Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-05-03
THE SOUTHERN COTTON ASSOCIATION.
What II Stands ior--lis Aims and Purposes
Will Gather Statistics.
COTTON MILLS IN TUE SOUTH.

loom, presents tho hlRneSt e'iuehoo VI
the necessity for tn more rapid building
of cotton mills in the South, and the ex-
porting of the finished product from our
shores rather than that of the raw mate
rial. The export of our raw cotton an-
nually brings more gold into this country
than the combined exports of all other
agricultural products and agricultural
supplements shipped from America to
foreign countries. A crop OF SUCH mag
nitude in value, and one upon which the
entire civilized world so absolutely de-
ponds, should receive the immediate pro-
lection of every business interest In TINS
country. No cotton grown IN foreign
countries, up to the present time, oan be
delivered at our ports at a less price than
Ia cents per pound. 1t is generally ad-
mitted by experts which have inve7ti-
gated the efforts made to produce cotton
in foreign countries, that up to the pres
ept Tme, such efforts have been failure,
and it ia extremely doubtful If there will
ever como time when foreign grown
cotton can ever be produced profitably in
competition with American grown cotton.
OUR AsIATIC TRADE.
1t is confidently believed that the Pan
anna Canal will be opened to the COM
merce of the high seas within the next
ten years, after which time, the South
will be in position to secure direct and
quick trade relations with the Asiatic ma
tions of tho far East. In China alone,
more than four hundred and fifty millions
of people are ready and willing to wear
cloth made from American cotton. In
Japan, more than forty.five millions of
people are equally willing to be clothed
from American grown cotton. With the
introduction of OUR trade relations with
three hundreds of millions of people,
crop of fifty million bales of cotton can
be consumed with the same ease as is
now done with a crop Of ten millions,
among the civilized nations of Europe
and America.
With these splendid posi- Utilities lying
just ahead, only waiting for proper de-
velopment, the time has come when the
South must no longer look to tho more
matter of production, but in the develop
mont of our agricultural resources, we
must begin to reach out for wider mar
kets in order to meet the rapidly develop
ing agricultural conditions of the South.
INFoRMATIoN AND COOPERATION.
The principal motive power needed to
advance and promote our interest are
splendidly equipped organized forces,
operating in perfect harmony to reach
correct solution of the problems which
now confront us. This organization
among our people is being sought through
the Southern Cotton Association, and the
prospect for success is particularly graft
flying at the present time. The South
possesses an abundance of brain, energy
and manhood. In the veins of her peo
pile courses the highest type of Anglo
Saxon blood; race which has always
been equal to every emergency and which
has invariably accomplished every great
object which it has undertaken. What
the South needs more than all things else
is information with reference to the mat
tiers outlined above. Our people should
know the splendid possibilities within
their reach and how to develop their
great resources. The time has come
when the new South will take on renewed
energy and prepare to take its stand i'll
the front ranks OF the foremost nations of
the world.
have absolute confidence in the future
of my country, and believe the time is
rapidly approaching when the South will
be the richest and most desirable section
Of this great nation in everything which
nertains To advanced arriculture COM
mcrcc industrial activity and the highest
type of citizenship of an educated COM
snonwcath.
MEMBERSHIP DUES.
The annual membu. hip dues are only
25 cents per member. The fixed income
OF the association and of the various State
and Territorial, county and parish organi
cations, is to be obtained by an annual
assessment of few cents on each bale of
cotton produced by it's members in 1905,
and n small per cent on the capital stock
,of its members engaged in other lines of
business throughout the South. This
system will distribute the burden of
maintaining the association cquitably on
all lines of business alike and enable the
association to safe guard and protect the
great staple crop OF the South from the
depressing influences Of foreign domina.
zion. Last December, without organized
effort. tho spot holders of cotton in the
South were forced to submit to an actua
aoss of $50 per bale, and it was only after
Uhe great convention at New Orleans on
January 24th and the creation of the