The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-31
AN APPEAL TO FARMERS.

Governor Terrell, of Georgia, makes
a strong appeal to the farmers of the
south to stand by the recommended
tons of the Southern Cotton Associa-
ton He urges them to be true te
each other in what he calls this crisis
in their affairs. Now is offered them
the opportunity to shake of the thrai-
dom of the Wall street n cotton
exchange spectators and to take into
their own hands the arrangement o.
the cotton market. He endorses the
work of that association and believes
il will bear good fruit Its success
depends upon the farmers themselves.
II they will stick together they will
win; but if each n tries to fOoi and
TO get ahead of his neighbors then VIII
all the work have been done and ali
the expense incurred in vain. Coz
ernor Terrell, though, believes the
farmers will stand by each other. Be
low we give extracts from his letter
which all farmers should read.
Governor Terrell was raised on a
farm and is still d farmer. He has
several plantations, on every one Of
which he will reduce the cotton acre
age twenty-five per cen n he also
is holding his cotton of the present
crop.
In his Letter the governor says:
l have watched with great interest
the work of the Southern Cotton Asso-
citation. It's officers and the officers Of
the various state divisions have done
a good work in SO thoroughly organic
ing the southern states. Truly the
words which appear on the official
emblem Of the association: In unity
there shall be strength are very APP
propriate. The time has come for the
peoDle of the south to stand together
They car now work out their own sal
walton. 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 to-
gether. 1t has never succeeded by
drifting apart. Had it not been for
the union of moral forces during the
dark DAYS of the reconstruction the
manhood of the south would have
passed away with its property inter-
ests. The southern planter needs this
same determined and united strength
in the present fight the cotton growers
are making against the evil that is
threatened in an effort to control the
product OF human labor by s%pecula-
ton in Wall street. There should be
no laggards. Now is the time to act,
in order a the best results may be
guaranteed. This is the planting time,
and it is Incumbent DOn every farm
er who loves his section. and vino
feels the proper concern for the
veal of coming generations to give
the fullest play to unselfiSh patriotism
ard cut down his individual crop in
respect to the implied contract that
the great class of planters have made
with each other.
He should not only do this himself.
but he should r his ana
his neighbors to follow his own exam
pie. honestly and practically set, by
reducing the cotton acreage twenty
five per cent. and fertilizers in the
same ratio.
Investigations Of crops to take up
the land not planted in cotton n a
| greater effort than ever before to raise
food supplies at home will put the
| southern states in better shape han
ever.
L believe the people of the south are
thoroughly aroused on this great
question and that they are going to
reduce their acreage. hold what cot
ton they can for better prices. aud
when next fall arrives. I believe the
crop of cotton will be much shorter
be much higher than it is today. .
!