The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-21
TO COTTON FARMERS.
An Appeal From One Who Sees Dan
ger Ahead.

Ye who dwell in the cotton belt be
true to the New Orleans cotton con-
Vent1on resolutions and you are safe,
otherwise you may expect disaster in
the price of cotton
l. The convention, made up of rep
resentative men from all parts OF the
cotton growing section of our country
said Hold your cotton for 10 cents
or a living price" All will agree that
the slow marketing of the big crop is
what has kept the price of cotton
above the low water mark or cents
a pound. You also know that IL the
farmers and business men had have
held on to ali their cotton and de-
manded ten cents per pound for it
would have come as easy as IL
cents per pound And it would have
been legitimate, because the producer
should have a profit on his labor which
he does not get at 7 IL cents
2. The New Orleans convention said
reduce cotton acreage 25 per cent FOR
1905
Actual count has been made and it
is stated the cotton mills, as yet. do
not wish to handle more than 11,0OO,-
600 bales cotton per annum. why
make the raw cotton then in too great
quantity for the producer to get
living price for it? Remember the
law of supply and demand is incon-
trovertible. So, farmers reduce cotton
acreage SO that you will not set up
howl" next fall because of low price
of cotton. Every farmer should do 1T
himself and then say to his brother
do as | do. 1t is not worth cent TO
you to say | have never planted much
cotton anyway or 1 have already re-
duced l or 2 acres from year before
last and the other fellows should do
the cutting off, and that we should
regulate the thing at so much to the
horse, say 10 acres. That is true, and
we hope when We get time to spit In
our hands the great Interstate >. {.
A. will SO regulate the acreage, but we
have no tiihe to do it now. It's plant
ing time. or, let me say, it's the time
mot to plant" much.
l shall abide the New Orleans
resolutions myself. and do most earn
estly urge all cotton planters to do
likewise. Let us be true to each other
to the letter. In union there shall be
strength. If any cotton farmer has
never said he would reduce acreage
20 per cent, let him now do it, If any
have said so and find that he is slip
ping away from first principles, let him
return and stand firm. All of you are
constantly exhorted from Harvie Jor-
dan President S. G. A, down to town
ship president S. G.. A.. through all the
line ito abide in the ship.
Third. Reduce commercial fertillz-
er 2 5per cent. for cotton. This is
easy to do if you will be sure 70 re-
duce cotton acreage.
Two hundred or four hundred
pounds of guano to the acre in cotton
last year means the same this year
per acre. Just don't have as many
acres by one-quarter
Fourth Diversity crops. We all
know it is safe to have a variety that
we may hit on something, always max
ing home supplies at home when it
pays.
You just do different from the New
Orleans resolutions and you will call
you a fool in the "bye and bye" un-
less the good hand of Providence gives
you a small cotton crop.
I hope other townships in Halifax
county are at the same kind of work
Everybody tell everybody about S. S.
Patterson's Commissioner of Agricul-
ture for North Cardinal address on
this matter. 1t was endorsed by Gov
ernor Glenn and State Secretary Bryan
Grimes. Keep yourselves in line. my
friends.
w. c. Whitaker. Pres. III. Co. c. S. A.
Enfield, N. G.