St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-06
The Object of the Association.

The Object Of the Association.
Reduction of acreage and better
system, of marketing the cotton crop
Is the solution to the business prob
lem of the South offered to the cot
ten growers. The one is for the pur.
pose of disposing of a two million
pale surplus, and the other to relieve
a condition which compels the pro-
Queer to become the victim Of over
production.
Mr.. Jordan says that east Of the
Mississippi, organization of the cotton
farmers for the purpose of reducing
acreage has been perfected, and the
purpose of his visit here was to per
feet the organization in Texas. with
out whom the other States would be
unable to accomplish anything. After
stating that the primitive system of
marketing used in Texas was very
bad, he advocated the establishment
Of bonded warehouses, stating that
as far west as Middle Alabama this
custom obtained, and as a conse-
Quence farmers were getting SIS. more
Per bale for their cotton than farmers
in Texas.
Do you know that there are only
four competitors to American cotton,
and none of these can compete with
it in the market as long as our Amer
lean cotton is no higher than II cents
per pound? Until the price reaches
that, we have an absolute monopoly
OF the fabric that goes into the cloth
that makes the worlds supply, and we
are only getting half what it is worth
If it were in open competition with
other materials.
The fact, is that the only competi-
tor American cotton has in American
cotton, and that condition is brought
about by raising more than is needed.
Last year we raised 100000 bales
more than the world could consume,
and We brought the price down below
the cost of production. This surplus
is still upon us, and, as we are re-
sponsible for it, it is our duty to get
rid of it. If you put it in the hands of
ether people they can use it against
you. Keep it yourself and create a
demand for it by falling short of the
worlds consumption.
NO MARKETING SYSTEM.
Another reason for poor prices, is
that we have absolutely no system
for marketing cur cotton. We follow
the old primitive methods that were
in use before the war. That is, we
simply let the people who live 5000
miles from our shores put their own
price on our staple. The reason they
can do this is that you put an enor-
nous oversupply on the market within
a short time The price Of cotton is
regulated by speculation, and not by
the legitimate means OF trade based
on supply and demand.
We want to meet this emergency
that confrOnts us. We want to re-
duce production. We can go into 1905
ard raise 100000 bales, which, with
the 100000 surplus we have on hand,
will give just what the world wants.
1t is a deplorable truth that we have
to develop our wealth out of the raw
product. We are an agricultural coun-
try and not cocuntry of factories and
business acumen.
Cotton is the product that has sup
ported the United States foreign
trade. Last year We exported $1,000
900 worth of stuff for every day in the
year, and it was due to cotton. Cot
ton is the only thing that prevented
financial depression in New YORK
twelve months ago. II it were not FOR
the cotton the exports the United
States would be in the nations list OF
debtors instead of creditors.
In the next two months 1t Will pc
determined whether the wave OF pros
perity that has passed over the coun-
try shall continue, or whether the
South will be facing financial disaster
inside of eight months.
SHOULD CONTROL PRICES.
Up to the present time every at
tempt to produce cotton anywhere
else has been failure. We have the
only country that will produce It, and
JHt.T0 is ITO ICaoOA my y = SAA'OS
control it and fix the prices.
But you can't handle the cotton
crop as it is being handled In the
South now. You should not turn II
over to the street buyers-that is not
business. You are paying the saia'
ries Of these men yourself. rms sys-
tenn is costing you millions OF dollars
eyery year that ought to 60 IN your
pockets. Every cent that it costs 70
get your cotton to market Is charged
against your cotton, and you pay the
freight. j,
WHY. the cotton mill people are IN
this movement. They want TO see
cotton at a staple price. They are
not only talking, but they nave put
money in it. Not only the co.1on
mills. but the bankers and the cues
and the cotton factors and the meI-
chants and all classes OF business men
In the South are getting interested IN
The Southern Cotton Association Is
not a class proposition. IS pig
enough to take every man ~ VIZ
wants to help us win this ngnt. ll ne
Is no conflict between us IN any n'.o
There is no cotton in the world tnae
:. oood as that produced IN the