The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-12
FARMERS WILL
REDUCE ACREAGE
State Cotton Meeting in
Raleigh Yesterday.
WILL STAND TOGETHER
Over Four Hundred Farmers From
Forty-Three Counties Take Strong
Action Looking to Enforc NJ
Plans to Increase the Price
OF Cotton.


night, the purpose being to take steps
10 agree on plan to increase the
price of cotton and to send delegates
To the Southern Cotton States meet
ing ut New Orleans.
1t was body composed of over four
hundred men, and it was fine look
ing body. Representatives were pres
ent from forty-three counties. The
men were representative men and no
more substantial and intelligent look
ing body has ever assembled in this
city.
ihe meeting was one "out for bus
mess and no fine oratory" was toler-
ated., A long spun out speech was cut
off and five minutes was the time
allowance. The temper of the farmers
was for a reduction of acreage and
the holding of the surplus cotton off
the market till decent prices were OBJ
tained.
The main business of the meeting
was arranged by two committees,
these on organization and resolutions.
These committees were appointed soon
after the meeting convned, and pend
ing thir reports an adjournment was
taken at six O'Clock TO half past seven.
.At the night meeting the reports were
discussed with vigor. and a pan adopt
ed to secure the end desired, an an
crease in the price of cotton.
The convention at four O'Clock was
called to order in Metropolitan Hall
by Mr.. T. r. Parker the secretary ana
State Business Agent of the Farmers
Alliance, who in a short and earnest
talk told of the purpose of the meet
ing.
rhe roll call showed forty-three
counties out of the sixty cotton grow
L.
Selted as follows:
Beaufort BERTHE. Cabarrus, Catawba,
Chatham Chowan, Cleveand. Column
bia. Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Dur
ham, Edgecombe, Franklin, CASTOR,
Granville. Guilford, Greene, Halifax.
Harnett, Iredell, Johnston, Jones. Le-
noir, Lincoln, Mecklenburg. Montgom-
cry. Moore. Nash Northampton. Or
ange, Richmond, Robson. Sampson,
Scotland, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake
Warren, Washington, Wayne, and
Wilson.
For temporary chairman Capt w.
I. Everett, of Richmond county. was
nominated by Hon. S. f. Alexander,
and was enthusiastically elected. In
few short words he expressed his
thanks for the honor. Nh. G. II. Poe
was elected secretary and press rep
reSentatiyes as assistants. On motion
of Hon. Joseph A. Brown, of Column
bus, the temporary organization was
made permanent.
Mr.. +. 3. Parker moved that a COM
mittee on plan of organization be APP
pointed. This was carried and the
following committee was appointed:
>. Il. Alexander, or MecklenOurg: X.
H. Speight of Edgecombe; l.. r.
Wyatt. of Wake; j. T. Allison, of Ca
barrus: ]. E. Peterson. of Wayne: w.
c. Whitaker, of Halifax; w. A. Gra-
nam. of Llncoin.
On motion of Mr.. r. c. Dunn. of
Wake, for a committee of ten one
from each Congressional district, was
on motion of Mr.. J. a. Brown, of Co.
lumbus, changed to committee of
five, chosen from the floor. This was
carried and the following were ap.
pointed j. A. Brown. of Columbus; j.
j. Barrow. of Columbus: Hector Nc
Lean. of Scotland; Geo. f. Parrot. of
Lenor; James II. Pou. of Wake. y
request for representation from john
ston county for representation on the
committee caused the committee to
be Increased to six and Mr.. \. j. Nc
kimmon.
Mr.. James II. Pou. of Raleigh. We.
called for and he responded He urged
this as no time for speeches, bubt foI
business. He said. conditions were
known and how to raise the price Of
cotton was known. The purposes he
held to be was to aid farmers to hold
cotton at present. to curtail acreage
this year. and to give the report Of
what North Carolina did to the other
cotton States. He said a man would
he n fool to continue working for
nothing, that the constitution prevent
ed no one from being fool.
He urged that ten million bales
should lee the maximum crop of 1905.
and told how quickly the Wake conn
ty cotton committee had arranged to
have money loaned on cotton. that the
banks had promptly said they would
loan at six per cent interest. but that
if big crop was raised in 1905 that
il would be foolish to hold the cotton
on hand as another overflow crop
would mean that the present prices
would seem high. He urged a de-
crease of SO Is per cent in acreage.
and that deeds. not resolution was
wanted, that the farmers should adj
here to the plan of curtaling, and if
the government report 10 be issued
the first of June showed a severe re-
duction that Theodore II. Price would
20 into bankruptcy in a week. Great
applause greeted Mr.. Pou.
Mr.. 7. w. Beckett. of Louisburg,
was called for and he addressed the
meeting. He favored reduction of
acreage and to cut off fert' liZerS one
half. He presented as the best thing
for the farmers to form the Ameri-
can Cotton Company" call it a trust
if you Will. but if it takes as long 20
bust this trust as to bust other trusts
the farmers would grow rich in the
meantime. (ApplauSe) He wanted
all farmers to pledge TO sell to this
company and let this company dictate
prices and not Theodore III. Price. Sim
ply agreeing TO hold for ten cents was
a rope of sand. As to the surplus the
american Cotton Company could hold
il back and set prices citing the case
of the holding back of diamonds by
the South African ana trusts in their
way of holding back a surplus to as
not to decrease prices.
His reference to Wall Street cotton
spectators az the most damnable set
IS -~i'a hSr1-~ world has ever seen.
.7fs5e-'-I #t-3i 80 iiauSe. and also his
tceit tAa- farmers should or
'Ii fr,f f8t other men were ar