Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-03-08
COTTON GOODS EXPORTS.
MILL MEN AND FARMERS CONFER WITH
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
A BILLION DOLLARS IN TEXTILES
Presiden. to Aid In the Extension OF the For
eign Marker for Cotton Goods.

recent Southern Interstate Cotton
Convention at New Orleans to urge
the creation of a commission to ex.
tend the foreign markets for cotton
products. The delegation consisted
of about a dozer members, headed
by former Senator McLaurin, of
South Carolina. The committee
urged immediate steps looking to
Congressional action for this purpose
IN behalf of the cotton interests. The
President discussed the question
with the delegation, and stated that
he would take it up with the men
who represent the cotton belt in Con-
gress. r. assured the committee
that he would do all he could to
facilitate the movement. Senator
McLaurin, who introduced the com.
mittee, spoke as follows:
SENATOR M'LAURIN's APPEAL.
"Mr. President: During the last
days of January there met in New
Orleans, one of the most remarkable
industrial assemblages that we have
had in the South since the war. The
term Cotton Growers Convention is
to some extent misleadings for the
Convention represented the mer-
chants, bankers and mill men, to an
equal extent. The Convention found
itself face to face with two phases of
situation that called for action.
First, the unreasonably high prices
for cotton in 1902 and 1908 had,
while curtailing the consumption of
cotton products, stimulated the larg-
est acreage on record, which, with
good seasons, has produced surplus
of two million bales over the con-
sumptive demand of present bales.
"The able men who guided the de-
liberations of the convention, fully
realized that when they took steps to
make ten-cent cotton next year, that
the price would, in 1907, again slim
ulate large acreage, and that unless
we could before that time find wider
market for our products, that we
would have n repetition of the diff,
culties that now confront us. No one
familiar with the uses of cotton
doubts that this is possible. We can
point to an export trade in one sec
tion of North China, that with com
paratively little effort was increased
to over twenty million dollars in a
few years. | have no hesitation in
saying that in China, Morocco, Abys-
sinia and other portions of the East,
we can with proper effort develop
markets that will speedily put cotton
and cotton products on permanent
ly prosperous basis. The balance of
the country is deeply interested in
the prosperity of the cotton planter.
When cotton can be produced at a
profit, we draw our supplies of flour,
corn, mules and meat from the West.
When it gets below the cost of pro-
duction we raise these supplies at
home, and the effect of decreased
consumption is speedily felt in the
grain and stock belt.
VALUE OF COTTON GOODS TRADE.
"Last year the exports of cotton
amounted to nearly $780, 100000, and
when you remember we kept at home
four million bales, valued at nearly
S25e,OOO,OOO to supply the mills of
the South, you realize the enormous
value OF The cotton crop in settling
the trade balance of the world in
favor Of the United States.
"The convention adopted a resolu-
tlon appointing a committee to ask
you, as the President of the whole
country, and the friend of all it's
people, to Use the power of your
great office to assist us in this under
taking. We were directed to confer
with the leading exporters, and
among them l requested the CO.
operation of John Foord and Silas
D. Webb, president and secretary of
the American Asiatic Association, of
New York. After full conference
we have agreed and committed our
requests to writing, which we will