The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-31
HOLD THE COTTON
The Governor of Georgia
Writes Strongly.
Reduce The Acreage, He Says, and
Let All Work Together for
"ln Unity There is
Strength"
Especial 10 News and Observer

Especial 10 News and Observer
Atlanta, Ca. March Governor
Joseph NJ Terrell, Of Georgia, who
has from the very first taken a strong
interest in the work of the Southern
Cotton Association. and who always
has the interest of the Southern farm
ers at heart, is out in a strong article
in which he urges the farmers of the
South and especially the farmers of
Georgia TO hold their cotton. reduce
the acreage this year and to use less
fertilizers.
Governor Tyrrell is firm in the belief
that now is the time for the Southern
farmer to work out his own salvation.
According to the governor there never
was such time, and unless the people
of the South take advantage of the
opportunity it is going to mean hard
times once more.
In speaking of the work of the as
ISOLATION Governor Terrell said;
II have watched with great interest
the work of the Southern Cotton AS
ISOLATION. It's officers and the officers
of the various State divisions have
done a good work in so thoroughly or
ganiziEg the Southern States. Truly
the words which appear on the official
emblem of the association. In unity
there shall be strength are very ap-
propriate. The time has come fer
the people of The South to stand to-
gether. They can now work out their
own salvation. Failure to become
united means failure. This carries
with it the absolute serfdom of the
Southern planter to Wall street. The
South has never lost anything BY
standing together. 1t has never sue
ceeded by drifting; apart. Had it not
been for the union of moral forces
a airncr do Cfavr II FNa
structiOn the manhood of the South
would have passed away With its prog
erty interests. The Southern planter
needs this same determined and united
strength in the present fight the cotton
gre wers are making against the evil
that is threatened in an effort to con-
troll tie product of human labor by
speculation in Wall street There
should be no laggards. Now is the
time to act, in order that the best
results may be guaranteed. This is the
planting time, and it is incumbent
upon every farmer who loves his sec
ton, and who feels the property con-
Germ for the veal of coming gener-
atoms to give the fullest play to I'M
selfish patriotism and cut down his in
dividual crop in respect to the implied
/ contract that the great class Of the
planters have made with each other.
"He should not only do this him
self, but he sh ould urge his troopers
and his neighbors to follow his own
example. honestly and practically set,
by reducing the cotton acreage twenty
five per cent and fertilizers in the
same ratio,
"Diversifcations of crops to take up
/ tine lant net lJfG6ntedt In cotton anC III
greater effort than ever before to raise
| food supplies at home will put tae
Southern States in better shape than
ever. Too many of our people have
devoted themselves entirely to cotton.
There is all sorts of talk about
people who are going to take advant-
age of the fact that the other fellow
is going to plant less cotton. Like
the very few during the Civil War
when our sons were at the front, there
were a small number who refused to
| fight so they could reap a harvest of
wealth from the patriotism of others,
there will be q handful i'm every com
munity who will go ahead and plant
more cotton. But these can almost
be counted upon your fingers
81 believe the people of the South
are thoroughly aroused on this great
question and that they are going to
reduce their acreage, hold what cotton
| they can for better prices and when
next fall arrives. | believe the crop of
cotton will be much shorter than il.
years, ana that the price Will be much
| higher than it is TODAY"
Governor Terrell is & farmer him.
| self He owns several plantations in
Meriwether county Georgia. His cot
| ton acreage on each farm is going to
be reduced twenty-five per cent this
| year and furthermore the governor is
| holding his cotton from last year.
| Governor Terrell was reared on a
| farm He knows the needs of the
! farmers He is in thorough sympathy
with them i'm everything they under
1 take, and since the New Orleans con-
vention in January when it was re-
solved to plant less cotton he has been
| lending every announcement to the
movement and doing all he could to
| promote its welfare.