The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-15
ALL TOGETHER
Suggestions as to How
Cotton Farmers
Should Organize.
In This Fight the Farmers Have the
Sympathy and Cooperation Of Bank
ers. Merchants and all Who Wish
Southern Prosperity.


To the Editor Thinking a final
word in regard TO the farmers pro-
posed mass meeting 10 be held Satur-
day, the 18th, may be helpful, J will
ask you to publish this communica-
ton:
The very many letters | have re-
crived in regard to the movement have
been very gratifying to me. The far
mers themselves do not show more in
terest in the movement than the mer-
chants manufacturers and other bust
ress men DO All seem TO realize the
situation and what the decline III the
price of cotton means to the South as
q whole; and all seem equally anxious
To tnwart the purposes of those who
are 'clamoring for low priced cotton.
! can not quote from all the letters
] have received but can not refrain
from giving extracts from some Of
them, for they show the trend of put
lie opinion and tie un&nimity with
which all our people are standing on
the necessity Of DONG something for
Our own protection at this time.
One gentleman writes: Il heartily
approve of such action speaking in
the triple capacity OF merchant, man
ufGcIurer and farmer.
In addition to the pledge to be
asked of the farmer, l would suggest
that a pledge be asked also from the
merchants and cotton factors that they
VII not advances money and supplies
to those who do not sign the pledge.
81 am sure the business men of this
county will cooperate with the far
rners in ally measure which promises
to afford relief. We are ali in the
same boat and must suffer or prosper
alike"
This letter is so very full of good
common sense that l should like to
comment on t. but time and space
forbids.
In this connection I will say a gem
tleman N"ho is il full sympathy with
the movement. ard who is merchant,
and also interested III manufacturing,
said tOsthe. writer he void be unWil-
ling TO put a mans name on his books
.-ho would not join in this movement
to secure better prices for cotton. He
said such a person has not sense
enough to know big crop will re-
duce the price of cotton or simply does
not care, and he wants no such per-
son owing him for Supplies. This man
has had large experience in furnishing
farmers with supplies when cotton
Was bringing frcm 5 to cents
pound, and does not want any NOR
experience along tndt line.
A farmer from Sampson county il
writing says, after speaking of the
mass meeting TO be held Saturday: u
believe q mighty organized effort on
the part of the cotton farmers of the
South just now to hold the balance of
the crop and then reduce the acreage
at least % per cent, next year will
be the wise thing for us to do
A gentleman in Louisburg who is
To-. rrrlN- i.,fn tA1 he
meeting called in each county on the
18th, I would advise to get number of
bales held by each farmer, as | am
sure the government report is entire
~ too large"
OF all the letters l have received on
the subject and all the people L have
heard discuss it. not one has disap-
proved the proposed action of the far
mers in regard TO holding cotton and
reducing acreage next year; but on the
contrary the plan seems TO meet with
universal approval.
A gentleman told me today that ne
had interviewed the bankers of Raj
eigh and every one of them said they
vcer with the farmers in this fight
and would make loans when needed on
cotton. From what | can learn the
bankers of the entire South occupy
this same friendly position toward the
farmers. Therefore no farmer need
refuse to join In the movement for
fear he will not be able to get money
to carry or his farming operations
another year.
With the bankers. the merchants
and the manufacturers standing be-
hind them and encC urag:ng them to
demand fair price for their cotton
il would be the he ght OF folly on the
Tart of the farmers for them TO back
down and say to the spectators To
take the cotton at whatever price they
axe willing to offer. On the other
hand we need not think the specua
tors. are going to surrender without n
struggle. The fight will be fierce but
the farmers have the advantage. They
may beat futures down sti'l lower, but
our people need not become alarmed
at that. Futures are all right 10 buy
and ia soil but are not Worth 4 cent
Ia spin and weave. cit the Specula-
tors traffic in futures all they want u,
but LIT The farmers hold on to their
cotton and all will be we'll in the end.
y.oWever do not forget the fact that it
Will be just as necessary to reduce
acreage next year as to hold cotton
Iow. The two propositions must go
hand in hand or the benefits we are
now working for will be only temper
airy and in the end failure will stare
US in the face.
a word IN regard 10 the meetings
a.Id some suggestions as TO them and
] a mdone.
While | am Secretary of the State
Farmers Alliance, these meetings are
not called under the auspices OF the
alliance or any other farmers organi-
cation. but are called TO meet the ur-
gent demands of the times. / want
them free from everything that would
cause single farmer to hesitate TO
attend and participate in them. There
lore | suggest that progressive, lev
ei-neaded farmer, one in Wnom the
people have full confidence and one
wEo has executive ability be made
chairman of the meeting. and some
farmers son Who is quick AMI good
se'ibe be made secretary. The chair
n.&n can state the objects of the meet
ing. winch is to formulate a plan to
advance ana maintain the price of cot
ten at point where it will be remun-
erative to the growers He can have
the secretary read any plans that may
he submitted in writing. After prcpo-
sitions have been thoroughly discussed
and adopted, appoint a committee of
five representative farmers from each
township whose business will be TO seq
every cotton farmer in the township