The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-03-09
70 the People of Mississippi:


The Mississippi organization of the
Southern Cotton Association invites
your attention to the necessity and
method of organized efforts on the
part of those affected by cotton pro-
duction.
The south, if its opportunities are
properly utilized, will become the
most favored and prosperous agricul-
tural part of the earth. Climate, soil
and seasons give it practical monop-
oily Of one of the worlds most need
ed products, cotton. During the four
years Of our civil war, when the price
of cotton reached about a dollar a
pound, and ever since, especially when
prices were high, all other paris of the
earth endeavored to deprive us of our
supremacy; but only about a fifth of
the total yield, which does not appre-
Gladly affect the price, is their utmost
attainment. By proper regulations
limiting the amount of cotton raised
to what will command remunerative
price, by increasing consumption, by
cutting off all avoidable expenses of
Intermediary handling, and by judi
cious marketing, the land and labor
employed in cotton production can be
made the most profitable in the world
All of this can be certainly accom-
plished by sensible and we'll organized
effort. The cotton manufacturers of
all countries are combining into one
association which will act through one
set of buyers and utterly destroy COM
petition. By organization, cotton pro-
ducers can treat directly with this or
gained body, discussing conditions,
agreeing on prices that would be per-
manentlv remunerative to both, end
ing gambling in futures and artificial
fluctuations of values.
A crop of ten or eleven million bales
is worth now $1,O0,000,O0O, more than
crop of $14,000,000 bales. Had one
sixth of the time employed in pro-
ducing this crop been spent in idleness
cotton producers would have been
more than $100,00O,0O0 the gamers.
Industry should never be punished,
nor is it, when properly directed, nor
should idleness be encouraged. If in
stead of spending one-sixth Of the
time in idleness the producers Of the
south had devoted that portion of
their energy, labor. and capital to 9TH
er and diversified crops, corn, forage,
trucking, live stock, etc., our section
would have been more than $200,000,-
600 the net gamer This proposition
is manifest to all we'll informed peo-
pie who give the subject thought.
Some contend that five cent cotton
is better than ten cent value, but this
is delusion, unless poverty for cot
ton producers and a starvation scale
of wages and living constitutes pub
lie good.
Mississippi's present crop is esti-
mated at one and one-half million
bales. An advance of one per pound.
five dollars per bale, means seven and
Dne-half million dollars brought into
our borders, chiefly from England, a
larger amount amount than is needed
to pay al state, county and other tax
atioN An advance cf four cents per
pound on a million bale crop means
$4,000. eco brought to us from the
outside world, and SO evenly distrib-
uted that not a man, woman or child
in our borders would not be immensely
the gamer. With just prices for
cotton the wealth of our stale could
be soon doubled and its prosperity be-
come unsurpassed.
Organization will certainly attain
all Ct this; and is no more difficult
than were the formation Of the coal
miners, locomotive engineers. and
other unions, which are now in sue
cessful operation.
Our plan of organization promul-
gated at the New Orleans convention
ratified at the precincts on Feb. 18th.
at the county conventions on Feb
1lth, at the county convention on
Feb. 10th, and at the state conven-
tions on Feb. 21st, is modelled after
our system Of civil government. Those
engaged in cotton raising and in al
lied industries associate themselves to-
gethersby signing petitions and paying
dues. Each supervisors district organ
ICES by election of officers similar to
those of county and state organiza-
tinons through which they act. Con-
stitutions and bylaws will be sent to
every county within the next few
weeks, setting forth the aims sought
and the method of attainment. The
principles and policies of this organi-
eaton will be carried to every man S
door and his cooperation solicited
All who are not with us are against
us. and against the best interests of