the plan was most excel lent and a movement in the right direc- rion. 1t was pointed out that when 1t came to putting the plan into execution the va rious mill treasurers would probably act as the local conditions demand. Local manufacturers would attend the general convention and say that probably some agreement could be reached for general