The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-13

gO4 81 AlCSNAAo |. 49,
same purpose. Texas will hold.
'("Signed.) "E. S. PETERS"
To the above I replied:
Similar meetings will be held in
every county in North Carolina Our
farmers will hold their cotton"
Therefore 1 suggest the cotton farm
ers in every cotton growing county in
the state assemble in mass meeting at
their respective court houses at II
o'clock on Saturday the 18th to take ac-
ton in regard to he very low price
to which cotton has dropped.
The remedy lies in the hands of the
farmers themselves. With will power
backed by determination to not sell
another bale of cotton within the next
sixty days. and not then for less than
10 cents per pound, victory will be theirs
and good instead of ~starvatio prices
will be in sight.
There have been only about $500, 900
balls Of the present crop sold, therefore
the buyers have not the situation in
hand. The trade will demand at the
very lowest estimate 4,500, 900 bales
more, and viii TAX them at good prices
provided the buyers can not scare Jul
farmers into selling at a low price.
There is no denying the fact there
has been a large crop made. Every
thing has been favorable to a maximum
crop and unless the farmers come to-
gether and take a firm stand we will
see still lower prices. But with pru-
dence and firmness the low water mark
has been reached.
1t is not the amount Of cotton a
has been put on the market that has
depressed prices, put the big crop that
is in sight. The buyers are depressing
prices on prospects; figuring that the
cotton has been made and must be sold.
They know only too well the farmers
disposition to sell. but let us for once
show them there is a limit in price be-
yond which We do not propose to go.
There has never been a more favor
able time for the farmers to hold their
cotton than now. They are fairly we'll
out of debt and have better provision
crops than ever before. Besides, the
merchants, manufacturers, and every
class of our citizens, except the cotton
bear" and we have a goodly number
of them whom we are under no obliga-
tons to whatever, are with us in this
fight for better prices.
The present low price is not a blow
that falls on the farmer alone, but will
affect every class of our people from
farm hands to bank presidents. The
farmers are simply the distributors of
this great aggregation of wealth that
rightfully belongs to the south. From
them it goes into every channel Of trade
and into every ven of business.
When the farmers fail to get the money
they can not disturb it, hence all suf-
fer. The real alert business people
know this and are willing to stand by
us in this fight and give us their SYM
pathy n assistance if necessary.
Will we be men, standing for our
rights, our homes and our loved ones Or
will we be pigmies %crouching before a
set of tyrants asking for mercy at their
hands, when they have no mercy? Away
with the thought. Be men, true men
standing for your rights. Remember
the days OF the jute bagging trust and
see what determination and f1rmness
accomplished. Remember the "Edenton
Tea Parry" and the Stamp Act IT.
Colonial days, and act accordingly. The
time has come When we should come
together as one man laying aside pre-
JUDGE, if we ave any, and take a
firm stand. Meet at our respective
court houses, pass resolutions in regard
to prices and holding a part Of the
present crop and take steps to reduce
acreage next year. Then stand by these
resolutions. At your county meeting
arrange for township meetings so as to
enlist every cotton farmer. Get them all
to become interested and take part in
the meetings. After your township
meetings have another county meeting.
Have your secretary notify me at once
of the action taken at your county
meeting. If necessary a state meeting
will be called later, out the thing to
do now is to get u county in good
shape. Let every reader of this at
tend these meetings and get his neigh
bors to go also. The prosperity of the
south largely depends upon our action
in this matter.