The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-20
FARMERS IN MASS MEETING.
COTTON GROWERS CONSIDER
SITUATION FACING THEM.
The Need Of United Action Is Ins-
pressed-Dates for Farmers Insti-
tutes-State Geological Board In
Session-Report OF State Librarian
Standardization of the School for
the Blind.
Messenger Bureau.

Despite snow and severe weather.
all parts OF the county today TO at
tend the mass meeting. Many busi-
ness men also attended T. 3. Parker
presided. The court house was pack
ed. Secretary OF State Grimes said
the drop in prices had aroused the
people more than the greatest orator
could and that a condition faced the
farmers which must be met. Farm
ers can be masters of the situation II
there is unity, and IL they show their
manhood. He favored a plan OF pro-
yiding warehouses in the principal
towns in this and other cotton grow
ing states, for the storage of cotton
on which advances could be made,
and declared that in this way the laws
of supply and demand could be fixed
He did not believe 10 cents e pound
could now be obtained. because condi-
tons had gon too far, but he said II
the farmers stood together until the
first day OF March they would get 9
cents. Commissioner of Agriculture
Patterson said he fully endorsed all
Secretary Grimes had said. The Sit
uation was of the greatest gravity and
affected all the people. Another such
crop as this, unless some way of re-
form was found, would ruin this part
of the country.
Senator a. c.. Green was made per
manent chairman, II. Is. Parker having
called meeting to order. John S. Cum
bingham, President of y. c. Cotton
Growers ASSOCIATION spoke, urging a
reduction Of acreage ana holding for
better prices. Other speeches along
this line werenmade by Charles +.
Johnson, r. B ArendelI, and w. y.
Wyatt. \ resG ution was adopted
%pledging ali growers ana all other
holders Of cotton in Wake county To
hold for not less h ten cents, until
the State Cotton Growers committee
meets here January 31st.
The latter committee is to perfect
a plan for holding at least 25 per cent.
of this years crop and reducing the
cotton acreage next year not less than
% per cent. Plans for township
meetings, county meetings AND gen-
eral state committee of growers were
perfected, township meetings to be
held December 31st, county meetings
January It'll, these to send delegates
to a state meeting January S1st. There
was great enthusiasm.
Today the dates for the Farmers
Institutes to be held in the north
eastern counties were arranged, and
are as follows: Warrenton, January
9th. Jackson 10th, Halifax 18th, Kin
ston 18th, Greenville 18th, Tarboro
14th, Washington 18th, Roper 18th,
Williamson 18th, Currituck 18th,
Winston 9th. Windsor 2Sth. These
will be the first institutes for 1903,
and much is expected of them. The
attendance at the institutes this year
was so g~ratifyingly lage that the OIL
Gals were greatly pleased.
The state geological board held its
annual meeting today in the COVER
nor's office, he being it's chairman and
the other members being j. p. More
head and Henry E. Fries, the latter
having been appointed this week.
State Geologist Holmes was with the
board and made a full statement OF
the geological work in North CarNfna
during the current year. Prof. IL r.
Sykes, was present n submitted ms
special report. largely covering public
highways, and their Developments,
much having been done along this
line. Professor Homes and Professor
Skies have been at the ST. Louis
exposition much OF the time.
Prof. Holmes having for two years
or more been the head of one of the
greatest departments of the exposition.
Tn report of State Geologist Holmes
to the Geological Board, covering the
work for two years ended November
3Oth, says a great deal of work has
been done in connection with the
good roads movement and many pub
lie meetings held. Road Engineer of
Survey ". L. Spoon attended these
and visited various counties, giving In
struction and advice. In a number OF
counties in the middle section and
west and in New Hanover, work has
developed in way of grading, locating
and macadamiZing. The building
stone of the state have been
investigated by George P. Morrell, or
the National Museum and TWO ASSIST
ants. A topographic survey of the
state has been continued by the Unlted
States and of $4,000 square miles
about 20, 900 have been mapped under
the direction of H. NJ. Wilson. The
United States Bureau of Forestry and
the state survey had ~co-operated. haV-
ing made q careful examination OF
mountain forests and has done mucn
TO arouse the sentiment for permanent
national forest reserve. The eXam1n-
alton of the forests of the eastern
counties is being arranged Tor ana Is
soon to be pushed. Legislation Is
needed to prevent n catchhg OF
shad at river mouths.
Postmaster Bailey made Up TO-DAY
his list of rural free delivery post
routes in the state. which showed no
less thar S27 of these in
the monthly pay rolls now being
about $4,000.
City Physician McGehey reports that
he today discharged the last OF the
smallpox patients. At n time per
sons feared there would be an II
break here, but the disease was admir-
ably handled and spread at all.
In fact it was very quickly tamped
out. There are a few cases in tho
nthar and southeastern parts OF n