The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-12-15
Begins With Big Convention
at Shreveport.
GROWERS MEET IN FORCE
Object of Gathering to Devise
Stringent Measures to Cut Short
Ravases of Danger
Gus Pest.

After Delng almost uopeIeSSlS uedo-
locked in a parliamentary tangle over
the question of permanent organiza-
ton, the first session of the national
cotton convention at Shreveport, La,
finally adjourned to night session
without selecting permanent officers.
More than four hundred delegates,
representing every cotton growing
state in the south, assembled at the
Grand opera house at o'clock Mon
day afternoon for a four days meet
ing, to discuss the boil weevil situa-
ton and devise, if possible, ways and
means for the eradication or control
of the pest.
The convention was called to order
by Judge ]. c. Pugh, chairman OF the
executive committee, who voiced the
purposes of the gathering in a ringing
speech. Judge Pugh said that the
delegates had been called together to
consider q question Of vital impor-
tance to the welfare of the south, and,
indeed, to that of the nation He
feared the gravity of the situation had
not been fully realized by the people.
The entire cotton belt is threatened
BY the boil weevil, he said, and unless
decisive, prompt and energetic meas
ures are taken to arrest its progress,
the weevil will, in the course OF time,
destroy one of the greatest money
crops of the nation. Judge Pugh con-
tinued:
ITO me there are two phases OF
the problem for this convention to
consider.
First. can we arrange to go out OF
cotton for one year in the area at
present infested, and thus get rid OF
the entire weevil menace?
Second, in the event an extermina-
ton Of the pest is impossible by any
method that can be suggested, let US
then adopt some recommendation that
will meet the issue in the very best
way and see that these recommends
lions are enforced by legislation, If
necessary, throughout the length and
breadth Of the infested area
Temporary Chairman Bolton. in
brief address, made an earnest plea
to the delegates for action. Mr.. Boil
ton then read the following telegram
from Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson
at Washington:
"Hon. ]. C. Pugh, Shreveport. La
DR.. Howard, entomologist OF this de-
partment, who has had wide expert
ence in coll weevil work in Texas,
goes to represent me at the Shreve-
port convention. would be with you
if nv duties here did not imperatively
keep ne in the city. I hope your de-
liberations will be instructive, help.
full and conservative. 20 before the
house committee on agriculture today
to urge the appropriation of a large
amount of money to deal with the boil
weevil in the southern states. partic-
ularly Louisiana and Texas, for the
coming year."
The reading Of the message was
greeted with an outburst Of applause.
Governor Blanchard, of Louisiana,
next welcomed the delegates to the
state. He said in part:
The question that has brought you
here to hold this great convention is
not one affecting merely the cotton
growing region Of the south. 1t affects
intimately and directly the whole
country. If the cotton crop of the
south is to cease as the result OF the
invasion of this insect, it will prove
worldwide calamity. It will affect
ruinously large commercial interests;
it will affect disastrousy every COM
mercial interest and every line Of
trade the world over. More, perhaps,
than any other single product of tae
soil, cotton permeates and adjusts
and regulates the balance of the
worlds trade"