The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-10
Farmers of Wake in De-
termined Mood.
HOLD THEIR COTTON
Farmers With Ten Acres Or Less Need
Not CurtaiI---COmmittee Named TO
Aid Farmers Needing Money
Delegates to State Meeting
Next Wednesday.

The farmers of Wake County, IN !
numbers that were great when the
disagreeable weather and muddy
roads are considered, met yesterday
al noon in the County Court House.
Cotton and the ruinous price at
which is being offered for it was the
cause of the meeting. 1t was the
County Cotton Convention, which FOL
lower as the result of the mass meet
ing here. and of the township conVen-
ton held last Saturday throughout
Wake.
There was no hesitating and no
faltering i'm the action taken yesterday.
With one voice, hearty, strong unanl-
NOUS the farmers present, regularly
delegated from thirteen OF the nlhe-
teen townships passed resolutions
pledging themselves to hold the cot
ton now on hand till after the
Southern Cotton Convention in New
Orleans, set for the "a. % and 26th
of this ninth and then to take acton
as determined there, to reduce their
cotton acreage next year 81 l-5 per
cent of the acreage this season, ana
to reduce fertilizer purchases in pro-
portion.
TO aid the men who might need
money committee of five was APP
pointed the committee to arrange with
banks or monied interests to advance
a fair price on cotton. This commit
tee consists Of j. Fl. Robbins, James
II Pou, l.. r.. Wyatt w. T. Howell, j.
r. Edwards and any member OF 1T VIII
be glad to give information to farm
ers who desire to raise money on cot
ton.
Reports received from every sectioon
of the county are that the farmers are
q unit in the purpose of holding cot
ton now on hand, and of reducing the
acreage next season. To present these
views to the State Cotton Convention
which meets in Raleigh next We'd
nesday afternoon at four o'clock
committee was appointed. consisting
of ten delegates at large and one
from each township
The talks of the farmers We're
all business like from the start. There
was just a bare sprinkle of oratory
sandwiched in. but the meeting was
not out for talk. 1t had business in
its eye, stern determinatln on every
in every thing that was ~.
The meeting began snortly after
midday with about ESQ men present
farmers. business men. merchants,
manufacturers. Mr.. A. c. Green was
made chairman, Mr.. E. +. Britton
secretary and Mr.. W. j. Martin as
sistant secretary, the temporary Or
ganization being later made perman-
emit Then business was begun with
the roll call and the reports from the
| various townships.
The vice prpesidents selected were:
j. ID. X. Allen. Barton's Creek; l.. Il.
Woodall, Cary; A. c. Burt, Holly
Springs; j. r. Edwards and Charles
Williams, Houses Creek; DR.. G. NJ.
Bell, Little River; n. p. Jones, Marks
Greek; j. j. Dunn. Neuse; DR.. n. II.
Blalock, Panther Branch; l.. II. Wyatt,
Raleigh; p. 6. Adams, Swift Greek;
F. A. Whitaker. st. Mary's; r. G..
Dunn. st. Matthew's: d. ID. Gill, ST.
Marys.
VIII Decrease Acreage.
In every case as the township was
called there was d response that the
| farmers were holding cotton and at
their meetings had voted to reduce
the acreage, the figures being from
IS per cent to so per cent or no crop
at all, the reports being:
Barton's Creek. by G. II. Holloway;
Cary, by w NJ Burt; Holly Springs.
by T. G. Council; Houses Creek. by j.
Il. Edwards; Little River. by f. P.
Wigs; Marks Creek, by N. p. Jones;
Neuse, by j. j. Dunn Panther Branch,
by DR.. n. NJ. Blalock; Raleigh, by l..
r.. Wyatt; Swift Creek, by j. w. Pen
ny; st. Mary's. by f. A. Whitaker; st.
Matthews, by r. D. Weathers; Wake
Forest, by w. b. Smith.
lutions. Mr., l.. r. Wyatt moved that it
was the sense of the meeting that
the cotton acreage be reduced 33 1-3
per cent from 1904. fertilizer to be re-
duced accordingly.
There was some discussion as to
how this wouldo affect small planters
of from five to ten acres. After re-
marks by several Mr.. r. L. Britton
moved that no farmer be required TO
plant less than ten acres. Later in
the meeting on motion of Mr.. l.. r.
Wyatt it was determined that farmers
should hold cotton for 10 cents or
till a decision was reached at the
meeting of the Southern Cotton As
| ISOLATION at New Orleans, January
| "a 25. %
| The motoon to reduce by 33 1-3
| per cent was opposed by Mr.. f. A.
| Whitaker who desired % per cent of
| 27 IL per cent by Mr.. A. G. Green
who wanted the resolution to be that
only ten acres 10 the horse would
| be used. Messrs. l.. r. Wyatt, f. K.
| Britton, j. H. Robbins, DIR. n. M. Bla-
lock and f. B. Arendell urged that
33 1-3 per cent decrease by the reso-
| luton.
| Mr.. James H. Pou was called on
and made a strong speech in favor of
| decreasing by 33 1-3 per cent. He
urged that less decrease would have
no effect, that with the surplus cot
tn firm this year the crop next year
should not exceed ten million bales.
The effect of concerted action was
shown by him. and that a big crop
/ this year would mean financial ruin.
A question addressed to Mr.. Pou
brought out the fact that on his farms
! in Johnston county less than a fifty
per cent crop of 1904 would be plant
ed that he had so instructed his ten
ants and employees. He urged to
| hold the cotton and to have no foolish
| talk of burning it. and that a big crop
this year would invite financial dis
aster, with COTTON selling lower than
ever known in history. The motion
| for a 33 13 per cent decrease was
/ adopted.
To Provide Money.
On motion of Mr.. j. II. Rbbins
committee of FIVE was appointed to ar
range to borrow money on cotton for
/ farmers. This committee beng appoint
led, Messrs. j. H. Robbins j. Fl. P6u,