Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-12-20

The farmers of the South should
be in exceedingly good humor to-day.
Following the report of the Agricul-
turrl Department estimating the
total crop at 10,167,818 bales, gross
weight, the cotton market went up
, 76 points.
The jump in the price of cotton,
which made the great staple crop of
the South worth something like $780,
100000 more to the producers than
1T was few hours previously, is due
TO the efforts of the Southern Cotton
Association.
And the success of that association
is due more to its president, Hon.
Harvie Jordan, than to any other
one man. 1t was he that conceived
it, who worked indefatigably for it's
organization, who has been it's guild
ing spirit ever since, who carefully
festered it through its experimental
stage, and who is directly RESPONSE
BILE for the manner in which it has
made good.
And it was President Jordan's
good generalship and quick action
which kept an incorrect report from
robbing the Southern planters of the
fruits of their cooperation at the
last moment.
Mr.. Jordan chanced to learn,
through telegram sent to New
Orleans by the chairman of the Agri-
cultural Departments crop reporting
board, w. M. Hays, that it was
planned that the departments report
would be based upon an estimate of
Ats pounds weight to the bale, in
stead of 500 pounds. 1t is obvious
that this would make it appear that
= much larger number of bales had
been raised in the South, and would
have distinctly bearish effect on
the market, since the spectators
would not take into account the fact
that the bales were smaller. The
fact of an estimate pointing to a
larger number of bales than had
been expected could have been made
TO count, by the bear spectators as
an asset in bearing the market be-
fore the information that the bales
were smaller ones than usual was
thoroughly disseminated.
Just why the Agricultural De-
partment should have attempted to
take such an unprecedented action
at time so critical to the interests
of one of the nations greatest indus
tries is mystery.
Immediately upon receipt of the
information that such action was
contemplated Mr.. Jordan set out for
Washington.
His journey to the capitol, to force
from the men whose presentation of
statistics can make or lose millions
for the farmers of the South, in
order to demand from them an ex-
planation of their contemplated
course, is not without its dramatic
features.
Mr.. Jordan got there in time to
show the department officials that
they could not with impunity "throw
down" the Southern planters in the
interests of the New York bears.
Whatever arguments he may have
used they were effective ones. The
department abandoned its attempt,
and the report was issued on the
basis of 500 pounds to the bale, as it
has been heretofore.
by his prompt action he prevented
a loss of millions of dollars to the
South, and once again gave evidence
of the fact that he is an ideal leader
for such an association as that which
he heads. His vigilance and alert
ness saved the day for the South
That is not putting it too strong, for
the effect of drop in the market,
based upon a government estimate,
might have been so discouraging to
the planters and 80 encouraging to
the bears, as to have all but ruined
the association at the time when it
looked for it's ultimate triumph.
The Southern Cotton Association
s------