Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-10-18
President Smith Says Hold Cotton.

The following appeal to the farmers,
merchants and bankers of the State is
made by the president of the Southern
Cotton Association, K. ID. Smith:
To the Farmers, Merchants and Bankers
of South Carolina:
In view of the present decline in the
price of cotton L consider it my duty to
make an appeal to the farmers to hold
their cotton off the market. 1 ask that
the merchants and bankers assist them
in doing this. The merchants by not
pressing them, and the bankess by lend
ing them sufficient money on their cot
ton to enable them to meet the obliga-
tions that cannot be deferred.
The price fixed by the executive com
mittee at Asheville at IL cents may seem
to some rather high, but when the New
Orleans convention fixed cotton at 10
cents the difference between the current
price at that time and 10 ceuts was very
much greater than the current price now
and IL cents. You will recall that cot
ton when the New Orleans convention
assembled was under seven, about six
and "A half. BY standing together, by
unity of action, by a little sacrifice and
patriotism, the Southern Cotton Asso-
citation forced the consumer to pay TO the
producer more than 10 cents. Have you
thought what that difference in price
meant to the individual and the South?
The grower has a right to fix the price of
his product, and can fix it if he will
stand 10y this association, which is max.
ing gallant fight to keep the specula-
tors from getting cotton at their own
price.
Let every farmer withdraw his cotton
from the market. This will check the
receipts, and the market will be obliged
to advance. If you have to sell try to
find some man who will buy it and retire
it from the market. There are plenty of
men in each county of sufficient means
and patriotism to do this.
In spite of the report circulated by the
bears and their allied interests who are
trying to depress the prico of your cot
ton, we are reliably informed through
out the Southern States, through the in
tluence of the Southern Cotton Assooia-
tion, that the farmers are holding their
cotton off the market. Let us stand by
our Southern brothers in this great fight.
1t means the financial emancipation of
our beloved southland.
In a word the situation resolves itself
into clear, clean-cut battle betwixt the
farmer and the speculator. Had the
government report been bullish and con-
ditions reported such as to warrant an
advance in the future market, it would
have been claimed that conditions war
rantcd or brought about the minimum
price for which we are contending. AS
1T is the government has brought out an
other ridiculous estimate as to condition,
and the bears are confidently predicting
large crop; therefore if the farmers
and merchants will now hole off their
cotton-absolutely hold it off-the spin
ners must have their supplies and com
ing into the market will quickly raise
the price to that of our minimum. This
seems almost another providential op.
portunity like last year to test our
ability to control the market. Let every
man see to it that he will absolutely
withhold his cotton for 80 days.
E. d. Smith, President.