The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-22
Monticello, Ga, Dec. %, '04

YhOuIlSOliof SS' WV SS va
To the Cotton Producers Of the South
west:
AS We enter into the new year Of
1905 I wish to first extend to you my
greeting of best wishes and the hope
for that peace, conteDtment and pros
perity you richly deserve. AS you 60
forth into the new year it will be to
face continued perils that beset the
pathway of farmers all over this coun-
try. The present crisis which con-
fronts the cotton producers OF the
South must be met with q determine
ton so resistless that before the M ar
ketlng Of another crop has been
reached our enemies will have been
80 completely put to rout that never
again will they have the temerity to
attempt 80 unwarranted a c~onfscation
of our property. The farmers of the
South have the manhood and the
ability to win their emancipation
from the dominion Of Wall street
gamblers and I am now thoroughly
convinced that they will do 30.
Present and future success depends
absolutely upon future distinct prop
ositions welded firmly together,
namely /: Thorough organization, cur
tailment in, the production Of cotton
holding and marketing the crop slow
ly to meet legitimate demand, and
the raising of an abundance of food
supply crop. These must 90 together
in we'll ordered Systems and business
detail. Your unions will solve the
problem of organization, and in your
unions you must act firmly and
fearlessly under a properly directed
leadership. This leadership 1 believe
you have in the president of your
great organization, Mr.. N. G. Muir
ray.
You must not only organize for pro-
lection in selling, but you must also
organize for the equally important
matter Of buying. AS a fundamental
and undeniable proposition you must
realize fully that the cotton producers
of the South have no friends to look
to for help in the solution Of their
many problems except from the COM
bined wisdom and cooperation among
themselves. I say to you after many
years hard study and persistent inves-
LEGATION into the problems of Southern
The popular method of
doing business in the 20th century is
by combination Of mutual interests.
The business Of production is separate
and distinct from all others, therefore
it must stand alone to combat the
mercenary hand of the world. When
we cross the boundary line of the
farm every interest that we touch Is
one of antagonism. The world with
we deal undertakes to, and does
price every commodity that we buy.
This power put into the hands Of
the commercial world can have but
one re~sult-fxing at prices each year
their value and pricing OF
those commodities we buy at figures
that are e~xtortionate. l ask any man
to study the situation with a freedom
from partisanship and then deny
that I but speak to you the words of
truth and soberness. The men who
the plow and create the wealth
of the world are today bowed beneath
the lash of those whom they clothe
and feed. II this is not q truism,
deny it. .. ..
WHAT SHALL WE DO?
Organize upon business principles
and stand by your organization
through peril and prosperity. Attend
your meetings regularly, confer to-
gether, read, think and work for mu.
tual and beneficial results to your in-
terests. Stop listening to the siren
whisper of those who engage in COM
mercial and industrial activity. Lis
ten not to those who tell you that the
farmers Of the South will not organize
stand together. Prove to the world
that such criticisms apply to years
that are past and gone, and that the
farmers are and will take their stand
in front rank Of progress along with
the balance Of the world. Blaze out
your own pathway and follow 1t un-
swervipgly TO the end. In the pres
ent fight hold your cotton in your
own possession and do not for one
moment relinquish it to the possession
Of cotton buyers on any agreement to
receive whatever market prices that
may prevail at some future date. All
sorts of schemes will be presented to
you by the buyers and exporters to
get possession Of your cotton. 1t Ia
being done now all over the South,
and some farmers are turning over
their cotton to buyers on advances
and promises of future remuneration.
Let the exporters get hungry. and
starve for awhile. They cannot fill
their January and February contracts
without the spot cotton. That cotton
is now in your possession and the
future months have heavily oversold.
AS you firmly hold the cotton now
in your possession, determine and
prepare to cut down the cotton acre
age for 1905. Reduction of cotton
production at this time ia the key note
to success. Upon the acreage we
plant this spring will largely deter
mine the price Of the cotton we now
hold and that we expect to make in
1905. Make a short crop and get rich.
Produce abundantly and financially
ruin the South. Better shut down
the mills than to shut down thousands
of farms.
AS you decrease your cotton acre
age, increase your food supply crop.
Upon an intelligent solution of this
problem will depend the future sue
cess of our people. Make your farms
self sustaining and win your emanci-
patton from the dominion of the COM
mercial world and the gamblers of
Wall street. Scatter the dates for
the payment of your annual obliga-
tons and refuse any longer to make
all your years accounts due in the
month of October. Buy together and
pay cash as far as possible. Let no