The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-23

per cent, Edgecombe, with increased ac-
reage 80 per cent, Franklin so per cent,
Greene rs per cent, Halifax IS per cent,
Harnett 60 per cent, Hartford suffering
! from rust was placed at 20 per cent, John
ston 20 per cent, Jones 60 per cent, Mar
tin rs per cent, Mecklenburg 80 per cent,
Nash. with increased acreage, 100 per
cent. Northampton 60 per cent, Orange
rs per cent, Pamlico rs per cent. Pasquo-
tank 7 5per cent, Pitt 20 per cent, Robe
son 80 per cent, Sampson IS per cent,
Scotland So per cent, Vance rs per cent,
Wake 65 per cent, Wayne 100 per cent,
Wilson rs per cent, Durham so per cent,
Lenoir IS per cent, Cabarrus 100 per
cent.
Capt. S. B. Alexander, of Mecklenburg,
was called upon to speak and said in part:
"One great fault I find with the farmers
is getting at the practical business of
things. There are but two ways to raise
the price of cotton. One is to corner the
crop with money, and the price goes up
10 fourteen cents per pound. Then the
farmers rush their crops to the market,
and the price goes down. The market is
flooded The only place outside of that
as means of protection for the farmers
is by organization. The Farmers Alliance
which I knew was the grandest organza-
tion and most beneficial 1 ever knew. In
Mississippi several years ago l made a
motion that would solve the cotton prob
lem 1t was that in July everybody should
make an estimate of the amount of cotton
he would probably make, in August
another, and also the amounts he would
sell, the number of bales he would hold,
and how long. In this manner. BIZ hav-
ing an organization in the South which
would meet every bale of cotton, there
could be no rush upon the market and
break it down. A committee was appoint
ed to present this motion to the National
Alliance, but it was suffered to be ne
elected, and was never presented This
is the only practical solution of the prob
lem 1 know
Gen. w. r. Cox, of Edgecombe, said he
thought resolutions did not go far enough.
In the United States there is an annual
production of 100000 bales of cotton.
How much cotton is used in this country,
in the world? Resolutions do not go far
enough. He suggested that committee
of five be appointed to petition President
Turner. of the National Association, that
convention of cotton men be called to-
gether at Memphis to discuss this great
question.
Mr. J. II. Currie, of Cumberland, said
that he sold his crop straight through for
ten cents, to be delivered when he got it
ready. Il want to say to the farmers of
North Carolina that I want education to
begin at home, and a resolution can do no
good unless we can control our own ac-
tions at home. If the farmer does not sue
coed in his business the merchant will
have to go to the wall. / say to the far
mers of North Carolina, organize, and let
them be educated, educated to diversity
their crops, and raise everything they con-
sumo on their farms. The State of North
Carolina has lost enough money on the
New York exchange to place million
dollar cotton mill in every cotton growing
community of North Carolina. The to-
bacco farmer is in the clutches of the
trust If the tobacco grower would di-
versify his crop, the trust would be in
his clutch l know of a man who lost
heavily on one crop, and ten years after
he diversified his crop he had 1880 to his
credit in the bank and owned new home
mer of North Carolina is the fact that
he does not make his supplies at home.
If you organize an alliance in North Caro-
lima and educate the farmers to live with
in themselves, then they have solved the
problem of prices, and then, if we wish
we may join in with our fellow States"
Mr. T. B. Parker stated that $4,000, 900
bales were required to supply the worlds
demand. In 1886 6,505,087 bales weighing
464 pounds each produced mere than two
thirds of the worlds supply. 1t is the
purpose of the alliance to help farmers to
reap this advanced price. 1--WE want tc
get the farmers to profit by the higher
prices, but it does no good to the farmers
if spectators North get fourteen cents a
pound for cotton. We must hold it for
these prices ourselves, because we need
and are entitled to the profits. Hold on
to it with grim determination. Make sac
rifices if necessary. The statistician has
come out and estimated the crop ut 2,000,-
900 bales. The rush upon the market has
deceived the spectators, and they believe
we lie when we say there is a short crop.
Mr. Ashley Horne, of Clayton, was
called upon to make some remarks on the
cotton question. He said:
1.-THE cotton question is a great question,
one which agitates the world and shakes
! up Wall Street. cotton crop has many
variations in its life, and the government
reports it at its best. What is the stua-
ton today? 1t is too late now to organize
to benefit the farmer this year. Cotton
has gone down from twelve to eight and
seven-eighths cents per pound What is