The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-12-28
THE COTTON SITUATION.
Harvie Jordan Writes Letter Con-
tanning Important Suggestions.

tanning Important Suggestions.
From Walter Parker, News Cores
% o,.e ..erpondent. IL
New Orleans, Dec. 25.-Secretary
Henry Mayor Of the New Orleans Pro-
gressive Union has received letter
from President Harvie Jordan, of the
Southern Cotton Growers Protective
Association, thanking the Union for
| the tender of its hall for the meetings
of the association, Jan. "a, 25, and 26,
when the subjects of great moment to
southern cotton growers will be dis
cussed and an amalgamation of va
! rious southern agricultural associa-
tions formed. The letter is as fol-
lows:
Monticello, Ca, Dec. 19, 1904.
Nh. Henry M. Mayo. Secretary Pro-
gressive Union, New Orleans.
Dear Sir: beg to acknowledge re-
ceipt of your very kind favor of 18th
inst, rendering the use of the rooms
of the New Orleans Progressive Union
for the meetings of the Southern Cot
ton Growers Association, Jan "a, IS,
and 26, 1905, and to thank you most
cordially for your interest and kind
ness. We expect to have large at
tendance, from every cotton growing
section of the south and am sure
every delegate will appreciate, as I do,
the courtesy of your great civic or
ganization.
"The Shreveport convention accom-
plished much good, and at New Or
leans We propose to follow this up
with sane aud business like organi-
zstion, free from prejudices and ope-
rated solely in the interest of the Sc
curity Of che cotton grower. We will
come to New Orleans prepared to
bring together the various agricultu-
raj organizations of the south and
weld them into strong central body
and upon this united body will rest
the responsibility Of organizing the
bureau Of statistics and information
which is expected to be of direct and
lasting benefit to the farmer. In this
connection I must repeat what I have
said before. The organization of this
bureau is not intended and will not
be used in criticism of the bureau of
statistics of the United States depart
ment of agriculture. It is projected
for the purpose Of supplementing the
work of that bureua, but with informa-
tion coming direct from our own men,
bership. and in addition, giving facts
concerning the spinner and manufac-
turer which will tell the producer
what is being done with his commod-
ity:
.'The statistical and information
bureau will furnish the producer with
reliable information as to the acre
age, the average condition Of the
growing crop. the prospective yield
and the actual yield. Also the actual
cost Of delivery of his cotton to the
spinner, the prices at which the man
ufactcred goods are sold, the consump-
tion of American cotton by the mills
OF the world and the amount of sup
plus carried over, II any.
stOther questions of economic in.
terest will be discussed and none is
of more Importance than the South's
labor problem. Fortunately for the
cotton planter, the world seems to
have produced a man who has taken
a great step forward in solving this
vexed question, and while I did not
witness the test of the Lowry picker
at Shreveport, l note from the press
reports that the result was so satisr
factory that some sixty-five or seventy
Of the most responsible cotton planter
and business men of North Louisiana,
many Of whom I have the pleasure of
knowing personally, passed resolu-
tions unqualifedly endorsing it.
This is a tremendous victory for the
cotton grower, for the reduction in
cost Of labor and production will be
immense, as the picker is asserted to
do the work Of from three to five men
a day. At Shreveport the accounts
show that each one of the four arms
of the machine picked an average of
1876 bolls minute. This is at the
rate of 5000 pounds of cotton per day
per machine.
''If this machine of Mr.. Lowrys'
Gao do such things as these, half the
battle has been won for the farmer,
for this picker will take rank as the
greatest improvement in the cultiva-
tion of cotton since the invention of
the cotton gin.
''Since the Shreveport meeting dis
banded, its members nave scattered
all over the south and have spread
the watchword, Hold your cotton, to
such purpose that the farmers every
where have fallen milne and announce
that they will await better prices. In
this work of conveying word to the
farmer we have met with the hearty
and liberal cooperation of the south
ern press and but for their prompt
and generous assistance our work
would have been clogged and slow.
Southern editors arose to the occa
sion and from the biggest of our city
dailies to the humblest of our country
weeklies, they have thrown all their
intelligence and activity into the
task of helping their own people and
giving voice to the southern planters
letting each community, each state,
know what the other is doing and a
most remarkable upanimity has been
the result. It is current belief that
the farmers will not stand together
that they cannot be welded into a.
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