Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-04-19
APPEAL To yHE FARMERS
issued By Commits ioner o Agr'cul-
ture Patterson.

ture Patterson.
Hon. S. L. Patterson has sent OUT
the following appeal to the farmers OF
North Carolina:
"To the Cotton Farmers of North
Carolina: So much has been said and
aone-and wisely-to convince the
cotton farmers of the South Of the ad-
vantage to themselves Of growing less
cotton in 1905 than was grown in 1904,
there seems little necessity of saying
more. And yet the subject is of such
vast Importance, so fraught with veal
or woe of their material interests, !
Deg permission of the North Carolina
farmers to make one last appeal to
'nein TO stand solidly together in sup.
poft OF the resolutions of the New Or.
leans convention.
IL mas beer stated time and again
and this statement is true-that ths
small crop of cotton brings more mon.
ey' no1 only per pound, but in gross
amount than the large crop,
Last years record breaking crop
lnay prove an exception to this rute.
II prices advance, or even remain at
present figures. But if the government
report in June shall show no material
reduction of acreage, present prices
cannot be maintained.
"There are many estimates d;sc.
ing widely, of amount Of American
cotton needed for the worlds sunnlv
1 give what seems to be a conservative
one:
Europe will need at least 1900, 600
bales; United States and Canada, 4.
200, 600 bales; Japan and Mexico, 800,
900 bales. Total consumption, 1880,
900 bales Of American cotton.
Suppose 10000, 900 bales can b,
handled by spinners, a surplus Of on
and one-half millions still remains t.
depress the market, unless it can b
protected by the executive committe
Of the Cotton Growers Association
Still this one and a half million
bales, carried over into next year
crop, if that crop is a large one, will
utterly demoralize prices. If the gov
eminent report shall show anothe
$4,000, 000-acre crop, we may expec
this panic in prices, and no power OF
earth can prevent it. The creates
factors now-the only ones, as l SCI
it-maintaining present prices, are thu
New Orleans resolutions to reduce
acreage and the hold of the executive
committee on the present surplus.
1.-THE farmers have never been il
such an Independent position for re
ducing cotton acreage. Plant corn
peanuts, chufas, COW peas, make for
age crops for sale, let the land be
idle and save fertilizer bills-anything
to prevent such unwieldy cotton sur
plus. 1t will be better for the individ
ual farmer it will be better for the
farmers at large.
Il make this appeal with all the
earnestness of deep conviction, anG
to all the cotton farmers of the State
whether or not they belong to the AS
ISOLATION.
"The greatest obstacle in the way
of united action is the apprehension
among the farmers themselves tina
they will not all hold together. If eacl
individual farmer will hold together
the whole body will take care of it
self. The man who will deliberately
e e to take advantage of his fellows
in this crisis, and, while they are striv
ing fer the common good, to advance
his selfish interests, is untrue to the
cause and unworthy the fellowship OIL
good men.
1T is not worth while to prolong
this letter, but in all seriousness and
sincerity I appeal to the farmers to
cut down their cotton acreage at least
70 per cent, and hereafter to continue
to diversity their crops. Such a policy
Will bring a degree Of prosperity to
the State such as has not been known
since the war.
IS. l.. PATTERSON,
commissioner Of Agriculture.'