The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-10
FARM Rs ALLIANCE
Sec. T. B. Parker on Pros :
poets IF the Organizat'n
Cotton May Reach IS C-nts--- Cotton Now Sold
is Fcrc d, W Briggs II Csns--.Crop is
Not Being Rush. 10 Marker.

Mr.. T. B. Parker, secretary of the
Farmers State Alliance, has just returned
from Hillsboro. In answer to question
as to what the alliance is doing, he replied:
"The alliance is not resting on its oars,
but is rapidly pushing the work of reor
ganization. Mr. Gates, State Lecturer, IL
now at work in Martin county, and Is
meeting with success. report from him
on the 5th showed that he had reorgan-
lied three sub-alliances there in four days,
and would organize the county alliance
at Robersonville. on the 18th
Mr.. Parker expects to be with Mr..
Gates on that occasion.
In the counties where the alliance is in
good shape he said, 1--WE are going for
ward with the original purpose of the or
ganization. For instance Edgecombe
County Alliance meets in Tarboro, on the
18th, and will have reports from the sub
alliances and take up such work as may
be presented. At that meeting they Will
probably appoint committees to report at
the January and subsequent meetings on
the vital questions affecting the farmers Ia
regard to next years operations. The
labor question, crops of various kinds, and
acreage, will be fully discussed after these
They have passed the stage of "organiza-
ton" and will not discuss that, but go
forward along the lines of cooperation
The alliance in that county is composed
of a body of live farmers. AS an illustra-
ton, l received a letter from an officer
of one OF the subs in that county, this
morning, and he said their sub Alliance
now has forty members enrolled; an in
crease of over fifty per cent in member
ship in just one month. The alliance is
not doing things by halves in Edgecombe.
How about the cotton situation? ''That
is hard question" replied Secretary
Parker. 1--WE are all at sea. The cotton
crop is evidently shorter than we ex-
pected. The ginners' report, Just issued,
is q surprise to every one. That, coupled
with the fact that the farmers are not
rushing their cotton on the market faster
than the trade demands it, is significant.
The force of the agitation for higher
prices all over the South. in view of the
short crop, is being felt. Another thing
this is the season when people who are
| forced to sell have to put their cotton on
| the market and all buyers know that fact.
If cotton at forced sale will bring eleven
cents we may naturally expect prices to
go higher after that part of the crop has
been taken. l was talking with cotton
mill man a few days since about the
probabilities of higher priced cotton and
he frankly stated that he would not be
surprised to see cotton sell for Is cents
per pound before next September, and
felt sure that 121a cents cotton was not
very far off
THAT is the situation as it appears to
him. But the wsest of men can not al
ways foretell the price OF cotton. Some
time there suddenly appear factors and dis
turbances in the market that no one can
foresee. at present prices of cotton, I
am not running an advice shop, but sec
no reason why it will not go higher